How to Use the Catering Assistant Onboarding Template

Date modified: 8th February 2026 | This article explains how you can use work schedules in the Pilla app to onboard staff. You can also check out the Onboarding Guide for more info on other roles or check out the docs page for Creating Work in Pilla.

Key Takeaways

  • Five-day structured onboarding builds a confident, safe, and productive catering assistant from day one
  • Day 1: Company orientation, food safety and hygiene fundamentals, and kitchen safety procedures
  • Day 2: Knife skills, cooking methods, quality standards, and plating and presentation
  • Day 3: Guest service standards, event setup and breakdown, and service flow management
  • Day 4: Beverage service, advanced equipment operation, and quality control during service
  • Day 5: Time management, team coordination, leadership skills, and quality assurance
  • Built-in assessment questions and success indicators track progress and identify development needs for this entry-level kitchen team role

Article Content

Why structured catering assistant onboarding matters

Catering is demanding work. Your team prepares food for large groups, transports it to unfamiliar venues, sets up under time pressure, and delivers service to clients who are paying a premium for a seamless experience. A catering assistant who hasn't been properly trained doesn't just slow things down — they create food safety risks, damage client relationships, and leave within weeks because nobody showed them how to succeed.

The cost of getting this wrong is high. A single allergen mistake at an event can result in serious harm and legal action. Poorly presented food undermines your reputation with every guest in the room. And high turnover in this role means you're constantly restarting the cycle of hiring and hoping for the best.

This template gives your new catering assistant a structured five-day introduction that covers everything from food safety fundamentals through to independent event management. Each day builds on the last, with assessment questions to catch gaps early and success indicators to give both you and your new starter clear benchmarks. The result is someone who's safe, skilled, and genuinely ready to represent your business at client events.

Day 1: Foundation and Safety

The first day lays the groundwork for everything that follows. Before your new catering assistant touches a knife or sets a table, they need to understand your company, your standards, and the food safety principles that govern every aspect of the role.

Catering Operations and Company Culture

Day 1: Catering Operations and Company Culture

Company Overview – Present company history, mission, values, and service philosophy with catering industry context
Catering Business Introduction – Explain different event types (corporate, weddings, conferences), service styles, and client expectations
Kitchen Tour and Layout – Walk through prep areas, cooking stations, storage, and service zones with workflow explanation
Team Structure Introduction – Introduce team members, roles, reporting relationships, and communication protocols

Why this matters: Catering assistants work at client venues where they represent your business directly. Understanding your company's values, service philosophy, and the different event types you handle gives them the context to make good decisions when you're not standing next to them.

How to deliver this training:

  • Start with the basics: company history, what you're known for, and the types of events you specialise in — corporate lunches, wedding breakfasts, conference catering, or a mix
  • Walk the entire kitchen and prep area, explaining the workflow from goods in through to dispatch — how food moves through your operation
  • Introduce team members by name and role, explaining who the new starter will report to and who they should go to with different types of questions
  • Show examples of recent events — photos, client feedback, or event sheets — so they can see what the finished product looks like

Customisation tips:

  • If your catering company handles a wide range of event types, focus Day 1 on the most common ones and introduce specialist events later
  • Smaller operations where the assistant works directly with the head chef should emphasise that close working relationship from the start

Food Safety and Hygiene Fundamentals

Day 1: Food Safety and Hygiene Fundamentals

HACCP Principles – Introduce hazard analysis, critical control points, and monitoring procedures specific to catering
Personal Hygiene Standards – Demonstrate proper handwashing, uniform requirements, and personal protective equipment use
Temperature Control – Train on safe food temperatures, monitoring equipment, and recording procedures for transport
Allergen Management – Cover 14 major allergens, cross-contamination prevention, and labelling requirements for events

Why this matters: Catering involves transporting food, holding it at temperature for extended periods, and serving large groups with varied dietary needs. The food safety stakes are higher than in a standard restaurant kitchen because you're often working in unfamiliar environments with limited equipment.

