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Food Service Career Overview

Food Service Training Programs

Employment Opportunities in Food Service and Restaurants

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Food Service and Restaurant Management Education and Training

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If you are interested in a career in restaurant or food service management, a degree from a hospitality or culinary school can provide the preparation you need to get started quickly. National restaurant chains and food service companies frequently recruit new management trainees from hospitality management programs at colleges and technical institutes or schools. Current employees, such as waitresses or chefs, with potential are sometimes promoted from within to a management trainee position. This occurs most frequently in fast-food and smaller restaurants.

Culinary Schools and College Education

Training programs at hotel / hospitality management or culinary schools provide training in food preparation, nutrition, and sanitation. They also offer courses in management and general business subjects, such as accounting and business law. Schools also offer hands-on experience, with in-school kitchen training supplementing classroom instruction. Many of the better culinary schools offer an externship or internship program that allows near-graduates to practice their new career in the real world. These types of educational programs can lead to a position as a chef, and provide a starting point for later career advancement.

In-House Training Programs

Many restaurants and food service management companies provide in-house training to supplement what new management trainees have learned in school. Combining classroom and on the job experience, trainees receive instruction on nutrition, sanitation, food ordering and preparation, and recordkeeping. These programs also instruct new trainees on company policies and procedures, the computer system, and other topics. After these training programs, which typically last six months to a year, the trainee is rewarded with a position as an assistant manager.

Career Advancement for Restaurant Professionals

In order to advance in their career, food service and restaurant managers may need to relocate. Sometimes, more senior positions open up as new restaurants are created within a chain. Other more senior positions my be located at the firm's regional or national headquarters. Some managers will start their career at restaurants, and then move to a hotel or resort, where they can use their experience to gain a more senior position. There are a number of certification programs that managers can complete to further indicate their skills. For example, the Certified Foodservice Management Professional designation is given by the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association following completion of a series of courses and a written examination.



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