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Good Whores Don't Come Cheap

The "What are you worth?" question was not meant in the financial sense. I didn't mean to list your assets (Though I am taking donations if you feel your worth is much to high to handle. There's a snappy pair of sandals at Nordstrom I am jonseing to have.)

That question was more of a, "What is your time worth?" or "What are your talents worth?"

I took a call from a potential client who wanted to know what I could do for a small dinner party of 30 people. Her budget? I want to keep the cost about $4.00 per person.

Now, as much as I wanted to say, Is this a prank call?", I actually carried the conversation through. After the day I had yesterday, I knew it could not get much worse.

"I am sorry, did you say $4.00 per person?"

"That will pay for the food, not my time, not my services - that $120 won't pay for me."

She sat there in silence. I was polite - no sarcasm, no swearing - I just laid out the facts.

"But your a caterer."

"Well, how much is your time and work worth?"

This was the magical question.

So I asked her, "Have you ever bought a pair of shoes?"

"Oh."

This was her first time calling a caterer. She was very nice on the phone - albeit dumb as a post - but she sincerely thought that caterers just worked for the cost of food. She clearly could not wrap her mind around the idea that it was a business like anything else.

But she did bring up a good thought - how much am I worth?

Honestly, I am worth a lot. And I have no shame in saying that.

I have worked very hard to get where I am and I plan to continue to work even harder to make it grow. And I won't stop working hard until I stop being The Food Whore.

It's no different than any other profession such as car mechanic or custom home builder or landscaper. People who are good at what they do - who work hard for their craft - are worth every dime.

In this case, this particular woman was innocent in her inquisitions, but there are plenty out there who think, "How hard is it to make fabulous food and put it on a plate?". Some people only see the end result and can't see why it costs so much to eat so good - on someone else's time. (They are basically just cheap bastards, but I am trying to say it politely)

What people don't see is the hours of planning, mapping, meeting the clients, running all over the county for specific items, staging - none of it.

For instance, just tonight I spent an hour making a spreadsheet of quantities and costs for that monumental trick I have next week. You know, the one with 425 guests and counting? (By the way, I am supposed to dress pretty and meet the shrimp boat captain tomorrow night...)

And that's just the beginning. Next comes the task of ordering, scheduling and mapping. Then comes the actual task of the food - making sure it all gets delivered on time. Running for specialty items. Prepping, storing and holding. Then comes the actual set-up, service, clean-up, take down, loading and unloading.

It's not magic. It's hard work - hard work that I love. Hard work that I am good at. Hard work that I deserve to be paid well for.

I am not a Cheap Whore.

Damnit.
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Posted by Foodwhore at June 30, 2004 12:12 AM