Executive director of catering sales – a day in my life. The day will not end for the catering director until a few things are director has just one job, sort of, and is the front person for the operation. Now, please allow me to take you on a journey through a typical day in the life of a catering director. But first I must make coffee. | Executive Director of Catering Sales – A Day in My Life Rich Benninger Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Booking Business Customers are the number one component to a successful catering operation. 7:30 . – meet a customer for a site visit. Go above and beyond the customers expectations. Makes a note to send each guest a thank-you note for taking the time to tour the property. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Finalizing Programs Today, Benninger has a group arrive on-site, and they review their banquet event orders (BEOs). 2:15 – made major changes to 42 of them. Work with chef’s to finalize BEO’s. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Creating Menus Benninger promises a corporate client that he will write three custom menu options for their opening reception. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Working Events Can’t resist taking 10 minutes and going down to see how setup is going for a poolside reception. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Leading an Office One of Benninger’s catering managers comes into his office and asks to talk. In two days she will renew her wedding vows and she is very nervous. He goes into “father mode” and they make a list of things she has to do. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Budgets Must start on a really aggressive marketing plan to make the revenue number he is after. Asks assistant to run some reports. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Mentoring and Industry Involvement Hopes to be active in National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). Also has a protégé from the university. Is the president of his chapter of NACE. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Entertaining 5:00 . – needs to leave to go to a cocktail. Joining the vice president of sales and the executive director of convention service | Executive Director of Catering Sales – A Day in My Life Rich Benninger Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Booking Business Customers are the number one component to a successful catering operation. 7:30 . – meet a customer for a site visit. Go above and beyond the customers expectations. Makes a note to send each guest a thank-you note for taking the time to tour the property. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Finalizing Programs Today, Benninger has a group arrive on-site, and they review their banquet event orders (BEOs). 2:15 – made major changes to 42 of them. Work with chef’s to finalize BEO’s. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Creating Menus Benninger promises a corporate client that he will write three custom menu options for their opening reception. Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved Working Events Can’t resist taking 10 minutes and going down to see how .
