Is Street Food For You?

This page will cover the attributes you need to have to start a career in street food.

Food is a passion

It goes without saying that you have to be passionate about food. It’s the basic principle of even considering a career in the hospitality industry. If you’re someone that plans your day around meals and gets exited when the weekly shop gets delivered, then you’re probably one of the lucky few who appreciate the contribution that food brings to our lives.

If you can’t name cooking as one of your passions, then how can you expect to have the urge to persevere during tough spells. There’s a reason they say “food is the way to someone’s heart;” it’s one of the few things in life that brings people of all creeds together to ‘break bread’ and make memories.

You’re secure

So you’ve followed your heart, but what does your head have to say about it? A strong element of business is allowing for your senses to get a look in on your decisions. The advice goes that you should have three months’ of savings put aside should you suddenly find yourself out of work and we’d back this up. Don’t make any risky decisions that could potentially leave you without a home or struggling to pay the bills. Essentially, make sure you’re as prepared as you can be financially and mentally before you make the leap into starting up in business.

You can overcome setbacks

If being self-employed was easy, everyone would be doing it. You will face many obstacles along the way, but the important thing is to keep moving forward. Decision-making and problem-solving will be your main job and you’ll need self-motivation to cope with every challenge that comes your way. Your enthusiasm mustn’t waver, as the success and staying power of your business depends on it.

You enjoy ‘serving’ people

Many members we speak to talk of how they’ve always enjoyed ‘serving people.’ They get a real kick out of making people happy and everyone knows, there’s no better kick than enjoying a delicious meal that’s been created especially for you. If you’re a people person who gets real enjoyment out of putting a smile on people’s faces, then the street food industry could be your perfect profession.

You have a thick skin

You’re going to be a stand up comedian of the culinary world. While you may not get heckled, you will come face-to-face with some unpleasant people who take satisfaction out of complaining. While some criticism can be useful, you have to learn to have a thick skin when you come into contact with negativity. If the majority of the public are loving your food offering, then chances are you’re doing everything right. Don’t let a few bad apples ruin the bunch.

You’re not a 9-5 type of person

If you’re looking for a job where you can come into work, be managed and clock off on time then this career isn’t for you. We’ve all seen the generic iceberg images showing how success is achieved; well, you really will be starting off at the bottom of the ocean and only with hard work, determination and perseverance will you get your head above the water. Street food is an incredibly rewarding industry to work in, but be under no illusion that it’s easy.

Stand out from the crowd

The street food industry is growing, but that means competition is growing even faster. You’ll have to be capable of standing out to attract customers to your unit and encourage event organisers to choose you for their pitch by demonstrating what makes you and your business different.

Still interested?

If you’ve read all that and still have an itch to keep on going doing this road, then our start-up guide is a great place to start. Download our handy guide and make sure to give the Nationwide Caterers Association a call for all the help and advice you need to get your business off the ground and trading successfully.

Start-up Costs.

This page examines the equipment, training and other essentials you must budget for to get your business off the ground.

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