Tag Archive for 'Hospitality Management'

Top-Paying Culinary Careers

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on September 6, 2011
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Top Paying Culinary JobsFew people get into the culinary field because they’re looking for a fast and easy path to riches—but that doesn’t mean you can’t earn a great living doing what you love. Although it might take a few years to earn the right experience, get the necessary degree, and work up the ranks to your dream culinary job, here are a few of the best paying careers you can find in the food service industry.

Executive Chef (Average Salary: $58,000 to $88,000)

Everyone wants to be the boss, don’t they? In a restaurant setting, this is no less true. If you ask most culinary students what their ultimate professional goal is, the answer will be Executive Chef, managing chef, or restaurant owner. All of these professionals have a few things in common: they get to call the shots, they have creative control over the kitchen, and they are among the top professionals in their field.

Of course, this kind of prestige comes with its own kind of price tag. Even with advanced degrees from top culinary schools, almost all Executive Chefs have to prove their worth through years of hard work and culinary innovation.

Hotel Manager (Average Salary: $68,000 to $124,000)

Hotel managers who have a hospitality management degree from a top university can expect to enjoy large salaries and quite a bit of responsibility. In charge of overseeing hundreds of staff members, dining facilities and restaurants, and the entire hotel setting, hotel managers are equal, career-wise, to professionals like Executive Chefs or hospital administrators.

As is the case with most professional chefs, there is an experience curve in which the more time you put in as a lower-ranking employee, the better your chances of moving up through the ranks. Unlike other culinary careers, however, getting a Master’s degree in hospitality management can help you land a high-ranking job right out of school.

Food Scientist (Average Salary: $50,000 to $76,000)

Food science isn’t technically a culinary career, since there is a very strong chemistry and biology foundation that requires a few years of school at a traditional university. However, if you’re interested in the sciences as well as cooking, this could be a great choice. Food scientists work in laboratories and in industrial food production facilities to help with issues related to food safety, quality, taste, texture, preservation, packaging, and product development.

In recent years, television shows, documentaries, and other inside looks at food manufacturing has put the spotlight on how our food is made and where it comes from. For food scientists, this kind of backseat approach is a daily task, and with the right education, it can be a very rewarding job.

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The Hospitality Industry and Theme Park Careers

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on June 8, 2011
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When we talk about careers in hospitality management, most people assume the field includes hotels, motels, and other overnight accommodations. While it’s true that these types of professions dominate the hospitality trade, the field is actually quite large. Spas, cruise lines, restaurants, catering companies, event planners, and even theme parks are all included. That’s why a degree in hospitality management is so versatile; there are plenty of places where employment is a real possibility.

Working in a theme park (or water park) might not be something you’ve considered before, but the truth is that there are good job opportunities here. When you have a degree in hospitality management (either at the Associate or Bachelor’s level), you can go beyond serving popcorn at the concession stand or wearing a giant dog costume to work in guest relations, marketing, and other mid-management roles.

What Does a Theme Park Manager Do?

Your job as a member of a theme park’s management staff will vary depending on the employer. For example, a large corporation like Disney is run differently than a more science-oriented place like SeaWorld or a locally owned and operated water park. Your personal background and professional goals will dictate where and how you will best succeed.

With that disclaimer in place, you can still expect to:

  • Create business plans and strategies
  • Implement marketing plans and promotional packages
  • Monitor and maintain customer satisfaction
  • Oversee facility management
  • Handle finances
  • Hire, fire, and train employees
  • Work with legal departments to ensure safety

This kind of work comes with a high level of responsibilities, which is why most theme parks look for someone who has a degree in hospitality management, recreation services, or another related field. These courses are offered at many different types of schools, and you should be able to find both online and local options at the community college, private college, or public university level. As is the case with most degrees, the higher you go (all the way up to a Master’s in hospitality management), the better your chances of promotion and higher rates of pay.

Of course, all that hard work can pay off you’re really interested in the field. Whether you’re drawn to taking advantage of perks like free admission for your family, or you love being around an industry that thrives on fun, this can be a very rewarding profession. And with salaries that figure into the six figures for highly trained and experienced managers, the financial aspect is appealing, as well.

For more information on beginning a theme park hospitality career, you may want to visit the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), which offers workshops, conferences, and training opportunities for professionals already in the field.