How to deliver this training:

  • Walk through HACCP principles using a real event as an example — trace a dish from prep through cooking, chilling, transport, reheating, and service
  • Demonstrate proper handwashing technique and explain when it's required — not just at the start of a shift, but between tasks, after handling raw food, and after touching your face
  • Practise using a food probe together: show where to insert it, how long to wait for an accurate reading, and how to record the result
  • Cover the 14 major allergens with real examples from your menu, and walk through your labelling system for events

Customisation tips:

  • If your operation does a lot of off-site catering, spend extra time on temperature control during transport — this is where most catering food safety failures happen
  • Operations with a heavy focus on dietary requirements (vegan menus, halal, kosher) should build allergen and dietary training into this section

Kitchen Safety and Emergency Procedures

Day 1: Kitchen Safety and Emergency Procedures

Safe knife handling and cutting techniques for high-volume preparation
Equipment operation safety including slicers, mixers, and hot-holding equipment
Emergency procedures including fire safety, first aid, and incident reporting
Manual handling techniques for heavy catering equipment and transport containers

Why this matters: Catering kitchens run at pace, especially in the hours before an event. Your new assistant needs to know how to handle knives safely, operate equipment without injuring themselves, and respond correctly to emergencies — all before they're under the pressure of an event deadline.

How to deliver this training:

  • Demonstrate safe knife handling: the correct grip, the claw hand for guiding food, and how to carry a knife safely through a busy kitchen
  • Walk through each piece of equipment they'll use — slicers, mixers, hot-holding units — and show the correct start-up, operation, and shut-down procedures
  • Run through fire evacuation routes and show the locations of extinguishers, first aid kits, and emergency exits
  • Practise manual handling techniques for the heavy items they'll lift regularly: gastronorm trays, equipment cases, and delivery crates

Customisation tips:

  • If your operation involves loading vans and transporting equipment, add vehicle safety and loading procedures to this section
  • Kitchens with specialist equipment (combi ovens, blast chillers, vacuum packers) should add specific safety training for each one

Assessment Questions

Day 1: Assessment Questions

Can they identify key food safety hazards in catering operations?
Do they understand proper handwashing and hygiene procedures?
Have they grasped basic allergen management requirements?
Are they comfortable with kitchen layout and emergency procedures?

Use these questions to check understanding at the end of Day 1. Have a quick conversation with your new starter — this isn't a formal exam, but a chance to identify gaps and reinforce key learning.

How to use these questions effectively:

  • Ask in a relaxed setting after the kitchen is cleaned down at the end of the day
  • Look for practical understanding — "show me how you'd check the temperature of a dish before dispatch" is better than "tell me about HACCP"
  • Note areas where additional support is needed and plan to revisit them on Day 2

Success Indicators

Day 1: Success Indicators

Demonstrates understanding of food safety principles and their importance
Shows comfort level with kitchen environment and safety equipment
Asks relevant questions about hygiene standards and procedures
Takes initiative in learning company policies and expectations

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By the end of Day 1, your new catering assistant should be demonstrating these behaviours. If any are missing, revisit the relevant training section before moving to Day 2.

Day 1 Notes

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Record observations about how Day 1 went — what the new starter picked up quickly, areas needing extra support, and any adjustments to the remaining training days.

Day 2: Food Preparation and Presentation

Day 2 moves into the hands-on skills that your catering assistant will use every shift. The focus is on knife work, cooking techniques suited to large-scale production, and the presentation standards that set professional catering apart from basic food service.

Knife Skills and Preparation Techniques

Day 2: Knife Skills and Preparation Techniques

Knife Selection and Care – Demonstrate different knife types, proper handling, and maintenance procedures
Basic Cutting Techniques – Train brunoise, julienne, dice, and chiffonade cuts with emphasis on consistency
Quantity Preparation – Practice scaling recipes and maintaining consistency across large batches
Mise en Place Organisation – Demonstrate efficient workstation setup and ingredient preparation sequencing

Why this matters: Catering prep involves large quantities. A catering assistant who can dice 10kg of onions consistently and safely is far more valuable than one who produces beautiful but slow work for restaurant-sized portions. Speed, consistency, and safety all matter equally here.

