Catering staff in Rome

Who this page is for

This page is meant for people in the trade: caterers, banqueting companies, wedding planners, event agencies, venues that run their own food service. It happens to everyone: a Saturday in September with two weddings, a conference whose attendance doubles, a waiter who falls ill that very morning. In those cases you need extra staff, trained, and you need them fast.

Here you will find the Rome agencies that supply staff for catering and events. And you will find an extra service: with the form on this page you tell us who you need, and we pass the request on to the agencies that work on that type of event and in that area. The service is free for whoever makes the request. CateringRoma.it does not hire or supply staff: it puts people in touch, and you agree the terms with the agency.

The most requested roles

• Waiters for table service and banqueting: table service, buffets, passing finger food. A served meal needs experience and knowledge of place settings.
• Head waiter or maître d': runs the dining room, sets the pace of the courses, talks to the kitchen and the client.
• Cooks and kitchen assistants: work in the back-up or field kitchen, plate up, handle reheating (warming dishes prepared in the caterer's kitchen).
• Bartenders and sommeliers: open bar, drinks receptions, wine service.
• Dishwashers and tableware staff: often forgotten, they make a big difference to clear-down times.
• Hosts, stewards and cloakroom staff: welcome, registration, guiding guests, especially useful at conferences.
• Porters and set-up crew: loading, unloading, setting up tables and equipment.

For the duties of each role, read the guide on catering staff roles and the one on banqueting job roles.

How agencies work

Agencies keep a list of professionals they have already selected and call them according to the request. They usually ask for the role, number, date, times, place, type of service and uniform. Some work at short notice, others need more time for large numbers or high-season dates. Many also offer a team leader who coordinates the group on site.

Before choosing an agency, ask: what experience the staff have in your type of service (served, buffet, conference), whether it supplies the uniform or it needs to be agreed, how it handles a last-minute replacement, how it invoices and with what payment terms. To find staff directly or through other channels, there is the guide on how to find waiters for events.

Contract types, in general

Event staff can be employed in different ways. The most common in Italy are agency work through an authorised employment agency, intermittent work (also called on-call work), short fixed-term contracts and, in some cases, other forms provided for tourism and hospitality. Each form has its own rules on mandatory notifications, limits, contributions and safety.

The rules change and depend on your situation: before deciding, check with an employment consultant which form is right for you. In any case, ask the agency which contract it uses and who handles notifications, insurance, and training in safety and food hygiene.

What to put in the request

A complete request gets faster and more precise replies. In the form, include:

• Roles and number: for example waiters, a head waiter, a bartender. If you are not sure of the numbers, the guide on how many waiters you need gives you a method.
• Date and times: arrival, start of service, expected finish, any clear-down.
• Area and place: neighbourhood or town, and whether it is a villa, a hotel, a conference centre or a private home.
• Type of event and service: a served wedding, a buffet, a coffee break, a gala dinner.
• Requirements: foreign languages, experience of Italian or French service, uniform, driving licence.
• Contact details: company name, contact person, phone and email.

You will receive replies directly from the agencies. Compare them on availability, experience and terms, not just the hourly rate.

If you are organising a private event

If you are not a caterer but are organising a party and only need a few waiters, you can use the same form. It is often better, though, to ask the caterer: many supply staff together with the menu, so you have a single point of responsibility. Read the guide on front-of-house staff for events or request up to 3 quotes from Rome caterers. For a complete overview, there is the guide to catering staff in Rome.