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Culinary Career Options: Special Event Coordinator

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on June 1, 2011
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Special Event CoordinatorOne of the most popular careers in the hospitality management field is that of a special event coordinator. Hotels, catering companies, and trade centers make quite a bit of their money from large events that range from traditional weddings to large, corporate meetings. In addition to providing a space for the event to take place, these companies may also be responsible for the food, decorations, overall management, and cleanup.

In order to get all this accomplished and keep the client happy with the outcome, there is usually a special event coordinator in charge of it all. Whether managing employees on the line in the kitchen or overseeing dozens of vendors brought in to make the event a success, this is one job that comes with big responsibility—and big pay.

What Does a Hotel Event Coordinator Do?

The special event coordinator at a hotel, restaurant, or other event location handles the logistics of handling a large crowd. Duties may include:

  • Coordinating vendors (such as florists, caterers, photographers, etc.)
  • Managing a budget
  • Marketing the company
  • Bringing in new clientele
  • Planning a menu and/or helping produce and serve food
  • Upholding safety and sanitation levels
  • Securing lodging for large numbers of guests
  • Setting up audio-visual equipment
  • Coordinating transportation
  • Handling client contracts and payments

How Much Does an Event Coordinator Earn?

Because of the wide range of responsibilities and the long hours the job can demand, top special event coordinators can command up to $80,000 per year. The average is a little bit lower than that at between $30,000 to $50,000 annually, but there is typically room for upward mobility as your career develops. In fact, many of these positions offer commissions for signing up large events, so your potential to earn goes even higher.

How Does a Hospitality Management Degree Help?

Although a degree isn’t required, an education in hospitality management from a university or culinary school can go a long way in boosting your career. Hotel management programs tend to work best for fields like this, since students can choose between a two-year Associate degree, a four-year Bachelor’s degree, or even a six-year Master’s program. As you move up the educational ladder, you’ll find more chances to specialize and to develop the advanced business skills necessary to succeed in a supervisory role.

Depending on the culinary school or hospitality management program you enter, you may find yourself taking classes in:

  • Hotel operations
  • Office administration
  • Event planning
  • Food and beverage operations
  • Restaurant management
  • General business and accounting
  • Communication
  • Culinary training

Hospitality management and special event coordination isn’t right for everyone, but if you have a passion for the culinary field as well as great organizational and leadership skills, this could be a great way to enjoy a solid future.

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What is on a Restaurant Management Course List?

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on May 2, 2011
in Culinary Schools
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Restaurant Management CourseIf you’re interested in entering the culinary field at the managerial level, you may want to consider a degree or program in restaurant management. This educational concentration, which is growing in popularity among hotels, restaurateurs, and catering companies, allows you to combine business training with culinary skills to make a real impact behind the scenes.

Although each school is necessarily different, much of the coursework you’ll encounter is the similar. Before selecting a restaurant management program for yourself, ask to see the school’s list of courses to ensure that you are getting the education you need to succeed in the field.

General Business Courses

General business courses are applicable at restaurants, hotels, and any other type of managerial setting. These courses will allow you to branch away from the culinary field if you choose to at a later date:

  • Career Development
  • Managerial Accounting
  • Global Management
  • Organizational Development
  • Human Resource Management
  • Business Planning and Marketing
  • Public Relations
  • Procedures and Manuals
  • Information Management Systems
  • Cost Control
  • Sustainable Purchasing

Culinary-Based Courses

You aren’t likely to encounter a heavy focus on cooking techniques and skills, but that doesn’t mean you can skip this side of the restaurant industry altogether. You can expect to learn:

  • Cooking and Food Preparation
  • History of Cuisine
  • Food Display and Buffet Techniques
  • Menu Creation
  • Food and Beverage Operations

Restaurant Growth and Development Courses

Part of being a successful restaurateur is being able to build a business from the ground up. You may take courses in:

  • Facilities Design
  • Restaurant Concepts and Creation
  • Restaurant Real Estate
  • Kitchen Design and Equipment

Hospitality Industry Courses

Other basic management courses that focus specifically on restaurants and the hospitality industry include:

  • Safety and Sanitation
  • Menu Management
  • Legal Issues and Ethics in Hospitality
  • Event Management
  • Hospitality Industry Trends
  • Tourism Management
  • Hotel Operations Management
  • Wine and Spirits Management
  • Casino Operations

Although most programs offer training at the Bachelor or Master’s degree level, you may be able to find diploma/certificate programs or build on an existing culinary degree with continuing education courses in restaurant management. Depending on your personal goals and interests, you can spend months or years developing skills in this field.

