Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Building Your Next Catering Proposal
Ready to put these features into action? Here is a quick walkthrough of how to build a dynamic, automated catering project in Curate, straight from Jamie’s workflow:
Start with Your Master Template
The most effective way to scale your catering business and save hours on admin work is by utilizing Project Templates. Instead of building every new event from scratch, you rely on the "80/20 Rule".
(Doing 80% of the work upfront so you only have to adjust 20% for each new client)
How Project Templates Work
Think of a Project Template as your ultimate blueprint. It is a pre-configured master file that contains your ideal proposal layout. Instead of opening a blank document and painstakingly adding your logo, writing out your terms, and building your standard catering sections (like "Cocktail Hour," "Dinner Buffet," and "Bar") one by one, you build this structure just once.
When a new lead comes in, you simply click Duplicate on your master template. This instantly creates a brand-new project loaded with the structural DNA of your master file, your covers, image boards, preset text blocks, and order layouts are all ready to go. You just fill in the specific blanks for that client.
For a complete guide on how to create, save, and copy these templates in your system, check out this article: Project Templates & Duplicating Projects.
Once you have duplicated your master template for a new client, follow the steps below to customize their event using Curate's newest features.
Customizing Visuals and Image Boards
A strong visual presentation is your first impression. We recommend building this into your master template so you don't have to recreate it for every event.
1.Add an Image Board Module:
Navigate to the right panel under Table of Contents > + Add Content. Select an image board style for your template.
The Masonry Grid allows up to 50 images per board, making it ideal for showing off past buffet setups or specific venue layouts.
2.Upload Your Media:
Click on the Pencil icon 
of the module > Right panel will open > Click the Select Image button to pull from your Curate media library.
Click Upload Media to browse your computer, or Drag and Drop files directly onto the upload area.
3.Organize the Grid:
Once the images finish uploading, click and drag them to shuffle the order until you are happy with the visual flow.
4.Select a Cover Design:
Scroll to the top to choose a cover layout. Use Minimalist or Sprout for a clean, logo-focused look, or choose Inspiration, Brilliance, or Excellence to incorporate heavy imagery and custom color palettes.
📌Check out this guide detailing the different image board styles: Cover & Inspiration Boards.
Managing Internal and External Documents
You often need to store internal spreadsheets alongside client-facing seating charts. Curate allows you to house them all in one place while controlling who sees what.
1.Add the Documents Module
Navigate to the right panel and click +Add Content. Scroll to the very bottom of the menu (past the Cover and Inspiration Board options) and click to add the Text module.
Use the Drag and drop handles to place it exactly where you want it to appear (e.g., right below Contact Details).
2.Upload Your Files: Click on the Pencil icon of the module (or navigate to the Overview tab) and select Upload File. You can upload JPEGs, PDFs, CSVs, and Excel spreadsheets.
⚠️Note: If you upload an image file here, it will not display a visual preview of the image. The goal of the Documents module is simply to give you the ability to share the downloadable file.
3.Set Client Visibility: Locate the Eye Icon next to each uploaded file. If the icon is disabled, the document is strictly internal. Click the icon to enable it, making it visible and clickable in the customer’s portal.
Automating Data with Tokens
Tokens prevent you from typing the same event details repeatedly. If your client filled out a Curate inquiry form, these details will automatically inject themselves into your duplicated template.
💡Pro Tip: Automate Your Contracts! The "Personalized" token dropdown is also applicable to your Contracts module. You can inject these exact same tokens into your legal agreements so client names, dates, and event details automatically fill in. To learn more about setting this up, check out this article: Contracts.
1. Add a Text Box Module
Navigate to the right panel and click +Add Content. Scroll to the very bottom of the menu (past the Cover and Inspiration Board options) and click to add the Text module.
What are Text Boxes?
Text boxes are extremely popular for adding additional, customer-facing details about the project you are working on and how it needs to be completed.
