Catering Manager

About the role

Cheba Hut is looking for a motivated, organized, and outgoing Catering Sales & Events Lead to grow catering sales across our four locations. This person will own the catering business from lead generation through order follow-up, helping us become the go-to local choice for office lunches, school events, campus groups, apartment events, team meals, parties, and community gatherings.

Primary Objective

Grow catering sales across all four locations to targeted levels while building a reliable system for repeat catering business. Initial targets include: Month 3: Build pipeline, systems, and account list, Month 6: Reach approximately 5% of total sales from catering, Month 12: Reach approximately 8% of total sales from catering, and Month 18: Help drive toward 10% of total sales from catering.

Responsibilities

The Catering Sales & Events Lead will have the following responsibilities:

• Own the catering sales pipeline for all four locations
• Identify and contact local businesses, schools, universities, medical offices, apartment communities, event venues, sports teams, nonprofits, and other catering prospects
• Build a target list of high-potential accounts around each store
• Conduct outbound sales calls, emails, in-person visits, food drops, and follow-ups
• Schedule and execute tastings, sample drops, and catering presentations
• Convert first-time catering customers into repeat accounts
• Develop relationships with office managers, admins, HR teams, pharmaceutical reps, school staff, coaches, event planners, property managers, and local business owners
• Promote Cheba Hut catering for meetings, trainings, staff appreciation events, graduations, parties, campus events, and holiday gatherings
• Maintain a CRM or catering tracker with leads, contacts, order history, follow-up dates, notes, and account status

Order Management & Customer Experience

The Catering Sales & Events Lead will serve as the main point of contact for catering customers, with responsibilities including:

• Help customers choose the right catering package based on group size, budget, dietary needs, timing, and event type
• Create quotes and confirm order details
• Review large orders with store leadership before confirming
• Coordinate timing, production needs, packaging, delivery, and special instructions
• Confirm dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergy-related requests
• Ensure customers receive clear communication before, during, and after each order
• Follow up after catering orders to thank the customer, resolve any issues, and ask for future business

Store Coordination & Execution

The Catering Sales & Events Lead will work closely with GMs and shift leaders to ensure catering orders are executed correctly, with responsibilities including:

• Communicate upcoming catering orders to the correct store teams
• Review production capacity and timing for large orders
• Help standardize catering prep, packing, labeling, staging, and handoff procedures
• Ensure each order has a completed packing checklist before leaving the store
• Confirm delivery details, driver assignments, setup needs, and customer contact information

Marketing & Community Outreach

The Catering Sales & Events Lead will help make Cheba Hut catering visible in each local market, with responsibilities including:

• Distribute catering menus, cards, flyers, and QR codes to target accounts
• Partner with local businesses, schools, apartment communities, and community organizations
• Coordinate catering promotions for seasonal opportunities
• Work with the marketing or leadership team to create social media content featuring catering

Reporting & Performance Tracking

The Catering Sales & Events Lead will track results and report weekly progress, with core metrics including:

• Catering sales dollars
• Catering sales as a percentage of total sales
• Number of catering orders
• Average order value
• New catering customers
• Repeat catering customers
• Quotes sent
• Quotes converted
• Outbound touches
• Tastings / sample drops completed
• On-time delivery rate
• Order accuracy rate
• Customer complaints or refunds

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• Prior experience in sales, catering, restaurants, hospitality, events, or customer service
• Strong communication skills by phone, email, text, and in person
• Reliable transportation for visiting accounts and stores
• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on catering needs
• Comfortable using basic technology such as spreadsheets, POS reports, email, CRM tools, and online ordering platforms
• Ability to lift and carry catering orders when needed
• Strong attention to detail

Benefits

Cheba Hut offers the following benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Bonus based on performance
• Competitive salary
• Free food & snacks
• Health insurance
• Training & development

Schedule

This is primarily a weekday, daytime sales role, but the Catering Lead must be available for occasional early mornings, evenings, weekends, large events, and key catering opportunities.