Caterer of The Year - 2023

This award is presented to the company, whose catering business is exceptional in all aspects, including business proficiency and culinary expertise.

Business Proficiency:
• Business License, Health Department Grading, Certificate of Insurance coverage – Provide as a separate document
• Financial Viability - Accountant's statement (in percentages) of Revenue, Cost of Sales (Controllable/Uncontrollable), Expenses, Net Profit (Loss). Financial Viability is part of surviving: Line of Credit, Staff Reduction, Firing Unprofitable Clients, Skipping paychecks. What is your business Strategy? Financials are not judged on Profitability.

Example 1:                           Example 2:
Revenue: 100%                  Revenue: 100%
Cost of Sales: 60%            Cost of Sales: 66%
Expenses 38%                   Expenses 40%
Profit 2%                             Profit: - 6%

• Organizational Chart of the Company
• Job Descriptions
• Employee Handbook Table of Contents ~ Dropbox Link to Actual Handbook (+5 bonus points)
• Employee Recognition/Appreciation
• Marketing Plan Execution for 2020-2021
• Samples of marketing/advertising pieces (not to include Social Media) for 2021-2022
• Social Media Handles and 3 Examples of Successful Campaigns/Posts (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Vimeo)
• Awards & Accolades (Press, Industry)
• Client Testimonials/Follow-up Evaluations for 2021-2022
• Approach & Philosophy of Customer Service
• Industry & Charitable Support
• Describe Specific Sustainability & Green Policies/Efforts within the Company

Culinary:
• Explain Your Culinary Philosophy - Tell Your Culinary Story
• Show Up to 12 Examples of Creativity & Originality Within Product/Menu Development
Include examples of Presentation & Design for these 2021-2022 events
• Show Up to 5 Events that Show Culinary Diversity - Include Client, Date, Menu & Photos.
Give Examples of Menu/Presentation that Supported the Event Theme/Purpose for 2021-2022
• Maximum number of photos is 30 and they must be at least 300 dpi at 8x10. A collage may be used and counts as one image.
• Give Examples of Decisions Made to Control Product Quality & Safety and Overcome Challenges

CATIES Official Rules

By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to the official rules and warrants that his or her entry complies with all requirements in the official rules.

By entering the Contest, entrant represents, acknowledges, and warrants that the submitted photographs/images are an original work created solely by the entrant, that the images do not infringe on the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy/publicity or intellectual property rights of any person or entity, and that no other party has any right, title, claim, or interest in the images.

If the images contain any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, and/or if any persons appear in the images, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the image, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph by ICA without compensation.

Winners will be chosen by ICA or judges selected by ICA, in their sole discretion. Winners will be notified by ICA. All decisions by ICA and/or the judges are final and binding.

By entering the Contest, all entrants grant an irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide non-exclusive, royalty-free license to ICA, to reproduce, distribute, display and otherwise use the images in connection with the Contest and promotion of the Contest, in any media now or hereafter known. Additionally, by entering, each entrant grants to ICA the unrestricted right to use all statements made in connection with the Contest, and the names, personal data, pictures or likenesses of Contest entrants, or choose not to do so, in its sole discretion.

Judging Criteria and Scoring Values
• Business Proficiency: 15 points
• Awards, Accolades and Client Testimonials for 2021-2022: 10 points
• Industry and Community Support: 10 points
• Sustainability & Green Policies/Efforts within the Company: 10 points
• Culinary: 25 points
• Overall Impression: 15 points
• Creativity: 15 points

*** Bonus: 5 points for Dropbox Link to Actual Handbook

Caterers that win this prestigious award can re-apply after 3 years.