Why It’s Important That Your Caterer Has a License

When you need food for an event, you turn to a caterer—but have you investigated whether or not your caterer has a license? Anyone can provide catering in Fresno, CA, but if they’re not licensed to handle food safely, you may be risking your health. Even if it’s cheaper to go with an unlicensed caterer initially, the potential for foodborne illness is too risky.

Why caterers need a license

The California Department of Public Health, along with local municipalities, regulates who can be licensed as a caterer. They must have access to an approved kitchen facility, which is then verified and inspected by the Department of Public Health. The company is required to have a business license and a Caterer’s Food Safety Certificate, and if they intend to serve alcohol, they’ll need a permit for that as well.

The application process for a catering license not only ensures that your caterer has a safe, clean kitchen to work from, but also requires them to submit a menu, commissary floor plan and their operating procedures for transporting and serving food. This oversight helps guarantee that your food handlers are cooking, delivering and serving your meals in a safe manner, reducing the risk of foodborne illness or other unpleasant surprises.

Risks of hiring an unlicensed caterer

You might be tempted to let a friend of a friend handle the food for your next event, but disaster can strike—and you might end up liable for any damages incurred. For example, in Washington State, an unlicensed caterer sickened around 20 people when he partially cooked chicken, then brought it on-site to finish cooking—a big mistake that is not only prohibited by the Department of Public Health, but led to food poisoning for unsuspecting guests.

Hiring licensed catering in Fresno, CA helps ensure your food handlers won’t make those rookie mistakes. After all, nothing ruins an event like a line of guests locking themselves in the bathroom to be sick. If your caterer isn’t licensed, there’s little legal recourse for you to hold them responsible, and if they’re unlicensed, they’re probably also uninsured. That means that your angry guests could hold you or your company responsible for making them sick—which is significantly more expensive than paying a fair price for a professional and licensed caterer.

Don’t take risks with your or your guests’ health—hiring an unlicensed caterer could destroy your reputation, cost more in the long run and, of course, make people quite ill.

Catering in Fresno, CA

Karsh’s Catering aims to bring you high-quality food and service at the area’s most competitive prices. Since 1998, our third-generation family business has provided food for all types of events, including staff meetings, conferences, weddings and more. No matter how large the guest list or how detailed the dietary requirements may be, we are happy to put together a delicious menu using fresh, local ingredients. Call us today to learn more or schedule a consultation—we look forward to showing you what we can do for you!

Categorised in: Catering

This post was written by Writer