Should I have turned down this catering job?

[greenbean]

I am a former pastry chef but still do a little pastry on the side by request. Recently, a friend of a friend of a friend needed someone to cater an event. About a month prior to the event, my friend told me that I might get a call. About a week later my friend's friend left me a message that I might get a call. About one week later, the person in charge of the event called. I was on vacation at the time and asked that she call me back in a few days when I got home. I actually ended up calling her back the day before she was supposed to call me but she was walking out the door and said she would call me back later. She did not call for two days.

These were the details:

This event was for the annual convention of a national organization

Mini (1-2 bite) desserts for 300, at least 4 varieties, around 1200-1500 pieces

She wanted me to provide punch to drink

I had to bring all napkins, plates, cups, etc.

She wanted a tasting before the event

Once I received all the details, we finally started talking about price. She said she didn't know the budget and would call me back the next day. She did not call for three days and only did so after I sent a message saying that I could not do the event due to the time constraint. With only nine days until the event, I did not feel comfortable committing to this job (for many reasons). She said she did not receive my message, but I don't believe that. I feel bad for not taking it (not for her, I could use the money) and I have beat myself up about it ever since. Can anyone out there ease my guilt? Or, should I have bitten the bullet and taken the cash?

[Boilerfood]

I have zero catering experience, but this seems woefully under planned and possibly underfunded. I wouldn't have touched it with a 40 ft pole.

[jrshaul]

In my former employment as tech support monkey, I saw this sort of nonsense on a regular basis. You did the right thing.

[Isabelle Prescott]

Yes, you should have turned it down.

[gap]

I second all those opinions - you shouldn't have to work with someone who is that unorganised for such a large event - at the end of the day people will reflect any failure of the event back on you

[Tri2Cook]

at the end of the day people will reflect any failure of the event back on you

This is the part to remember. Nobody at the event or funding the event will care about the reasons why if things don't go well. You can tell them "I only had x number of days due to blah blah blah..." but the only thing leaving the event if things go badly will be "the catering was terrible".

[weinoo]

As a former caterer, this is a job where you run for the hills.

[Panaderia Canadiense]

Definitely the right thing to turn that down. It sounds like it was a disaster in the making.

[greenbean]

Thank you all so much. It's easy to look back and try to figure out how I could have done it, but if I had, I would be cursing at myself right now.

Gap, you're absolutely right. Any problems would have been seen as a lack of skill and organization on my part.

If my friend knew a month out about the event, what would it have hurt for the woman to contact me? I know that I was right to walk away from this, but I wish she had given me more time, if not for my sake, then for the next person she asked. If I only had nine days, they had even less.

My husband will be grateful to you all for helping me stop beating myself up about this, but he'll still wonder why I didn't just listen to him in the first place

[judiu]

Greenbean, you did the right thing! Good move!

[nikkib]

If they are that disorganised in the run up to the event it would have been interesting (for that read incrediably frustrating) trying to get payment out of them in good time too i would imagine

[Toliver]

You did the right thing. With 9 days to go she still wanted to do a tasting? Really?

The huge lack of response on her end would have put me off right away. She should have brought up the budget upon first discussion so you would have known whether it was even feasible.

Let it go knowing you have your sanity and no stress over what would have been a nightmare.

[Aman Adatia]

As a former caterer I too would have turned it down and never looked back

[howsmatt]

As a former caterer and someone who is poor my basic system is that if I can still do it 100% properly then I will take the job. So if it takes 5 days and I have 5 days notice, I dont care about organization on their part, as long as I know my food will be well received. Every event I do is a chance to connect with someone who may get me a great opportunity in the future. If there is any risk that I will be rushed or put out a less than perfect product then I always say I am already booked, next time you should reserve further ahead.

9 days notice for such an event is pretty ridiculous actually. Heck even a month is extremely short notice.