Health Inspectors Secrets, Pt. 3: Catering

Part 3 of the health inspector series - what happens when your kitchen goes mobile

So far I've talked about brick and mortar restaurants and food trucks, now lets get into catering operations. Man, if you think food trucks are challenging, catering is like food trucks on steroids with a side of pure chaos. I've been doing catering inspections for about 12 years now and I don't know how they do it! Because every single event is different, every venue has its own problems, and caterers are basically performing magic tricks trying to serve safe food in many spaces that were never designed for food service.

The thing about catering is you take all the normal food safety challenges and then multiply them by having to work in a different unfamiliar space every single time. One day you're in a fancy hotel ballroom with decent facilities, the next day your setting up in someones backyard with nothing but a garden hose for water. And somehow you're supposed to maintain the same food safety standards as a restaurant that has everything permanently installed and setup exactly how they want it.

Most caterers I inspect are good people trying to do right, but the logistics of this business create problems that restaurants never have to deal with. You're cooking in a commissary kitchen, loading everything into trucks, driving who knows how far, then setting up a temporary kitchen in whatever space the client gives you, all while trying to keep food at safe temperatures and make sure nobody gets sick. It's honestly amazing that more things don't go wrong.

Here's the 5 biggest violations I see with catering operations, and trust me these are problems that only happen when you have to pack up your entire operation and move it somewhere new every day.

1. Temperature Abuse During Transport - The Long Haul Horror

This is hands down the biggest problem I see with caterers and it makes sense when you think about it. Food gets cooked at the commissary kitchen, then it sits in transport containers for however long it takes to drive to the venue, then it sits there while you setup, and by the time it actually gets served it might of been sitting for hours.

Worst case I ever saw was a wedding caterer who had to drive 3 hours to a remote venue. Hot food that was supposed to be at 135 degrees was down to 90 degrees by the time they started serving, and cold salads were up to 55 degrees. When I asked why they didn't have better transport equipment the owner said "well it's usually not that far." Usually isn't good enough when your dealing with food safety.

The problem is most caterers underestimate how long food will be in transport and how much temperature can change during that time. They don't invest in proper hot and cold holding equipment for transport, or they try to pack too much food into containers that can't maintain temperature. Plus your dealing with loading and unloading time, setup time, all kinds of delays that can push food into the danger zone.

You gotta have proper insulated transport containers and know exactly how long they'll hold temperature. Yes they are extremely expensive. A decent-size Cambro will run you close to $500 and you will need many to do the job. Do test runs to figure out how long your food stays out of the danger zone. Equip your transport vehicles with AC power so you can utilize electric transport containers. Plan for delays and have backup heating and cooling options at the venue. Monitor temperatures constantly during transport and setup, and don't be afraid to throw food out if it's been in the danger zone too long. Better to lose some money than make people sick.

2. Unfamiliar Venue Nightmares - Working in the Wild West

Every catering job is in a different space and let me tell you, most of these venues were never designed for food service. I've seen caterers trying to work in church basements with no hot water, outdoor pavilions with no electricity, historic buildings where you can't even find the circuit breakers, and private homes where the kitchen is tiny and the bathrooms are upstairs.

The crazy thing is caterers often don't get to see the venue until day of the event, so there scrambling to figure out where everything goes and how to make it work safely. I've watched catering teams discover that there's no working outlets near where they need to setup, or that the only water source is a bathroom sink on the other side of the building.

Had this one event at a community center where the caterer showed up and found out the only electrical outlet was already being used by the DJ. So they ran extension cords all over the place, creating trip hazards and overloading circuits. When the power kept going out they just kept resetting breakers until I showed up and made them figure out a better solution.

You gotta do site visits before every event, no exceptions. Check electrical capacity, water sources, waste disposal, storage space, everything. Bring your own extension cords and power strips that are rated for commercial use. Have wire conduits, preferably in a hard to miss color to cover up wires safely (no, a rug is not a proper wire cover). Have backup plans for when venues don't have what you expected. And don't be afraid to charge extra for venues that require special equipment or setup.

Develop a venue checklist and make sure every site meets minimum requirements before you agree to work there. Some venues just aren't suitable for safe food service no matter how much the client wants to have their wedding meal in a secluded cave.

