Professional catering is a great career for people who love food, cooking and entertaining. It can be incredibly different to hosting a dinner party though, so how do you know if it is the right career move for you? Here are some of the key points to consider:

• You will need to study at college. There are various food preparation, hygiene and cooking courses on offer. You can specialise in different areas but should be able to do this once you have some experience and know which parts of cooking you enjoy.
• It will require long, hard hours. You will be working weekends and evenings in the kitchen. Be prepared for this.
• You have to be passionate. You will need to be able to demonstrate a genuine love for food in order to get onto a course.
• Practice. Cook whenever you can and go into it with new food combinations and ideas.