If you enjoy cooking, working with people and have an eye for detail, then starting your own food catering services in South Carolina may be the ideal career path for you. Owners of South Carolina catering companies enjoy the freedom of being the own boss, while doing a job that is flexible and creative.

Starting a catering business in South Carolina takes planning, patience and a lot of hard work. Before you begin printing off catering menus or booking events, there are several areas you need to think about first in order to start your own South Carolina catering services, including:

1. Establishing a market for your catering business in SC.
2. Purchasing equipment for your South Carolina catering company.
3. Applying for all the right permits and licenses for your South Carolina catering company

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

Find a niche for your catering services among other South Carolina food caterers

Catering is big business in South Carolina, so you need to make sure that your catering company will stand out from all the other food catering services in South Carolina. If you have a specialty area, such as Italian food or barbecue, find out if there are caterers with similar menus. Your menu needs to be unique but also competitively priced if you want to lure business away from already established caterers.

I recommend: Scope out other South Carolina caterers using the list of caterers on the Charleston Chamber of Commerce website, the South Carolina Information Highway or the South Carolina Weddings Planning Guide. Once you have the contact information for your competitors, visit their websites to see their menus, services and price range. You can also contact the company directly, if you can't find what you are looking for on their website. Keep you eyes open for public catered events where you can see your competitions work up close and personal. This will give you a chance to try their food and also hear what other people think of them.

Outfit your SC catering business with all the right equipment and supplies

New caterers need certain equipment to start with, including chaffing dishes, serving utensils, platters and storage bins. As your business grows you can add linen, tableware, flatware, and commercial equipment, such as stoves and coolers.

I recommend: Save money on used equipment through Berlin’s Restaurant Supply, with two locations in North Charleston and downtown Charleston. BigTray.com is an online company that sells all kinds of catering equipment, both large and small. They offer free freight shipping on orders over $250.

Understanding the legalities of catering in South Carolina

Anyone who sells food to the public in South Carolina 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. You also need to carry insurance for your business and employees, assuming you plan to employee anyone besides yourself. Along with legalities, safety is another huge concern for anyone who deals with retail food. Anyone who owns a catering company in South Carolina should be familiar with proper food handling and storage. This will greatly reduce the risks of food contamination and illnesses.

I recommend: To help you get started on the legal road to owning your own catering business in South Carolina check out the State of South Carolina website, where you can search for permits and licenses by industry, according to your county and town. The U.S. Department of Food and Drug Administration offers resources for retail food businesses, including information on preventing food contamination in restaurants and other food-related businesses.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Join your local chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives. This professional organization will put you contact with other event planners around South Carolina. It also gives food caterers in South Carolina access to the latest industry news and events, including trade shows.