GatewayGourmet Blog

If you’re interested in the culinary field, you may want to consider a career in food safety. As more and more restaurants and industries increase in size, professions in the food safety and sanitation genre are increasing, as well. Whether you combine a standard two-year culinary degree with a food safety focus, or if you go to school with the sole purpose of getting a graduate degree in food science, the opportunities to build a career are great.

What Do Food Safety Professionals Do?

Food safety and sanitation is actually a large field, encompassing everything from safety at the agricultural level to good kitchen practices in a local, chef-owned restaurant. Depending on your interests and background, you might work on a farm, in a laboratory, overseeing a commercial production line, as part of the government, or in the capacity of educator.

Some of the more common food safety careers include:

• Agricultural inspectors, who work at the farm level to enforce health codes and address violations. Most professionals either have an agricultural science degree.

• Food scientists, who test different foods to ensure that they meet federal safety levels. In most cases, this job requires a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.

• Food testers, who actually get to taste food in a laboratory or more relaxed setting. They look for quality more than they address safety issues. A background in culinary training and/or general science is beneficial for this career.

• Health inspectors (restaurant inspectors), who work for the local health department. They make visits to restaurants and other food production facilities to ensure that everything meets code. A bachelor’s degree in environmental health or another related field is required.

How Can I Become a Food Safety Specialist?

In almost all cases, you will need to focus on biology and/or chemistry at the Associate or Bachelor’s degree level in order to enter the field. While culinary training can and will boost your understanding of the field and provide you with a competitive edge, you will need a strong scientific foundation.

You might also look into hospitality management degree programs that offer coursework in:

• Food marketing
• Food management
• Food and beverage management
• Food safety
• Food application technology

If you want to work in a restaurant or kitchen, you might also find that training in food safety and sanitation is a great way to boost your resume. A working knowledge of current safety standards and techniques will make you more marketable in the long run, and help you to become a better chef.

Related Topics:

Quality Control & Food Safety in the Culinary Field

Career Choices After Your Culinary Arts Degree

Find a Culinary or Hospitality Management School in Your City