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Caterers cook and serve food for weddings, parties, and corporate events — a hands-on culinary business you can build on skill and permits, not a four-year degree. Here's the roadmap, with the Arizona permits and where the work is.
Where to learn in Arizona
Build culinary and business skills by cooking professionally or catering small events. Culinary courses at Scottsdale or Mesa Community College or the Arizona Culinary Institute help, but high-volume, hands-on experience is what matters most.
Licensing in Arizona
In Arizona you need a food-handler card from your county (such as Maricopa County Environmental Services or Pima County Health) and usually ServSafe, plus a business license, health-department permits, liability insurance, and access to a permitted commercial kitchen — catering generally can't run from a home kitchen under the cottage-food rules.
Where the Arizona work is
Arizona's events scene drives steady catering demand — Scottsdale and Sedona weddings, Phoenix corporate events and conventions, and the busy winter and spring season (snowbirds and spring training). Referrals, a photo portfolio, and reviews build the bookings.
Ready to start? Browse live Arizona opportunities — internships, training programs, and scholarships across the state.
Food-safety certification and permits are required — your food and reputation grow the business
Catering rewards great food and flawless logistics, not a diploma. Build culinary and business skills, get your ServSafe certification, business license, and health permits, and line up a commercial kitchen. From there, a portfolio of events, strong reviews, and referrals are what turn cooking into a growing catering business.
Keep going: see whether the trades are worth it, compare becoming a chef, and check if it will pay off.