What are Some Career Options in Restaurant Management?

<h3 id="section---OverviewOfRestaurantManagementCareers">Overview of Restaurant Management Careers</h3> <p>Seeking a career in restaurant management is made possible with experience and hard work. Most managers work their way up into a position where they would have more responsibilities. A specialized degree in the field might help opportunities for advancement in employment. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutCareerOptionsInRestaurantManagement">Important Facts About Career Options in Restaurant Management</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>On-the-Job Training </td><td> Food prep, personnel management, sanitation, security and documentation</td></tr> <tr><td> Licensure </td><td> Foodservice Management Professional designation offered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation</td></tr> <tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Customer-service, business, problem-solving, organizational and leadership skills</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Environment </td><td> Full time, long hours; nights, weekends and holidays</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---RestaurantOrFoodServiceManager">Restaurant or Food Service Manager</h3> <p>A restaurant manager or food service manager runs a restaurant or other type of business that serves food and drinks. As a restaurant manager, you would oversee activities in the dining room as well as the kitchen. You may be responsible for ordering supplies and equipment and for ensuring that the restaurant is cleaned properly. Restaurant management also involves taking care of administrative and human resources (hiring, firing and training) duties. Restaurant managers are trained in all aspects of running a restaurant, including advertising, marketing, accounting, staff training as well as food preparation and financial matters. </p> <h3 id="section---BarAndBeverageManager">Bar and Beverage Manager</h3> <p>A bar and beverage manager oversees the operation of the bar. Duties may involve supervising and training staff and setting up shifts. Additionally, they are responsible for handling complaints and maintaining the quality of service. As a bar and beverage manager, you would look after financial concerns, such as inventory and payroll, as well as forecasting and budgeting. You would see that the liquor laws or regulations are enforced. </p> <h3 id="section---BanquetManager">Banquet Manager</h3> <p>A banquet manager consults with customers to determine their requirements. In this position, you would plan all aspects of banquets, figuring out requirements like supplies, food, beverages, menu and staff. You would supervise banquets from set-up to end of event cleanup. Banquet managers oversee alcohol service and make sure liquor regulations are adhered to. They may also be responsible for supervising, training and hiring staff, managing inventory, keeping administrative and financial records and interacting with clients and suppliers. </p> <h3 id="section---ExecutiveSteward">Executive Steward</h3> <p>An executive steward is responsible for the kitchen workers not involved in cooking, such as busboys and waiters. They make sure that the premises (storerooms and dining room) are clean and that there are sufficient supplies. They ensure that all tables have been set properly and oversee non-cooking tasks, such as dish-washing and silver cleaning. They may hire and train personnel. </p> <h3 id="section---EnteringThisCareerField">Entering This Career Field</h3> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it's possible to enter the field of restaurant management with just a high school diploma and experience working in restaurants. However, employers are more often preferring to hire individuals who have received some college education in restaurant management or a related field. If you want to work in a luxury dining establishment, you may want to earn a bachelor's degree and complete practical job training through your program in order to be competitive in the job market. </p> <p>Both associate's and bachelor's degree programs in restaurant management are available. These may be combined with study of hotel management or hospitality management more generally. Coursework you may complete includes sanitation, food purchasing, healthy food, restaurant beverage service, wine and food pairing, professional catering and worldwide cuisine. You may also take business and hospitality classes, such as financial management, marketing, resort management, tourism, facilities management and meeting planning. Additionally, programs may have culinary laboratories so that you can practice cooking and baking, as well as a required internship so you can get practical experience in the field. </p> <h3 id="section---CareerOutlook">Career Outlook</h3> <p>The BLS predicts that from 2016-2026, there will be 27,600 new jobs created for food service managers. Having accumulated years of experience in the industry is important to qualify to managerial positions, and holding a degree can help you be more competitive in the job market. As of May 2018, the median annual salary in the field of food service management was $54,240.</p>