3. Staff Wearing Multiple Hats - The Jack of All Trades Problem

This is one that really gets me because it creates so many opportunities for cross contamination. In restaurants you got cooks who cook and servers who serve, but in catering everybody does everything. Same person who's handling raw chicken in the prep area is serving salad to guests twenty minutes later, and half the time they don't change gloves or wash hands in between.

I watched a catering event where one employee spent the morning prepping raw meat, then when service started he just threw on a clean apron over his dirty clothes and started serving food to guests. No hand washing, no glove change, just a clean apron like that fixes everything.

I get it. Catering teams are usually small and everybody has to pitch in wherever needed. But food safety doesn't care if you're short staffed or hybrid employees - cross contamination is cross contamination whether it happens because someone's lazy or because someone's trying to help out.

You must have clear protocols for when staff switch between tasks. Hand washing and glove changes are non-negotiable when going from prep to service. Consider having designated prep staff who don't serve guests, and service staff who don't handle raw ingredients. If that's not possible, build in time for proper cleaning between tasks and train everyone on proper procedures.

Color coded aprons can help - different colors for prep work versus service. And make sure you have adequate hand washing stations at every venue, even if you have to bring portable ones.

4. Setup and Breakdown Chaos - Racing Against Time

Here's something restaurant operators never have to deal with - setting up and breaking down your entire operation in a few hours while maintaining food safety standards. Caterers are usually working against tight deadlines, setting up right before service and breaking down immediately after, and all that rushing creates lots of opportunities for mistakes.

I've seen caterers set up equipment without properly cleaning it first because they didn't have time. Or break down so fast that they don't clean things properly before packing them away. Food gets left sitting out during breakdown because everyone's focused on getting packed up and out of there.

Worst situation I saw was a corporate lunch where the caterer started breaking down while people were still eating. Hot food got turned off, cold food got packed away, and the remaining guests were left with food that had been sitting at room temperature for way too long. Why did they start breaking down so early? They said the venue was charging overtime fees if they went past 2 PM.

You have to build adequate setup and breakdown time into your schedule and your pricing. Don't promise clients timing that forces you to cut corners on food safety. Have checklists for setup and breakdown so nothing gets missed when your rushing. And make sure all equipment gets properly cleaned and sanitized even if your in a hurry to pack up.

Train your staff that food safety doesn't end when the last guest gets served - it continues through breakdown and cleanup. And don't start breaking down food service until all guests are completely done eating.

5. Improvised Food Storage and Prep - Making Do With What You Got

This is where catering gets really creative and really dangerous at the same time. Caterers often have to improvise storage and prep areas using whatever the venue provides, and I've seen some setups that would make your hair stand on end. Food stored in venues walk-in coolers that haven't been cleaned in months, prep work done on tables that aren't food safe, hand washing in utility sinks that are used for cleaning supplies.

One time I found a caterer storing food in coolers filled with ice from an ice machine that was black with mold. The ice looked clean so they thought it was fine, but the machine itself was a health hazard.

The venue facilities don't become your responsibility just because you're using them, but the safety of the food you serve does. You need to inspect every piece of equipment before you use it and clean or reject anything that's not safe. Bring your own equipment when venues don't have adequate facilities. Have portable hand washing stations, your own coolers, whatever it takes to maintain safe conditions.

Don't assume that just because a venue has commercial equipment that it's clean and safe to use. And don't let time pressure or client demands force you to use inadequate facilities.

The Bottom Line - Every Event is a New Challenge

Catering is probably the most challenging food service operation from a safety standpoint because your dealing with all the normal restaurant problems plus transportation, unfamiliar venues, time pressure, and constantly changing conditions. The caterers who succeed are the ones who plan for everything and have contingency plans for when things go wrong.

Don't take on jobs that you can't execute safely given your equipment and staffing limitations. It's better to turn down work than to take risks with food safety. Invest in quality transport and portable equipment even if it costs more upfront. And always remember that your responsible for food safety from the moment you start cooking until the last guest is served, no matter what challenges the venue throws at you.

Next time I'm gonna talk about pop-up restaurants and the special problems that come with temporary food service. Until then, keep your food cold, your venues clean, and your staff trained on proper procedures no matter where your working.

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