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Hospitality Management Programs: The Lodging Operations Course

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on April 18, 2011
in Hospitality Management
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Lodging OperationsHospitality management is a great career path for those who want to straddle the line between culinary training and a more business-oriented approach. Like restaurant management, this field is all about making the experience of the guest positive from the first moment they arrive. Whether this means providing great accommodations, putting the guests in front of an exquisite meal, or planning an event they’ll never forget, hospitality management is customer service at its best.

As you go through your hospitality management course (either at the Bachelor or Master’s level), one class that is likely to come your way is lodging operations.

What are Lodging Operations?

Lodging operations is a leadership-oriented course that focuses on hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and resorts. It goes beyond simply teaching students how to set up reservations and organize large-scale customer service initiatives to include:

  • Marketing and branding concepts
  • Incorporating the culinary experience into the hospitality setting
  • Developing employee training programs
  • Implementing energy-saving innovations
  • Surviving in a competitive hospitality market
  • Everyday leadership opportunities

This broad scope of learning is ideal for students who are pursuing an advanced degree in hospitality management. After all, if it is your goal to seek high level work in the field, it’s important to have a strong basis of understanding for how to help a hospitality organization succeed. And in many cases, these same principles are applicable in a restaurant setting, as well, making it easy to switch between fields as your career advances.

The Lodging Operations Course

Depending on where you go to hospitality management school and the degree you’re pursuing, your exact course syllabus will vary. Overall, you can expect to make on-site visits or virtual field trips to successful hotel models, and you may even be eligible for an internship at one of these locations near the end of your education.

A degree in hospitality management is a great core for a future career in restaurants, hotels, resorts, and other similar settings. Lodging operations is just one part of the whole picture. In addition to culinary training, management courses, communication skills development, and technology training, it’s important to incorporate theory-based and logic-based courses like this one.

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Finding the Right Culinary School: What to Do First

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on April 6, 2011
in Culinary Schools
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Finding the Right Culinary School

Once you’ve decided that you’re ready to take the plunge and go to culinary school, there is still quite a bit of work to be done—especially finding the right school.

Unless you’ve received a culinary scholarship tied to one particular school, you’ll need to consider everything from tuition costs and location to the length of the program and what your post-graduation job prospects will be. That’s why your first step in finding the right culinary school should be to research your options.

Popular National Culinary Schools

If you’re like most culinary students, you’ll start your search online. There are hundreds of culinary schools to choose from in the country, and depending on where you live, there might be dozens of options right at home. Some schools have a great reputation, some might have a not-so-great reputation, and still others might not have been around long enough to have any reputation at all. Your job is to sort through them all to find the right fit.

The two most common culinary schools at the chain level are Le Cordon Bleu, a traditional French institution, and the Art Institute, which features everything from culinary training to graphic design. These chains provide consistent, quality educational options close to home, and most employers recognize them, which might give you an edge when it comes to landing a job.

Other popular schools, like the Culinary Institute of America, don’t operate on a chain basis, but are still recognizable in the culinary community as a whole. Although the competition to get in schools like this is stiff, the work and relocation can be worth it if you work hard and make the right connections.

City and State Culinary Schools

Other popular culinary schools that will appear while you’re undergoing your search have city and state names attached to them. Many of these schools are small, private culinary institutions that operate with just one (or a handful) of schools unique to your area.

Because they are not nationally-recognized names, it’s likely that only local restaurants will recognize them on your resume. This isn’t necessarily good or bad—it just means you’ll need to ensure the program is right for you before you sign up. Look for the degrees they offer, check out the staff members, talk to past students, and even ask local employers what they think of the program.

Public Schools

One of the most popular ways to get a culinary education is to check out the programs at your local community college or public university. Almost every community college has a culinary program, baking program, and/or restaurant management program—all of which culminate in a two-year Associate degree program.

More and more universities are also jumping on board with hospitality management or even culinary programs, with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degree options. The workload and expectations are similar to what you’ll find in any other university program, though, so be prepared to work hard for your degree.

Where to Start Looking

Online databases of culinary schools are the best place to start your search for a culinary program. Because you can search by location, you can find schools in your immediate area as well as ones that might offer online learning options.

