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Caterer

Culinary: Gargus Banquets and Catering, Loraine, OH
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Do you enjoy entertaining and all the details that go into insuring your guests have a great experience? Would you like to spend your working day in the kitchen rather than in an office or cubicle? Are you a savvy, diplomatic business person who can help people make the right decisions? Then pack your apron and your comfortable shoes and join Gary Gargus at Gargus Catering and Banquet Center for a VocationVacations® dream job holiday as a caterer.

Gary was born into a family of caterers. For more than 80 years, members of Gary’s family had been in the business. His dad had dreamed of opening his own banquet facility, but got sidetracked and never followed his dream. When Gary and his Dad went to Gary’s college orientation, Gary decided he didn’t like the electrical engineering program to which he had applied. On their way home, they decided to open a banquet center. His dad’s dream was going to come true through Gary.

In 1974, Gary built Gargus Hall, today known as Gargus Catering and Banquet Center. Since then, Gary, with the help of his wife Teri, has catered everything from small cook-out events to weddings for hundreds of guests, class reunions, fund raisers, and corporate meetings. Whatever the event, Gary is a master of details. “My goal is to be sure everything is top quality, delivered at a reasonable price, and exceeds my clients’ expectations,” explains Gary.

Gary has been involved with more than 3,000 weddings and is an expert in helping couples design an event their guests will enjoy. “When picking menus, I encourage the couple to consider what their guests will enjoy and not to confuse their ‘likes’ with what their guests might like or be able to eat,” he says. Although Gary makes a decadent Chocolate by Death Cake that takes nine hours to make, he says he really doesn’t have one particular specialty. “My specialties are different depending upon what appeals to each client or guest. Some absolutely have to have my special pork chops, while others say my prime rib is the best they have ever tasted.”

The catering business is definitely not a nine- to- five job. Although the actual event may only last hours, the planning, ordering, cooking, and preparation leading up to the event take days. “In addition to all the catering specific activities, to be successful you also have to devote time to staying current with your market and what appeals to them and sells best,” adds Gary. Considered an expert in the industry, Gary shares advice on the art of catering on allexpert.com. and has consulted for people getting into the field.

Taking his job job very seriously, Gary is committed to insuring the food he serves is
top-notch. “Food sets the tone for an event,” he says. “If there is a problem with the food, the whole event suffers.” Gary’s years in the catering business have rewarded him with the satisfaction of a job well done and the thanks and gratitude of his clients. “I have been involved in so many events, that people tell me that I have seen and done it all,” he says. “My reply is ‘almost,’ because something new always seems to pop up.”

While on your Caterer VocationVacations® dream job holiday with Gary Gargus at Gargus Catering and Banquet Center, activities will include some or all of the following:
  • Meet with clients
  • Create and price menus
  • Determine what is needed for an event
  • Plan staffing for the kitchen and the event
  • Team with purveyors of produce, groceries, meat and fish
  • Prepare cooking schedule
  • Prepare food
  • Coordinate staff jobs at the event
  • Set up event, food and décor
  • Serve guests
The Caterer VocationVacations® dream job holiday with Gary Gargus at Gargus Catering and Banquet Center includes:
  • Two days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a winemaker
  • The option to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post- VocationVacations career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job coming to reality
  • Light lunches with your mentors

Available: All year based on Mentor's availability with exception for holiday weekends

Price: $849 Per Person

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Suggested Accommodations

Sunset Shores Bed & Breakfast

(Not included in the price of the VocationVacations® holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations® adventure:

Reservation, Cancellation and Rescheduling Rules and Conditions:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.