Catering staff are an essential part of any event that requires food and beverage service. They are responsible for serving food and beverages, replenishing food and beverages, clearing and organizing dishes, and cleaning and disposing of trash.

Catering staff is a blanket term for front of house hospitality event staff, within the term ‘catering staff’ there are a plethora of responsibilities and positions. If you’re planning an event that requires catering staff, it’s important to know the difference between the types of catering staff you need. That way you can ensure a smooth, and elevated event service.

Catering Staff Roles

Tray Passers

Tray pass servers are perfect for cocktail hours. Tray passers are typically used in private events for luxury retail, art galleries, and award ceremonies. Tray passers circulate through events, offering hors d'oeuvres or cocktails on trays.

• Tray Pass Job Description:

  • Engage with guests in a professional and approachable manner.

  • Ensure timely and efficient service during cocktail hours or pre-meal events.

  • Maintain presentation of trays and cleanliness of the space.

When it comes to organizing tray passers, it’s helpful to categorize tray passers to either food or beverage, that way they can properly articulate the food or beverage and ensure all guests are offered what is on the tray.

Example: Tray passer #1 only passes champagne. Tray passer #2 passes beef wellington. Tray passer #3 passes margaritas. Tray passer #4 passes caviar.

Tips for Tray Pass:

If glassware is prone to slipping on the cocktail tray, use hairspray to make the surface of the tray sticky.

Make sure that tray passers maintain clean hands, along with cocktail napkins in their non dominant hand for guests.

When trays get low, refill them, guests don’t want to take old food or beverages with melted ice.

Communicate with the chef, if people aren’t eating a dish, tell them.

Buffet Servers

Buffet servers assist guests in serving from buffet stations. Buffet set ups can either be self service, or served by buffet servers. Caterers typically require a buffet server when there is a limit on meat options to ensure all guests get to have the same amount.

In the case guests can serve themselves, buffer servers are in charge of maintaining cleanliness of buffet station, along with replenishing dishes.

• Buffet Staff Job Description:

  • Set up and maintain buffet displays.

  • Monitor food levels and replenish as needed.

  • Provide assistance to guests with any questions or special requests.

Buffet servers are essential to having a smooth and efficient buffet. These event staff need to have good communication skills, along with the ability to serve food in a clean, professional way.

Buffet events are typically higher in guest count, which requires communication with the kitchen so they can properly prepare refills. Buffet attendants may have walkie talkies to communicate when food gets to 25% or less. When this happens chef prepares a new dish, and has a food runner bring it out.

Food Runners

Food runners are responsible for transporting plated meals from the kitchen to the dining area. Food runners are useful in family style, buffet, and banquet services.

• Food Runner Responsibilities:

  • Coordinate with kitchen staff to retrieve plated meals.

  • Ensure timely delivery of meals to the appropriate tables.

  • Communicate any special requests or dietary restrictions to the serving staff.

Because food runners are solely responsible for food delivery, they can double as bussers, and handle water and wine service throughout the event.

Plated Dinner Servers

Plated dinner servers serve individual meals to seated guests. Plated seated dinner servers focus on the overall dining experience for guests. Providing them with water and wine service.

Plated dinner servers are responsible for taking orders, handling special requests, and seamless understanding delivery of courses.

• Event Server Responsibilities:

  • Coordinate with kitchen staff to ensure accurate meal distribution.

  • Deliver meals to guests with attention to detail and presentation.

  • Cater to guests' dietary preferences or restrictions as needed.

When it comes to catering staff, plated dinner servers require the most skill. Plated dinner services requires quick menu understanding to communicate specifics in every course, etiquette, and unspoken communication with guests.

To properly plan a plated dinner service, start by familiarizing servers with the menu, then have them set the table. Rehearse the food drop, and convey which dishes and silverware to clear and replace for reach course. Do a practice run to ensure everyone understands.

Bussers

Bussers assist in clearing tables and maintaining the overall cleanliness of the event area. Bussers need to be diligent, hardworking, and have attention to detail.

The biggest challenge a busser faces is knowing when to clear dishes and glassware, in the instance that a guest isn’t finished, they will tell you.

If an event is disposable only, bussers are to remove any left over cups, plates and plasticware.

• Event Busser Responsibilities:

  • Remove used dishes and glassware from tables promptly.

  • Reset tables for the next course or guest seating.

  • Assist in maintaining a tidy and organized event space.

It’s important that bussers follow the system in place for dishwashing and scullery to prevent delays and back ups to the event service.

Bussers should also keep eyes on trash in the event space, emptying it when it’s ready to go out.

Bussers can operate at higher efficiency when they have trays. Trays allow them to carry more dishes and trash.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers are responsible for cleaning and sanitizing dishes, utensils, and equipment.

• Dishwasher Responsibilities:

  • Operate dishwashing equipment efficiently and safely.

  • Ensure dishes are properly cleaned and sanitized before reuse.

  • Maintain cleanliness and organization in the dishwashing area.

Dishwashers operate best when the proper items are provided. Dishwashers need back up sponges, towels, and a proper space to rinse, soap, and dry dish ware.

Scullery Workers

Scullery workers assist dishwashers and perform other tasks related to kitchen cleanliness. Scullery workers are in charge of organizing used rental dish-ware back into their respective crates.

• Responsibilities:

  • Assist with dishwashing and equipment cleaning as needed.

  • Dispose of trash and recycling materials properly.

  • Maintain cleanliness and organization in the kitchen and dishwashing areas.

Learn more about running efficient scullery here.

Through understanding the different catering staff roles and what they do, you’ll be able to be strategic when it comes to hiring and allocating staff at your event.

When hiring an agency, make sure that event staff are able to be flexible in their roles and positioning, as it’s destined to change on a moments notice in the event space.