How to make money as a chefs and caterer in Slovenia - practical steps

If you are a cook or caterer in Slovenia and want to earn alongside a job or build a full-time activity, this practical guide explains where paying customers actually come from, how to set a first price, what your first ten customers often look like, what to sort out administratively, common early problems, and how a Websta profile can fit into that workflow.

Updated October 21, 2026

Where paying customers come from

Local food work is found in familiar places. Neighbours and friends ask for meals for small gatherings; family and acquaintances refer you for birthdays and confirmations. Workplaces order lunches or platters for meetings and team events. Small businesses and local clubs hire caterers for openings, meetings and seasonal events. Online search, local Facebook groups and marketplaces bring private customers who find you by service and place. Word of mouth remains one of the strongest drivers once you have a few successful jobs.

Institutions and schools do hire catering, but these often require formal procurement, written offers or approved supplier lists. If you want to target schools, kindergartens or public institutions, be prepared to ask them about their purchasing rules and any sanitary requirements.

  • Private gatherings: birthdays, anniversaries, small weddings
  • Corporate: office lunches, team events, client hospitality
  • Local organisations: clubs, associations, markets and fairs
  • Online leads: search, social media, local marketplaces
  • Referrals from friends, neighbours and previous customers

How to set your first price and talk about money

Start by calculating direct costs: ingredients, packaging, transport and any hired help. Add the time you spend cooking, shopping, setting up and cleaning up. Include overheads such as gas, electricity, equipment wear and insurance, and an allowance for taxes and social contributions. That gives you a cost floor. Decide on a margin above that floor so the job is worth your time.

When talking with customers, explain what is included: number of portions, any staff, delivery and setup, crockery or disposables, and whether you provide service during the event. Put prices in writing where possible and confirm whether the customer wants an invoice or a receipt. Be clear about cancellation terms and any deposit you require before buying ingredients.

  • Calculate ingredient cost per portion times expected headcount
  • Add hourly rate for your labour and any assistants
  • Include transport, packaging and equipment costs
  • State delivery, setup and cancellation terms up front

What the first ten customers usually look like

Your first ten customers are often people who already know you or are reachable without big marketing. Expect to get work from family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and one-off local events. Small orders for home delivery or a tray of food for a workplace are common early jobs. You might also win a couple of customers from a local group or a marketplace task posting.

These early customers let you test recipes, timing and packaging. Treat them as low-risk experiments: confirm expectations, take notes on portion sizes and transport, and ask for short feedback to refine your offerings.

  • Friends and family
  • Neighbours and local community
  • Work colleagues or local small businesses
  • One-off private events and marketplace requests
  • Local clubs or associations

What to sort out when taking money as an independent person in Slovenia

If you accept money for sale of food, you must handle tax, bookkeeping and possibly permits. I cannot give legal or tax advice here; check with the relevant authorities to be sure. Contact the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) to ask about income tax, issuing invoices or receipts, and whether you need to register for VAT. Ask FURS what records you must keep and how to report income from occasional catering.

Talk to the Health Insurance Institute or your local health office to confirm social contribution obligations when you run an independent activity. For food safety, contact the local sanitary inspectorate or the national food safety authority and ask which permits, kitchen standards and training (HACCP, hygiene) apply to small-scale catering. Ask your municipality if there are any local rules on running food prep from a home kitchen. Finally, discuss liability insurance with an insurer so you know what is covered for events and third-party claims.

  • Ask FURS about invoicing, tax reporting and VAT thresholds
  • Ask your health or social insurance office about contributions
  • Ask the food safety authority or municipal inspector about permits and hygiene rules
  • Discuss liability insurance options with an insurer

What tends to go wrong in the first months

Common early mistakes are underpricing, underestimating time, and poor packaging or transport. Underpricing happens when you count only ingredients and forget your labour and overhead. Time estimates often leave no margin for unexpected delays, which affects scheduling and customer satisfaction.

Other problems include cancellations without clear deposit rules, lacking written confirmation, and not keeping simple financial records. Food safety mistakes - such as improper cold chain management during delivery - can cause complaints or worse. Finally, cashflow can be tight if you buy ingredients in advance and customers pay on delivery; consider deposits for larger orders.

  • Underpricing and forgetting labour costs
  • Poor packaging or transport leading to substandard delivery
  • No written agreements or deposit terms
  • Insufficient records for taxes
  • Cashflow stress when buying ingredients up front

How a Websta profile fits into your work

A Websta profile acts like a simple public page you can send to customers. It can list your services, show photos, state prices and offer online booking. Websta also operates a marketplace where people nearby find providers by service and place and can post tasks for providers to make offers on. On Websta the listing sits under category "chefs and caterers" for country "Slovenia" at matrixPath "/marketplace/food".

Card payments from customers are paid out to your own bank account through Stripe; you set your prices. Use the profile as a consistent place to display menus, terms, examples of past jobs and a booking link. Remember to confirm administrative requirements independently - a Websta page helps you be found and quoted but does not replace legal registration, invoicing or insurance.

  • A sharable page with services, photos, prices and booking
  • Found through marketplace search and task postings
  • Card payments routed to your bank account through Stripe
  • You control services and prices; use it to show menus and terms

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to register as self-employed to cater for neighbours?
Check with the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) about occasional income rules and registration. Also ask your local food safety authority what kitchen and hygiene requirements apply for selling prepared food.
How should I handle deposits and cancellations?
Set clear terms in writing: state your deposit amount, when it is non-refundable and how cancellations are handled. Ask for a small deposit for larger orders to cover upfront ingredient costs.
Can I use a home kitchen for catering?
Requirements vary. Contact your municipal inspectorate or the national food safety authority to ask whether a home kitchen is acceptable and what standards or permits are required.
Will Websta take customer payments for me?
Websta supports card payments that are paid out to your own bank account through Stripe. You set your prices and receive payouts to your account.
How do I set a fair price as a beginner?
Add up ingredient costs, packaging, transport, your time and overheads, then add a margin. Don’t forget taxes and social contributions. Test the price on a few jobs and collect feedback to adjust it.

About the numbers

Counts in this guide were read from the Websta catalogue when the text was written and are refreshed above from the live catalogue. Part of the catalogue was built from the public business register and is marked as such on each profile.

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