Hey Steemians! I own a mobile wood fired pizza catering business in the Chicagoland area. I’ve had my business since 2011 and have learned a lot about the challenges of the food industry. To own a successful catering business you need to wear many hats. First and foremost you have to be a good cook, then you need to know how to deal with customers and employees. On the business side, you need to be good at bookkeeping, advertising, and cost control. Then if the business becomes profitable you could delegate those positions to other people, but until then it is critical to make the right decisions.
My background is in finance, accounting and construction management. I decided to switch gears and follow my interest in food, so I took culinary classes for two years at Kendall College in Chicago while also raising 3 kids at home ages 9 to 14. Kendall taught me the basics of cooking in a commercial kitchen and also gave me the confidence to open my own catering business. With only 2 years of classes and the lack of hands-on experience in the culinary industry, I was limited in what I could do in the field so I set out to find a niche to focus on. While googling for a research project for one of my culinary classes I learned about wood fired pizza ovens. I was so inspired by this concept that I ordered a mobile wood-fired oven made from materials imported from Italy built by an expert in the field. I spent months practicing recipes and teaching myself how to cook with a wood-fired oven. It’s not as easy as it looks without knowing a few tricks of the trade. Now almost 8 years later I can cater an event for 150 people with ease.
My page on Steemit is called “Cookit” because I plan to share all the knowledge that I’ve learned of the food industry. I think it’s important to share not only the cooking side, but also the business and professional sides associated with owning a business in the food industry. Because I’ve had to wear so many hats to make this business work, I plan to share everything with the Steemit community, here’s some examples of what to expect from me on @cookit:
- Delicious Recipes
- Cooking Tutorials
- An Insider Look at my Catering Business
- Behind-the-Scenes of Specific Catering Events
- Management
- Restaurant operating
- Bookkeeping
- And more!
Thank you for stopping by! I look forward to sharing, teaching and learning with all you fellow Steemians!
Great post! Can't wait to hear more about your catering business!
Thanks, I've got a lot of insight - can't wait to share on steemit!
This kind of oven makes very delicious pizza, some of the best I have ever had actually. Chicago is probably the perfect place to own a business like this, keep up the great work!
Yes it does make great pizza at over 800 degrees. I wish the weather in Chicago allowed for outdoor catering 12 months of the year. It's been zero degree here the past few days.
Wow, I bet the pizza cooks so fast! And that definitely doesn't sound like ideal pizza weather! But wonderful job, keep up the great work!
I've been making pizza in tiny small Italian restaurant from scratch. I can share secrets with you on dough and sauce. I will follow your page to see more!
Follow back
I would love to swap recipes! My dough has a very high water content and 00 imported Italian flour since we bake it at over 800 degrees, less than 2 minutes per pie. I use very fresh ingredients, nothing canned, other than my sauce. I use 7/11 by Stanislaus and just add salt, pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper.
That's awesome, here is my email, [email protected], Let's get in touch!
Wow that's great! I'll be looking forward to your next post😊
Thanks! I love to talk about my pizza business but I will also post some good recipes too.
I love your recipes but would also love hearing about the biz
Wow uncommonly business if I was in your town I will stop in your home or place you work ...
Thanks!
glad to see you opening this business!
You are welcome,,, you have want to upvote me..
good job :D
Thanks! It's a lot of hard work and has been more a passion than a business!
business is all about passion!
I'm starting to see more and more of these. I love Pizza cooked this way. Looking forward to seeing your progress!
Thanks! I've been told by many that my pizza is one of the best pies they've ever had. Wish I could send some around to my fellow steemians!
definitely one of the best! if not, the best!
My dad is from Chicago. That looks like yummy pizza. Welcome to Steemit. Nice introduction post. I will follow your posts.
Thank you!
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STOPI need you to come to Hangzhou! I can't find great pizza here.
Thanks, I would love to franchise my concept in every country one day. I have people from Italy tell me my pizza could compete with the best of the best!
franchising would be a huge deal! I hope you do it!
That would be awesome. The problem here is the lack of pizza sauce on the pizza. I am not sure if this is due to the local populations distaste for the sauce or if it is not readily available. I would think it is the former because sauce is relatively easy to make. Maybe it is that they haven't had good sauce. Even the large chains like Pizza Hut forgo the sauce. Turning 1.3 billion people on to pizza sauce is a business opportunity waiting to happen.
I wish I travelled more to understand how different food and tastes are in other countries. I love many cuisines and I can't imagine not eating red sauce no matter what country I came from. I would love to learn more about how people develop flavor profiles and preferences.
traveling is the key to experiencing new tastes I think!
Nice posts, please carry me along and vote my posts i am new here. Thanks
Of course, thank you!
I'll check it as well!
Welcome to Steemit @cookit. Nice introduction. Keep sharing your thoughts and ideas. You will do just fine. Have fun Steeming.
Thanks, I'm a little slow getting started in the past few days but I really love talking about my business so it should be a great experience.
business is always fun to hear about cookit!
NIce intro and I am curious to see more of your business.
You are included in my latest post "Food By Red Fish" #17. Check it out.
Thanks! I checked out your blog - great work. I am an open book about my business. I have made some mistakes a long the way but it has been an experience I feel fortunate to have gone through. I call it my hobby after all these years but I actually think with what I've learned from the past, I may be able to pay myself back for all the time and money invested.
great networking you 2!
Sounds good. Mistakes always occur and it looks like you have the right attitude.
Steem on.
Hi friend nice to meet you and welcome on steemit community you are family mamber now
nice to meet you too, thank you for your comment
great to see these older posts of when you joined!
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STOPI love brick oven cooking especially pizza 🍕
I agree. It's the high temp of the oven that cooks the pizza to perfection.
yeah I agree
Its good work. Its the real man who provide better things to people and make them and their family happy. i am very glade to see this. although i m new but i am galade from your post ......... upvote me.
Thank you for your comment, I wish you the best in 2018!
Just wanted to revisit this, hope you keep going on here!