2.Insert Tokens into Text
Click on the Pencil icon of the module and click the Personalized header. Select your tokens from the dropdown list.
System Tokens are standard format (e.g., Event Date), while Custom Tokens are in ALL CAPS (e.g., GROOM'S NAME).
3.Publish and Preview
Click the 
button, then click Client Preview 
to verify that the tokens successfully pulled the correct information (like the start time or guest count) into the text.
Workroom View:
Client Preview:
4.Update Details in Overview
If event details change, do not manually edit the text boxes. Instead, click the Overview tab, scroll to the detail (e.g., Event Start Time), and update it there. Once you hit Save, the token will instantly update across the entire project.
Building Recipes and Applying Markups
This is where you customize the actual catering packages and ensure your profit margins are set correctly for the specific event.
Create the Order Structure: Navigate to the Orders page.
Choose your preferred layout: either break the event into chronological sections (Cocktail Hour, Reception, Bar) or bundle them into Packages (Food Package A, Drink Package B).
Add Components to Recipes: Click into a specific line item (e.g., Soda Package or Fruit Platter) to access the Recipe level. Click Import from Catalog to add specific ingredients or inventory items to the recipe.
Adjust Your Markup Profile: Review your recipe costs versus your Suggested Retail Price (SRP). If you are working a high-demand date like a holiday weekend, change your standard markup to a custom "Holiday Markup" profile to increase your margins.
Color-Code Internal Notes: Type specific preparation instructions into the Recipe Notes section. Use the highlighter tool to color-code the notes by department (e.g., orange for prep cooks, green for plating) so they appear clearly on the final kitchen printouts.
Deep Dive: Orders, Recipes, and Markups Ready to master your menu pricing and structure? Check out these detailed guides from our Help Center to learn more about managing your products, components, and profit margins:
Building and Utilizing Packages
Every catering company structures their proposals differently. Instead of breaking a proposal down by chronological sections (like Cocktail Hour, Dinner, and Dessert), many caterers prefer to offer bundled options using the Packages feature (like Gold Food Package or Standard Beverage Package).
You can build these master packages directly in your catalog and drop them right onto your order screen. Selecting a package allows you to automatically pull all the associated products, recipes, and inventory items into the project at once, keeping your workflow fast and your client's proposal clean and easy to read.
📌For a deep dive into setting up and managing packages in your catalog, check out this guide: Catalog Packages.
Adding Add-Ons
If you utilize Curate's specialized add-ons, you can manage your labor, physical inventory, and multiple business locations directly alongside the food.
Staffing: Take the guesswork out of your labor costs. Add specific roles (like Head Chef or Waitstaff) directly from your catalog, override individual shift times, and let the system automatically calculate your pay rates versus bill rates to ensure accurate profit margins.
Rentals: Manage your physical inventory of tables, chairs, and linens without the fear of double-booking. As you build your project, the system actively cross-references your master inventory and instantly alerts you if an item is overbooked for that specific date.
Branches: Perfect for growing businesses with multiple physical kitchens or distinct departments. This allows you to split up your Curate workspace, keeping projects, filtering, and employee access strictly separated by specific location.
📌Want to test drive an add-on? If you are interested in trying out Rentals, Staffing, or Branches, you can test them out with a free 1-month trial! Just reach out to the Curate team via the chat bubble to get started. For a full overview of all available features, check out this guide
👉 Enhance Your Curate Experience with Add-Ons.
Tracking Client Communication
Keep all project-related emails out of your personal inbox and tied directly to the event.
Locate the Messages Tab: Inside your project, click on the Overview button, then select Messages on the right side of the panel
Draft Your Message: Select one of your pre-saved email templates or type a new message from scratch. You do not need to manually add a link to the proposal; Curate injects the portal link automatically.
Send and Track: Hit send. By sending the first email from inside the Curate project, all subsequent replies from your client will automatically route back into this tab, complete with timestamps for your records.
Check out this full guide on how to utilize the in-app messaging features: