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I am under the assumption that I have had the privilege of helping to shape the catering industry, I happily take on the challenge of offering caterers a continual series of thoughts, anecdotes, and otherwise fun and unique stories coming from my everyday participation in the hospitality industry and more directly in the lives of caterers.
Roman's Opinion will be a place where you can read interesting tidbits and news about Catersource, caterers, and the world in general from my viewpoint. So, here is the first "rub". I ask myself, "What makes my viewpoint so important?" Probably nothing, expect that it is true that over the last three decades I have visited more catering businesses around North America, been involved in the business and personal lives of more caterers, and helped solve more problems for caterers than anyone else.
I forget to remind myself, and you, that I was actually "born" into a catering business. Well, not really born. However, if my mother, who started our family catering business in Chicago, had been pregnant with me while she was a caterer, I think she would have gladly given birth to me somewhere in the kitchen if it was during a busy day! Not to worry, I was twelve years old when Josephine Roman started the family business which she named The Mixing Bowl.
From that day on, since we lived in the flat above the kitchens with sales offices below, I was an indentured catering servant. While other boys were playing softball, I was chopping onions. No doubt there are those reading this who have had a similar experience. Enough about my early catering experiences. However, I will come back to this subject from time to time because it was a fascinating experience.
Back to this blog. The overall biases that I will continually be guided by in this blog are already well known in the catering industry, especially if you are one who I have had the privilege of working with or have become personal friends with. Catering is a business, not a way of life. Caterers deserve to make handsome profits either as owners, managers or staff. I am obsessed by helping caterers do better. So, the vast majority of my thoughts deal with anything and everything that can help caterers reach whatever goal they are seeking.
It is also important to point out that I am a "technician" who believes that success is created by small adjustments in an already operating business or activity. I believe that success in catering flows from the use of words and actions not menus. I embrace the theory that buyers of catering, whether they know it or not, are more concerned with a caterer's passion and hand holding than the food. They pick the caterer that will not embarrass them in front of their clients or friends.
Finally, it is my firm belief that the men and women who get out of bed each day (usually 7 days a week) to offer catering, are the top performers in the foodservice industry. The world is a better place because of the dedication, creativity, sacrifice and energy of professional caterers.
Roman's Opinion will be a place where you can read interesting tidbits and news about Catersource, caterers, and the world in general from my viewpoint. So, here is the first "rub". I ask myself, "What makes my viewpoint so important?" Probably nothing, expect that it is true that over the last three decades I have visited more catering businesses around North America, been involved in the business and personal lives of more caterers, and helped solve more problems for caterers than anyone else.
I forget to remind myself, and you, that I was actually "born" into a catering business. Well, not really born. However, if my mother, who started our family catering business in Chicago, had been pregnant with me while she was a caterer, I think she would have gladly given birth to me somewhere in the kitchen if it was during a busy day! Not to worry, I was twelve years old when Josephine Roman started the family business which she named The Mixing Bowl.
From that day on, since we lived in the flat above the kitchens with sales offices below, I was an indentured catering servant. While other boys were playing softball, I was chopping onions. No doubt there are those reading this who have had a similar experience. Enough about my early catering experiences. However, I will come back to this subject from time to time because it was a fascinating experience.
Back to this blog. The overall biases that I will continually be guided by in this blog are already well known in the catering industry, especially if you are one who I have had the privilege of working with or have become personal friends with. Catering is a business, not a way of life. Caterers deserve to make handsome profits either as owners, managers or staff. I am obsessed by helping caterers do better. So, the vast majority of my thoughts deal with anything and everything that can help caterers reach whatever goal they are seeking.
It is also important to point out that I am a "technician" who believes that success is created by small adjustments in an already operating business or activity. I believe that success in catering flows from the use of words and actions not menus. I embrace the theory that buyers of catering, whether they know it or not, are more concerned with a caterer's passion and hand holding than the food. They pick the caterer that will not embarrass them in front of their clients or friends.
Finally, it is my firm belief that the men and women who get out of bed each day (usually 7 days a week) to offer catering, are the top performers in the foodservice industry. The world is a better place because of the dedication, creativity, sacrifice and energy of professional caterers.
Please remember... price correctly and take some personal time for yourself and those you love. We will "blog" again soon!
Email Me: mikeroman@cateringguru.com Call Me: (773) 549-7210
"There is nothing like NOW, there is also nothing like trying." - e.e. cummings
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Here's A Full Biography From One Of My Books
Michael Roman has become the nation's leading educator for the "art" and "science" of catering. As a teacher, author and consultant, Mike’s ideas have added millions of dollars of revenue to both large and small businesses. He doesn’t teach theory. Instead, he teaches realistic in-the-trenches marketing, selling, and performance catering solutions using a casual teaching style. Over 50,000 caterers have attended Mike’s seminars, conferences, and consulting sessions.
Besides having over fifteen years of "hands-on" catering experience, Mike is also a college level instructor with a Masters Degree in Education. Mike taught a five-day catering class six times a year at the Culinary Institute of America’s New York and California campuses from 1986 to 2001. Over the last thirty years, Mike has visited, consulted, and presented educational sessions for more catering businesses than anyone else. Many believe that Mike’s teachings have shaped the direction, raised the level of professionalism, and brought a positive public image to the catering industry.
Mike has written four catering books – his three latest books If You Don’t Sell It You Can’t Cook It, CATERING Tactics, Strategies & Solutions, and Secrets of Catering Management offer action plans for the new economic realities facing catering. Mike's greatest strength is to teach proven, useful and cutting-edge catering concepts to managers and trainers that permit them to better understand how and why clients select one company over another for their catering. Mike truly understands the mysteries of catering, so he can teach caterers how to solve them and achieve both professional, financial and personal growth!
