1. On the Job Food Service Careers

3. Service Opportunities
Host/Hostess
Server
Cashier
Busser
There are many job and career opportunities in the food service industry. A food service establishment is divided into front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house. The front-of-the-house service opportunities include: host/hostess, cashier, server and busser. Some establishments may have a Maitre’d, sommelier (wine expert), head server.

4. Production Opportunities
Chef
Sous Chef
Pastry Chef
Line Cook
Prep Cook
Station Cook
Garde Manger prepares cold items
The back-of-the-house provides production opportunities. Many of the opportunities deal with the preparation of food. Chefs typically have more training – either learning as they advance in food service, or through education. In a larger kitchen, there may be many chefs. A sous chef is an assistant to the executive chef. A pastry Chef prepares breads, pastries, and desserts. Many people begin their cooking career in the back of the house by being a cook – line cook, prep cook, station cook. Some food service kitchens have cold stations. Those stations prepare cold food such as: salads, fruits & vegetable trays, cold hors d’oeuvres, and perhaps fruits and vegetable carvings – which the Garde Manger specializes.

5. Management Opportunities
Executive Chef
Research Chef
Culinary Scientist
Food Service Director
Catering Director
Kitchen Manager
Dining Room Supervisor
Restaurant Manager
Management opportunities are varied in the food service industry. They include managing a whole restaurant to a particular portion of an establishment. An executive chef may be in charge of the kitchen, but may be in charge of a whole establishment. A food service director oversees banquet facilities. A research chef works with food scientists to help develop new food products, while culinary scientists turn recipes into pre-packaged foods.
A catering director reports to the food service director or the GM (general manager). In a chain restaurant, a kitchen manager may take place of the executive chef. The dining room supervisor coordinates servers, host/hostess, bussers, and assign their responsibilities. A restaurant manager is responsible for all aspects of the restaurant. If there is a general manager, the restaurant manager reports to them.

6. Food Service Related Opportunities
Food Researchers
Food Writers
Food Processors
Food Stylist
Food Marketers
Menu Developers
Recipe Developers
There are many careers that are food service related. People in these careers may have never worked in a restaurant, but their interests lay within the food service industry.

7. References/Resources
Textbooks:
Johnson & Wales University, . Culinary Essentials. New York, New York: Glencoe, McGraw-Hill, Print. Chapter 1, pg
National Restaurant Association, . Foundations of Restaurant Management & Culinary Arts. Level One. Boston: Prentice Hall, Print. Chapter 12, Pgs. 790 – 797.
Websites:
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), Edition
For hundreds of different types of jobs—such as teacher, lawyer, and nurse—the Occupational Outlook Handbook tells you:
the training and education needed
earnings
expected job prospects
what workers do on the job
working conditions
In addition, the Handbook gives you job search tips, links to information about the job market in each State, and more.
There are many careers that are food service related. People in these careers may have neverworked in a restaurant, but their interests lay within the food service industry.

8. References/Resources
Websites:
O*NET Online
The O*NET program is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NET database, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation. Information from this database forms the heart of O*NET Online, an interactive application for exploring and searching occupations. The database also provides the basis for our Career Exploration Tools, a set of valuable assessment instruments for workers and students looking to find or change careers.