FEATURES
Stepping Out
C ater ing
WITH
Caterers thrive on the
challenge of new locations
and constant change.
Sublime Catering
By Kathryn Kjarsgaard
Sublime Catering’s niche is its focus on
sustainable food and products.
The National Culinary Review | Mayl 2011
EVERY night is grand opening night
and every game is an away game. That’s
how Michael Roman, president/founder
of Minneapolis-based Catersource
Magazine, Conference & Tradeshow,
describes the field of catering. For chefs
who thrive under pressure and love the
thrill of a new event, catering may be the
perfect career path.
In fact, while there are only 43,000 caterers
in the country, it is an industry positioned for
growth and opportunity, according to Roman.
“It’s not a huge industry, but catering is the
second-fastest-growing segment of the food
industry,” Roman says. “The business census
bureau [U.S. Census Bureau—Business &
Industry] estimates there will be 9.1% growth
in catering in 2011 over sales in 2010, with
estimated sales of $16 billion.”
According to Roman, who started the
consulting/educational group Catersource
in 1992, and taught catering courses at
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
in Hyde Park, N. Y., from 1986 to 2001,
catering is a solid career. “Catering
continues to be recession-proof. People
keep getting married, and corporations are
coming back from their drought. Food and
entertaining are very important.”