Remember, though, that researching a list of potential schools is only the first step. To make the right decision for your future career, you’ll need to investigate each one to determine which culinary school fits your vision of tomorrow.

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Restaurant Management Careers: Food Service Managers

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on April 4, 2011
in Culinary Career
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Food Service ManagersIf you are interested in restaurant management programs as a way to combine culinary training with business training, one of the career choices you’ll come across is a food service manager. Food service managers are typically the professionals in charge of a restaurant’s or hotel’s daily operations. From overseeing staff members to making sure the quality of food being served is up to standard, the food service manager works in a supervisory role to ensure that each customer walks away satisfied.

Educational Requirements of a Food Service Manager

There are no strict degree requirements when it comes to food service management, and it’s a field in which many people work from the ground up in order to reach their professional goals. However, as the restaurant industry grows more competitive, it is becoming increasingly more important to have a two- or four-year degree in hospitality management or culinary training.

Ranging from certification programs to Associate degrees, Bachelor degrees, and even Master’s degrees, having a good education in restaurant management ensures that you will have great job advancement opportunities and that you’ll have the skills needed to oversee a large and diverse team that includes cooks, chefs, dishwashers, waitstaff, bartenders, and other hospitality professionals.

What Does a Food Service Manager Do?

Depending on the place of employment and the exact job descriptions, food service managers may run a single department (such as the banquet room at a hotel) or an entire organization (such as a restaurant). Daily tasks include:

  • Coordinating employees/departments
  • Overseeing the kitchen
  • Overseeing the dining room
  • Overseeing banquet operations
  • Manage inventory
  • Maintain equipment and supplies
  • Handle customer complaints
  • Oversee upkeep of the dining facilities
  • Manage administrative tasks (human resources, accounting)
  • Train new employees
  • Participate in the kitchen, service area, or clean-up, as needed
  • Maintain safety and sanitation levels
  • Handle daily financials

All of these tasks add up to quite a workload, and many food service managers work just as long of hours as chefs in a busy restaurant. However, the pay and the benefits tend to be higher than what entry-level cooks receive at an average of $46,000 per year.

In addition to getting a good restaurant management education, professionals can also become certified as Foodservice Management Professionals (FMPs) through the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

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Top Restaurant Management Skills

Published
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on March 8, 2011
in Culinary Career
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Top Restaurant Management SkillsWhether you’re just now considering hospitality management as a career, or if you’ve worked in restaurant management for years, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your managerial and sales techniques. That’s because although hospitality management is very much part of the culinary arts, it is first and foremost a business. In order to succeed as a restaurant manager or restaurant owner, it is necessary to not only know food, but to know customers, your employees, and how to ensure that they interact well together.

Be a Good Leader: Being a good leader doesn’t mean simply giving orders or micromanaging the kitchen so that everything runs the way you want it to. As a manager in a restaurant, you are responsible for the waitstaff, the cooks, the bartenders, the front of the house staff, the inventory, and ultimately, the customer experience. There is no way one person can assure that all those components come together unless he or she knows how to lead a team of diverse people—and all their opinions. In some cases, this means delegating authority; in others it means providing the right level of motivation and training.

Be a Good Team Member: The best restaurant managers aren’t the ones who sit in their offices, going over paperwork and organizing inventory. While these tasks can and do need to be done, it’s also important that managers participate on the floor during the busy hours. Ideally, this means staying in the front of the house and making sure each customer walks away happy, but there are times when you might need to jump on the line in the kitchen or bring out time-sensitive dishes. Helping your team means putting away any ideas you might have about working only where you “belong.”

Train and Educate: Just as you can develop your own restaurant management skills by attending a hospitality management program, your employees will be better served if they have the right background and training to do their jobs well. And as manager, it is often your job to do that training. Being an educator and developing core restaurant policies and procedures can go a long way in making you an excellent restaurant manager.

Even if your restaurant has the best food in the city or the kind of word-of-mouth that most chefs only dream of, the quality of service and the overall dining experience remain at the center of all that you do. By developing the right culinary skills, attending an accredited restaurant management program, and putting the focus on customer service, you can become successful in the field and enjoy a long and fruitful hospitality career.

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Earn a Master’s Degree in Restaurant Management

Published
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on February 15, 2011
in Culinary Career
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Master's Degree in Restaurant ManagementOne of the most logical career steps to take following your completion of a Bachelor’s degree in the culinary arts (or any business-related degree) is to move on to a Master’s degree in hospitality and restaurant management. It doesn’t matter whether you’re entering the culinary field for the first time, or if you have years of kitchen experience at your back—a restaurant management program builds on traditional cooking skills and basic business to focus on running a restaurant at the mid- to upper-management level.

