Catering is a skill that is largely practical and technical. There are many things that need to be done by hand, and that just won’t work as well if you try to find shortcuts to save you time. If you want to automate some parts of the process, there may be some things you can do that won’t compromise on quality:

• Mixing. If you make fresh cakes or pastries, you can invest in a mixer. These don’t come cheap, but they can save you so much time in the long run by mixing your dough or batter for you.
• Buying ready-made sauces and bases. This one isn’t for everyone – some people will believe very strongly that everything should be made by hand. However, it can save you a lot of time if you are happy to buy some pre-made ingredients, even if it is just some chopped onions or pre-cooked eggs.