How to deliver this training:

  • Start with knife selection — show which knife to use for each task and demonstrate how to maintain a sharp edge with a steel
  • Work through the core cuts: brunoise, julienne, dice, and chiffonade, starting with soft vegetables and progressing to harder items
  • Practise scaling: have the assistant prep a small batch, then a larger one, focusing on maintaining the same size and quality across both
  • Set up a workstation together, demonstrating efficient mise en place — everything within arm's reach, waste bowl positioned, and boards colour-coded correctly

Customisation tips:

  • Operations that focus on canape work need finer, more precise cuts — add extra time on presentation-quality prep
  • High-volume operations producing buffet food can prioritise speed and consistency over fine knife work

Cooking Methods and Quality Standards

Day 2: Cooking Methods and Quality Standards

Hot-Holding Techniques – Train on maintaining food quality and safety during extended service periods
Batch Cooking Management – Demonstrate cooking in stages to ensure freshness throughout service
Quality Control Checks – Establish standards for taste, texture, temperature, and visual appeal
Recipe Scaling – Train on converting recipes for different guest counts while maintaining quality

Why this matters: Catering food is often cooked hours before service and needs to survive transport, reheating, and extended holding without losing quality. Understanding which cooking methods work for catering — and which don't — is what separates good catering from disappointing event food.

How to deliver this training:

  • Demonstrate hot-holding techniques using your equipment: chafing dishes, bain-maries, hot boxes, and heated trolleys
  • Show the difference between cooking food to completion for immediate service versus undercooking slightly for later reheating — and which dishes suit which approach
  • Walk through batch cooking: preparing the same dish in stages so the last batch is as fresh as the first, rather than cooking everything at once and watching quality decline
  • Establish quality check procedures — taste, texture, temperature, and appearance — and have the assistant practise checking a batch of food

Customisation tips:

  • If your operation specialises in particular cuisines, focus the cooking methods training on the techniques used most frequently
  • Operations with a strong fine-dining catering offering should emphasise the balance between holding food safely and maintaining restaurant-quality standards

Plating and Presentation Standards

Day 2: Plating and Presentation Standards

Standardised plating techniques for individual and family-style service
Garnishing principles that enhance visual appeal without compromising food safety
Portion control methods ensuring consistency and cost management
Buffet presentation techniques that maintain appeal throughout service

Why this matters: Guests eat with their eyes first, and catering presentation needs to hold up across an entire event — not just look good for the first plate. Consistent, attractive presentation at scale is a skill that takes practice and clear standards.

How to deliver this training:

  • Show your standardised plating technique for individual plates: where the protein goes, how the garnish sits, and how much sauce to use
  • Demonstrate buffet presentation: how to build height, create visual variety, and arrange serving utensils so guests can serve themselves without making a mess
  • Cover portion control tools — scoops, ladles with measured volumes, and scales — and explain why consistency matters for both presentation and cost
  • Have the assistant plate up a batch of 10 identical dishes and compare them side by side, correcting any inconsistencies

Customisation tips:

  • Wedding caterers should add specific training on plated service presentation, including garnish standards and plate wipe techniques
  • Operations focused on corporate buffets should prioritise buffet replenishment techniques that keep the display looking fresh throughout service

Assessment Questions

Day 2: Assessment Questions

Can they demonstrate safe and efficient knife techniques?
Do they understand how to maintain food quality during extended service?
Have they grasped portion control and presentation standards?
Are they comfortable scaling recipes for different event sizes?

Check these at the end of Day 2. By now your catering assistant should be showing growing confidence with prep tasks and beginning to understand quality standards.

How to use these questions effectively:

  • Ask the assistant to demonstrate a specific cut and check for safety, consistency, and speed
  • Test recipe scaling by giving them a recipe for 10 and asking them to calculate quantities for 50
  • Present a dish that's been in hot-holding for two hours and ask them to evaluate its quality

Success Indicators

Day 2: Success Indicators

Demonstrates improving knife skills with focus on safety and consistency
Shows understanding of quality standards and their importance
Asks thoughtful questions about cooking techniques and timing
Takes initiative in organising workstation efficiently

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By the end of Day 2, your catering assistant should be showing improving knife skills and a developing sense of quality standards. If they're still uncomfortable with basic knife work, schedule additional practice before moving to Day 3.

Day 2 Notes

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Record how your catering assistant handled the hands-on training — confidence with knife work, understanding of batch cooking principles, and attention to presentation standards.

