If you enjoy entertaining and cooking, starting your own food catering services in New Hampshire may be the perfect career move. An ideal caterer is someone who is reliable and organized, but also creative and flexible. You should also pay attention to both large and small details.

New Hampshire is a small state, but it is full of resorts that offer catering services in a big tourist area and events like weddings are plentiful. Corporate catering is also another area of potential business for a new catering company. To help you get started, focus on:

1. Finding a Niche. You need to establish yourself among the other catering companies in New Hampshire.
2. Developing a legal foundation for your food catering services in New Hampshire.
3. Purchasing the right equipment for your catering company at the right price.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop a niche for your catering service in New Hampshire

How are you going to stand out from all the other catering companies in NH? Figure that out first. Other companies have an established customer base and reputation. Your menu or concept needs to set you apart from other caterers, while still remaining competitively priced.

I recommend: Wedding websites like Premierbride.com are good place to find other local catering companies, as are local chambers of commerce such as the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. From these sites you can go directly to a caterer's website and see their menus, prices and other services. In the event you can't find any information on competitors online, call and request information directly. Also keep an eye out for catered events hosted by the competition. Finagle an invitation and see their work firsthand.

Find out what you need to be a legal food vendor in New Hampshire

Anyone who sells food to the public needs to have a license to do so. The kitchen where you will be preparing food needs to be inspected and approved, even if it is your home kitchen. Along with the appropriate licenses and permits, you also need to carry insurance for your business and employees, if you have any besides yourself.

I recommend: Find a list of licenses and permits required for food establishments through the State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website. The New Hampshire Business Resource Center can also help with permits and licensing. Staff their can guide through the process of launching a business in New Hampshire, including drafting a business plan and connecting you with a lender.

Outfit your New Hampshire catering company with all the right supplies

The advantage of starting your own catering company is it doesn't require a lot of expensive equipment the way a restaurant does. A few nice serving platters and some disposable containers are all you need, and you are ready to go. As your catering business grows, you can add larger pieces of equipment, such as commercial ovens, walk-in coolers and warmers.

I recommend: Pete's Restaurant Equipment out of Conway Center and Stan & Son Store Equipment in Westmoreland, NH, both carry a wide variety of catering supplies, from smallwares to commercial equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  New Hampshire catering companies also include restaurants that cater. Be sure to check the local restaurants to find out what catering they offer (on-site only or off-premise) and what's on their menus.