Catering staff in Rome: roles, agencies and contracts

In short

• A caterer covers peaks with a permanent team, trusted freelancers and agencies.
• The roles most in demand are waiters, cooks, bartenders, kitchen porters and a maître who coordinates.
• The most common contract types should be checked with an employment consultant and at official sources.
• CateringRoma.it has a directory of catering staff in Rome and a free service for finding staff.

This guide is for anyone running a catering business in Rome who has to cover a Saturday in June with three events, or a thousand-person conference in September. The problem is always the same: finding well-trained people, properly employed, at the very moment everyone else is looking for them. Here you will find the roles, the channels and the questions to ask.

When you need extra staff

Rome's events calendar has predictable peaks:

• May, June and September, for Saturday weddings;
• December, for corporate dinners and parties;
• spring and autumn, for conferences and conventions;
• summer, for festivals and outdoor events.

In these weeks every caterer is looking for the same roles. Those with an up-to-date list of freelancers and an agency already under contract work with less stress.

The roles to cover

Each role is explained in detail in the guide to catering staff roles. The number of people per format can be estimated with the guide on how many waiters you need.

The three channels for finding staff

Permanent team

The core that knows your dishes, your equipment and your way of working. They usually fill the roles of responsibility: maître, head chef, event manager.

Trusted freelancers

Waiters, cooks and bartenders you call when needed. Many work for several caterers. Keep an up-to-date list with availability, roles, uniform sizes and certificates.

Agencies and services companies

For peaks or large events you rely on an employment agency or a company specialising in event staff. They select, train and handle the contract. You pay an hourly or per-event rate.

How they usually work:

1. they receive your request with date, times, roles and number of people;
2. they propose the profiles available;
3. they handle the contract with the worker;
4. they invoice you for the service.

Always ask how they select people, whether they have seen them at work and who replaces a last-minute absence. You will find the companies offering this service in Rome in the catering staff directory.

Contract types: an overview

This section only gives general orientation. Employment rules change often, have precise requirements and limits, and depend on your situation. Before choosing, talk to an employment consultant and check the official sources (Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, INPS, the collective agreement you apply).

• On-call work (lavoro intermittente, also called "a chiamata"): governed by Legislative Decree 81/2015. The worker is called when needed. There are age requirements, limits, excluded cases and a mandatory notification before each call.
• Agency staffing (somministrazione di lavoro): the worker is employed by an authorised employment agency and works for you. The agency must be listed in the Ministry of Labour's online register. It is the easiest channel to manage for peaks, but carries a service fee.
• Occasional work (prestazione occasionale): intended for sporadic activities, with limits on amounts and use, and managed through the INPS platform. Not every business and not every situation can use it.

Always avoid work without a contract: besides the risk of penalties, an uninsured person injured during an event is a serious problem for them and for you.

Training and safety

Anyone working at an event must be prepared on two fronts.

• Food hygiene: Regulation (EC) 852/2004 requires anyone handling food to have adequate training. In Lazio, staff training follows regional rules: check with your local health authority (ASL).
• Health and safety at work: Legislative Decree 81/2008 requires training and a risk assessment. With agency staff, some obligations are shared with the agency.

Ask the agency or the freelancer for their certificates, and keep a copy.

Briefing, uniform and quality

Outside staff work well if they know what to do. Before every event:

• send a written briefing: times, address, parking, uniform, menu, allergens, programme;
• hold a 15-minute verbal briefing on arrival;
• name a contact person in the dining room and one in the kitchen;
• define the uniform (or supply it yourself) for a consistent look.

You will find a briefing outline and tips on uniforms in the guide on how to find waiters for events.

How CateringRoma.it can help

CateringRoma.it is an independent guide: it does not hire or supply staff. It can, however, shorten your search in two ways:

• with the directory of companies offering catering and event staff in Rome, with information taken from their websites;
• with a free service: tell us which roles you need, for which dates and in which area, and we help put you in touch with those who can cover them.

You will find both on the catering staff in Rome page.

Questions to ask the agency

• Are you listed in the online register of employment agencies?
• Under which contract do the people you send me work?
• How do you select them? Do they have experience in events and catering?
• Do they have food hygiene and safety training? Can I see the certificates?
• What is the hourly rate per role? Are there surcharges for nights and public holidays?
• What is the minimum number of hours per call?
• Who replaces someone who doesn't turn up?
• Do you supply the uniform or do I?
• By when must I confirm numbers and times?

To finish

Staff are the part of the service guests see most. Investing in a list of freelancers and a reliable agency protects you on peak Saturdays. See the directory and the free service. If instead you are organising an event and looking for a caterer that brings its own team, browse the list of caterers or request a quote.