Day 3: Service Excellence and Event Setup

Day 3 takes your catering assistant out of the kitchen and into the service environment. This is where they learn to interact with guests, set up events to professional standards, and manage the flow of service from start to breakdown.

Professional Guest Service Standards

Day 3: Professional Guest Service Standards

Guest Interaction Principles – Train on professional greeting, active listening, and helpful responses
Menu Knowledge – Develop comprehensive understanding of ingredients, preparation methods, and dietary accommodations
Problem Resolution – Train on handling complaints, special requests, and service issues professionally
Service Etiquette – Demonstrate proper serving techniques, clearing procedures, and guest interaction timing

Why this matters: At an event, your catering assistant is the face of your company. How they greet guests, answer questions about the food, and handle complaints directly affects whether that client books you again. Service skills are as important as cooking skills in catering.

How to deliver this training:

  • Role-play guest interactions: greeting guests at a buffet, explaining dishes, and answering dietary questions with confidence
  • Walk through your menu in detail — ingredients, cooking methods, and common allergens in each dish — so the assistant can answer questions without guessing
  • Practise handling complaints: a guest says the food is cold, a dish is missing from the buffet, or someone claims they were promised a vegan option that isn't there
  • Cover the basics of service etiquette: how to serve plates from the correct side, how to clear without disrupting conversation, and when to top up water glasses

Customisation tips:

  • Formal event caterers should add silver service training or plated service protocols
  • Corporate caterers may need to emphasise discretion, professionalism, and the ability to blend into the background during business meetings

Event Setup and Breakdown Procedures

Day 3: Event Setup and Breakdown Procedures

Table Setting Standards – Train on proper place setting, linen presentation, and centrepiece placement
Buffet Setup and Management – Demonstrate attractive food display, serving utensil placement, and maintenance procedures
Equipment Handling – Train on safe transport, setup, and operation of catering equipment
Breakdown and Cleaning – Establish efficient procedures for equipment breakdown, cleaning, and inventory

Why this matters: A well-set-up event space sets the tone for the entire experience. Rushed or sloppy setup is immediately visible to clients and guests. Equally, efficient breakdown shows professionalism and gets your team and equipment back on time.

How to deliver this training:

  • Set up a mock event together: tablecloths laid without creases, cutlery aligned, glassware polished and positioned correctly
  • Demonstrate buffet setup: where to position food for the best flow, how to create height and visual interest, and where serving utensils and plates go
  • Walk through equipment handling: how to safely transport chafing dishes, load catering trolleys, and set up hot-holding equipment at a venue
  • Practise efficient breakdown: clearing tables, packing equipment, and cleaning the space to the standard the venue requires

Customisation tips:

  • If your events frequently take place at external venues, train on adapting to different spaces — not every venue has the same kitchen facilities or power supply
  • Operations that provide linen, centrepieces, and decorative elements should add those to the setup training

Service Flow and Timing Management

Day 3: Service Flow and Timing Management

Understanding event timelines and service sequence coordination
Managing multiple tables or service stations simultaneously
Communicating effectively with kitchen and service team members
Adapting service approach based on event type and client preferences

Why this matters: Catering service is built around a timeline. The client expects food at a specific time, and everything — from prep through cooking, transport, setup, and service — needs to hit that mark. A catering assistant who understands timing keeps the whole team on track.

How to deliver this training:

  • Walk through a real event timeline from a recent booking: what time prep started, when food was loaded, arrival time at venue, setup time, and service start
  • Practise managing multiple service points: if you're running a buffet and a drinks station, how does the assistant divide their attention?
  • Discuss communication protocols during service: short, clear updates to the kitchen ("buffet needs replenishing in 10 minutes") and the team leader ("dessert is plated and ready")
  • Cover how to adapt when things go off schedule — a late start, a bigger group than expected, or a venue that isn't ready when you arrive

Customisation tips:

  • Operations that handle multiple events in a day need training on rapid turnaround between setups
  • Outdoor event caterers should add contingency planning for weather disruptions

Assessment Questions

Day 3: Assessment Questions

Can they interact professionally with guests and handle inquiries confidently?
Do they understand proper setup procedures for different event types?
Have they grasped the importance of timing and coordination in service?
Are they comfortable with equipment operation and troubleshooting?

