How do I judge the head chef’s role in a catering company?
Find out whether the chef is the product or part of it. Ask who designs menus, who owns the recipes, who meets clients and who runs the kitchen on event day. If the answers all name one person who is not staying, you need a plan, an agreement and perhaps a replacement before you commit.
Start by asking the seller to describe a typical week from the chef’s point of view. Who writes the menus? Who orders the food? Who tastes, trains and signs off? Who talks to clients before the event, and who is on site during it? The answers show how much is the chef and how much is a system others can run.
Then look at what is written down. Are there recipes, prep lists and event sheets that a different cook could follow? Who owns them, the company or the chef? A chef who keeps it all in their head holds a lot of leverage and a lot of risk.
Talk to the chef, with the seller’s consent. Ask about plans, pay, and what they would need to stay. Note whether they want to lead or to cook. Finally, ask clients what they value. If they talk about the chef by name, plan a long handover. Your lawyer can advise on any agreement with the chef. Treat the chef’s answers as one piece of the picture, and compare them with what the seller and the clients tell you.
Key takeaways
- Ask who designs menus, owns recipes and runs the kitchen on event day.
- Check whether recipes and prep lists are written down and owned by the company.
- Talk to the chef, with the seller’s consent, about their plans.
- Plan a longer handover if clients name the chef.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Restaurants CanadaIndustryRestaurants Canada - The Voice of Foodservice
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