Welcome back to IBJ’s video feature “Inside Dish: The Business of Running Restaurants.”

With the Indiana State Fair in full swing, "Inside Dish" switches its focus a bit this week to catering. It might not occur to Indiana State Fair visitors gorging on country-fried bacon at the Barto's Catering & Concessions booths that the Fairgrounds buzz year-round with events that require food-and-beverage service. Barto's is the main caterer for the Fairgrounds throughout the year, in addition to running concession booths during the fair and other events. It's headquartered in the Farm Bureau Building with a 2,500-square-foot kitchen that can feed thousands per meal, plus event rooms that together can seat close to 1,000 people.

Owner John Barto, 51, started the business in 1990, after serving a managerial apprenticeship of sorts with the building's previous occupant, Berry's Banquets and Concessions. With $1,000 borrowed from his father to purchase equipment, Barto contracted with the Indiana State Fair Commission to take over the facility and began providing food at the Fairgrounds. Family and friends helped with staffing, and Berry's loaned him some additional equipment.

Barto's also provides catering for all manner of events outside the Fairgrounds, as big as the Indianapolis Air Show and as tiny as a backyard tea party for pre-teen girls. "How could I turn that down?" Barto said.

In the video below, Barto discusses starting the firm from scratch, the broad scope of events he now serves, and how the recession has tightened his customers' purse strings.



 

Barto's Catering & Concessions The Farm Bureau Building on the Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St. (317) 926-4936 www.thefoodguys.net Concept: Headquartered on the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Barto's is the Fairgrounds' main on-site caterer for events year-round. It also offers catering services for off-premises events. Founded: 1990 Owner: John Barto Start-up costs: $1,000 (with some equipment loaned from John Barto's previous employer and staffing help from friends and family) Sales/profit: $1.2 million in gross sales/$87,500 in profit (2008); $902,000 in gross sales/broke even (2009). Gross sales for January through June 2010: $546,000. Employees: 5 full-time employees, with other workers hired as contractual labor as needed Seating: The Farm Bureau Building contains event rooms that can seat close to 1,000 people, but Barto's can provide catering for other indoor and outdoor spaces on the Fairgrounds as well. Goals: To better market the Normandy Barn facility on the north side of the Fairgrounds as an event locale, capable of seating about 150. Good to know:  Off-premises catering gigs not connected to the Fairgrounds account for about 20 percent of Barto's total sales.