Day 3 covers the guest-facing side of catering. Use these questions to check that your assistant can handle interactions professionally and understands the logistics of event delivery.

How to use these questions effectively:

  • Role-play a guest asking about allergens in a specific dish and evaluate the assistant's confidence and accuracy
  • Ask them to walk you through a setup plan for a 50-person buffet event
  • Present a timing scenario: "The client wants service at 1pm, the venue is 30 minutes away — walk me through the morning"

Success Indicators

Day 3: Success Indicators

Demonstrates professional communication skills and guest service awareness
Shows understanding of setup standards and attention to detail
Asks insightful questions about service procedures and client expectations
Takes initiative in identifying potential service improvements

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By end of Day 3, your catering assistant should be showing professional communication skills and a growing understanding of event logistics. If they're uncomfortable with guest interaction, run additional role-play exercises before Day 4.

Day 3 Notes

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Note how your catering assistant handled the service training — were they confident with guest interactions, did they understand the setup standards, and can they follow an event timeline?

Day 4: Beverage Service and Equipment Mastery

Day 4 broadens your catering assistant's skills into beverage service and advanced equipment operation. Many catering events include drinks service, and your assistant needs to handle this with the same professionalism as the food.

Beverage Service Fundamentals

Day 4: Beverage Service Fundamentals

Beverage Categories – Introduce wines, spirits, beers, and non-alcoholic options with basic characteristics
Service Techniques – Demonstrate proper pouring, glassware selection, and presentation standards
Wine Service Protocol – Train on wine opening, tasting procedures, and proper serving techniques
Bar Setup and Management – Demonstrate efficient bar organisation, inventory control, and restocking procedures

Why this matters: Most catered events include drinks — from simple water and juice service through to wine pairings and cocktail receptions. A catering assistant who can handle beverage service confidently adds significant value and flexibility to your team.

How to deliver this training:

  • Walk through the main beverage categories: wines (red, white, rose, sparkling), spirits, beers, and non-alcoholic options, explaining the basics of each
  • Demonstrate proper pouring technique: the correct measure for wine, how to hold a bottle, and how to pour without drips
  • Cover wine service protocol: opening a bottle tableside, offering a taste to the host, and serving guests in the correct order
  • Set up a practice bar station and have the assistant organise it for efficient service — bottles grouped logically, glasses within reach, and ice accessible

Customisation tips:

  • If your events rarely include licensed bar service, focus this section on soft drinks, coffee, and tea service instead
  • Operations that offer cocktail receptions should add basic cocktail preparation training

Advanced Catering Equipment Operation

Day 4: Advanced Catering Equipment Operation

Commercial Food Processors – Train on safe operation, blade selection, and cleaning procedures
Slicing and Portioning Equipment – Demonstrate meat slicers, portion scales, and specialised cutting tools
Hot and Cold Holding Equipment – Train on chafing dishes, steam tables, and refrigerated display units
Transport Equipment – Demonstrate loading, securing, and unloading procedures for catering vehicles

Why this matters: Professional catering relies on specialist equipment for producing food at scale. Your assistant needs to operate food processors, slicers, and holding equipment safely and efficiently — getting this wrong causes injuries, equipment damage, and service delays.

How to deliver this training:

  • Walk through each piece of specialist equipment: food processors (blade selection, assembly, safe feeding), slicers (guard positioning, thickness adjustment, cleaning), and portion scales
  • Demonstrate hot and cold holding equipment: how to set temperatures on chafing dishes and steam tables, and how to load refrigerated display units without compromising temperature
  • Cover transport equipment: loading gastronorms into hot boxes, securing items in a catering van, and unloading at a venue without spillage
  • Have the assistant operate each piece of equipment under supervision, then clean and store it correctly

Customisation tips:

  • If your operation uses vacuum packing or sous vide for advance preparation, add those to the equipment training
  • Mobile caterers who work from vans or temporary kitchens should add training on generator operation and temporary power management

Quality Control and Food Safety During Service

Day 4: Quality Control and Food Safety During Service

Temperature monitoring procedures for hot and cold foods during service
Visual quality checks that identify and address presentation issues
Guest feedback collection and appropriate response procedures
End-of-service documentation and quality assessment protocols

Why this matters: Food safety doesn't stop when food leaves the kitchen. During service, temperatures need monitoring, buffets need replenishing safely, and presentation needs maintaining. The catering assistant is often the person closest to the food during service and needs to act as the quality checkpoint.

How to deliver this training:

  • Show how to monitor temperatures during service: probing food at regular intervals, checking hot-holding equipment readings, and recording results
  • Walk through visual quality checks: looking for dishes that have dried out, garnishes that have wilted, and presentation that's deteriorated
  • Discuss how to collect and respond to guest feedback during service — what to act on immediately versus what to pass to the team leader
  • Cover end-of-service documentation: what food was served, what was returned, temperature records, and any incidents

Customisation tips:

  • Operations with a strong compliance focus should add specific documentation requirements and audit trail procedures
  • If your company tracks food waste, add waste recording and analysis to this section

Assessment Questions

Day 4: Assessment Questions

Can they operate catering equipment safely and efficiently?
Do they understand beverage service standards and wine protocol?
Have they grasped quality control procedures during extended service?
Are they comfortable with equipment maintenance and cleaning procedures?

Day 4 covers technical skills and ongoing quality management. Use these questions to check that your assistant can operate equipment safely and maintain standards throughout service.

How to use these questions effectively:

  • Ask the assistant to demonstrate safe operation of one piece of specialist equipment from start to clean-down
  • Test beverage knowledge by asking them to set up for a wine service and explain the proper protocol
  • Present a service scenario: "The buffet has been open for 90 minutes and you notice the chicken dish reads 62 degrees — what do you do?"

Success Indicators

Day 4: Success Indicators

Demonstrates confident equipment operation with focus on safety
Shows understanding of beverage service standards and guest interaction
Asks detailed questions about quality control and maintenance procedures
Takes initiative in identifying equipment efficiency improvements

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By end of Day 4, your catering assistant should be handling equipment with confidence and showing an understanding of quality monitoring during service. If they're hesitant with equipment, schedule additional supervised practice.

Day 4 Notes

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Record how your catering assistant handled the equipment and beverage training — confidence levels, safety awareness, and ability to monitor quality independently.

Day 5: Advanced Operations and Performance

The final day brings everything together. Your catering assistant should now be ready to contribute effectively at events with appropriate supervision. Day 5 focuses on the operational and interpersonal skills that turn a trained individual into a reliable team member.

Time Management and Workflow Optimisation

Day 5: Time Management and Workflow Optimisation

Event Timeline Development – Train on creating realistic timelines for different event types and sizes
Task Prioritisation – Demonstrate identifying critical path activities and managing competing priorities
Stress Management Techniques – Train on maintaining composure and efficiency during high-pressure periods
Performance Monitoring – Establish standards for self-assessment and continuous improvement

Why this matters: Catering runs to tight deadlines. Every event has a fixed start time, and the prep, cooking, packing, transport, and setup all need to happen in sequence and on schedule. A catering assistant who manages their own time well takes pressure off the entire team.

How to deliver this training:

  • Work through an event timeline together: have the assistant plan backwards from a 7pm service start to determine when each preparation task needs to begin
  • Practise task prioritisation with a realistic scenario: "You have three hours before dispatch. The canapes need assembling, the salads need dressing, and the hot food needs finishing — what order do you work in and why?"
  • Discuss stress management techniques that work in a professional kitchen — controlled breathing, focusing on one task at a time, and asking for help before falling behind
  • Set up a self-assessment framework: at the end of each event, what went well, what could be improved, and what will you do differently next time?

Customisation tips:

  • Operations that handle multiple events per day need specific training on resetting between events — cleaning, restocking, and mentally switching to the next brief
  • If your company uses event management software or scheduling tools, train the assistant on those systems

Team Coordination and Leadership Skills

Day 5: Team Coordination and Leadership Skills

Communication Protocols – Train on clear, concise communication during busy service periods
Problem-Solving Procedures – Demonstrate systematic approach to identifying and resolving service issues
Mentoring New Team Members – Train on supporting and guiding junior staff during events
Client Liaison Skills – Develop ability to communicate with clients professionally about service adjustments

Why this matters: Catering is team work. During a busy event, clear communication prevents mistakes, and a catering assistant who can coordinate with colleagues — and eventually mentor newer team members — becomes someone you can rely on to keep things running smoothly.

How to deliver this training:

  • Practise service communication: short, clear updates like "buffet replenishment in five" or "dessert course is ready for plating"
  • Walk through problem-solving procedures: what to do when something goes wrong at an event (food runs short, equipment fails, a guest has a complaint) using a systematic approach rather than panic
  • Discuss the mentoring role: as the assistant gains experience, they'll be expected to help guide newer team members at events
  • Cover client liaison: how to speak to the event organiser about changes, delays, or questions during service — calm, professional, and solution-focused

Customisation tips:

  • Larger catering companies with structured teams should explain the progression from assistant to team leader and what skills are needed
  • Operations where the assistant works directly with the client at smaller events should add more depth to the client communication training

Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

Day 5: Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

Developing quality checkpoints throughout event preparation and service
Collecting and acting on guest feedback to improve future events
Identifying cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality
Setting personal development goals and seeking advancement opportunities

Why this matters: The best catering teams get better after every event. Building a habit of reviewing performance, collecting feedback, and looking for improvements turns a good catering assistant into an outstanding one — and benefits the whole operation.

How to deliver this training:

  • Walk through your post-event review process: what information gets recorded, who reviews it, and how it feeds into future event planning
  • Discuss guest feedback: how to collect it during service, what to do with it afterwards, and how to separate useful criticism from one-off complaints
  • Cover cost awareness: how waste reduction, portion control, and efficient use of supplies affect profitability — and how the assistant's daily decisions contribute
  • Set personal development goals together: what does the assistant want to learn next? Where do they see themselves in six months? What support do they need?

Customisation tips:

  • If your company runs formal post-event debriefs, have the assistant sit in on one during their first week
  • Operations with strong career progression pathways should map these out clearly so the assistant can see where their development leads

Assessment Questions

Day 5: Assessment Questions

Can they manage time effectively and prioritise tasks during complex events?
Do they understand team coordination and communication requirements?
Have they grasped quality assurance principles and improvement processes?
Are they prepared to take on additional responsibilities and mentor others?

These final assessment questions check whether your catering assistant is ready to contribute at events with standard supervision. Focus on self-management, teamwork, and initiative rather than technical knowledge — you've already covered that.

How to use these questions effectively:

  • Ask open-ended questions that reveal thinking: "You're at a 200-person wedding and the dessert delivery is delayed by 30 minutes — how do you handle the situation?"
  • Look for evidence of team awareness and proactive thinking in their answers
  • Be honest about areas that still need development and agree a plan for continued support

Success Indicators

Day 5: Success Indicators

Demonstrates ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality standards
Shows leadership potential and willingness to support team members
Asks strategic questions about career development and advancement opportunities
Takes initiative in identifying process improvements and efficiency gains

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These are the markers of a catering assistant who's ready to work at events with standard supervision. If all four are present, your onboarding has been successful. If any are missing, extend supported working for additional events before stepping back.

Day 5 Notes

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Record your final assessment of the onboarding period. Note strengths, development areas, and any agreed next steps for continued training.

Making the most of this template

Five days is a guideline, not a rigid rule. If your new catering assistant works part-time, or if your events calendar means they can't get five consecutive training days, stretch the programme across more shifts. What matters is that each day's content gets full attention, not that you hit an artificial deadline.

Use the notes sections at the end of each day to build a record of your assistant's development. These notes are valuable for performance reviews, for identifying training patterns across multiple new starters, and for demonstrating due diligence if a food safety incident ever occurs.

The assessment questions and success indicators create accountability for both the trainer and the trainee. If a catering assistant isn't meeting the success indicators by the end of each day, that's useful information — it might mean the training needs adjusting, the pace needs slowing, or additional support is needed.

Consider assigning a buddy — an experienced catering assistant who can answer questions during the first few events after formal onboarding ends. The formal training gives them the knowledge, but having someone alongside them at a live event builds confidence faster than any classroom exercise.