Where Can I Find Post-Graduate Restaurant Management Programs?

Most culinary arts schools—the ones that focus on technical training and accelerated coursework—do not go beyond the diploma, Associate, or Bachelor degree level. That’s because they’re equipped to provide the education needed to find an entry-level job in the culinary field, and it’s up to you to build your career from there.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t go higher than that. Many state universities and colleges offer graduate-level programs in restaurant or hospitality management, as do some of the larger culinary institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Every state in the country has at least one school with a higher level restaurant management program, so you should never have to travel too far to find one. If you do live in a smaller city, though, you may have to consider relocating, at least for the duration of your education.

Another option is to consider online degrees in restaurant and hotel management. Unlike many types of educational courses in which hands-on work is required, Master’s-level programs in this field are very much about learning theories, leadership skills, and textbook finance and business strategies—all things you can learn on your own from home. If you already have a culinary degree that taught you the cooking and baking basics, you should be perfectly situated to continue your education through an online course. And if you have more of a business background, you may be able to take just a few culinary courses to supplement your restaurant management degree.

What Will I Learn in a Restaurant Management Program?

If food is your passion, you may be a bit surprised to discover that restaurant management is really all about the business side of things. Although you may take a few classes in nutrition and food science, you can expect the bulk of your coursework to focus on:

  • Human Resources
  • Management and Leadership
  • Cost Control
  • Quality Control
  • Finance
  • Marketing

Master’s degrees in hospitality and restaurant management aren’t for everyone, but they do present a great opportunity to advance your career while still staying in touch with the kitchen. Whether you go on to open your own restaurant or oversee a staff of 100 bakers at a catering company, you can build a viable career with a salary in the $40,000 to $80,000 range—and you’ll also develop the right skills to cross over to other areas of business, should you decide to continue on that path.

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A Day in the Life of a Restaurant Manager

Published
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on January 24, 2011
in Culinary Career
. 11 Comments

Restaurant ManagerOne of the best culinary careers for those who enjoy cooking as well as the organization and supervisory skills that come with running a restaurant is that of restaurant manager. Like an Executive Chef or restaurant owner, the restaurant manager is the professional who coordinates employees and food service to ensure that every customer walks away satisfied. However, unlike a chef (whose primary focus is the food) or an owner (who carries all the risks and rewards of ownership), the restaurant manager is a paid employee who gets to work in a fast-paced, exciting field while also enjoying a stable career.

What Does a Restaurant Manager Do?

As a restaurant manager, you are typically the first one in the door in the morning and the last one to leave at the end of the day. Although you might spend part of the day on the line in the kitchen, helping to put out food and ensure that the plating is perfect, you’ll also spend quite a bit of time in the front of the house and in an office, running through paperwork and communications.

In terms of running the kitchen, a restaurant manager is responsible for:

  • Ordering food and supplies
  • Organizing and rotating stock
  • Overseeing food deliveries
  • Helping create a menu
  • Occasionally helping with food preparation or service

As supervisor and the highest authority in the day-to-day running of the restaurant, the restaurant manager is also responsible for anywhere from 2 to 200 employees. This includes:

  • Employee and chef recruitment
  • Hiring and firing staff members
  • Employee scheduling
  • Employee training and motivation
  • Regularly evaluating employees

Restaurant managers also focus on the business side of running a successful restaurant. This is often done in conjunction with the owner to streamline the way the restaurant is run. Tasks include:

  • Marketing some aspects of the business
  • Preparing payroll and taxes
  • Paying suppliers
  • Branding and advertising
  • Expanding the business

Depending on where you work and the relationship between the owner, manager, and Executive Chef, your daily tasks can focus on any of the items listed above. This means you have to not only have culinary training, but a strong background in business, as well. That’s why so many aspiring restaurant managers seek a degree in hospitality management.

Offering everything from two-year Associate degrees and four-year Bachelor degrees all the way up to Master’s degrees in the field, hospitality schools provide training that straddles the line between business and food. Many graduates of these programs go on to work in restaurants and hotels, providing a variety of services and moving up the professional ranks to someday begin managing larger chains or even working in corporate restaurant offices.

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