Move Up With Restaurant Training

If you are calm, cool, and collected, with some experience in the restaurant industry, then formal restaurant training could land you a restaurant manager job.

By Brandi Schlossberg
brandi.schlossberg@cookingschoolsearch.com
Cooking School Search Columnist

As the population continues to increase, more and more new restaurants are opening their doors to accommodate the demand for a well-cooked meal. With a little hands-on experience and restaurant training, you could be in a prime position to land a restaurant manager job at an eatery near you.

In the food and beverage industry, most restaurant manager jobs are filled by folks who, at one time or another, worked as waiters, cooks, bartenders, or other food-service staff. Whether or not you have served in any of these positions, restaurant training will ensure you stand out among the candidates competing for a coveted restaurant manager job.

Degree in Restaurant Management

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 1,000 colleges offer four-year restaurant training programs. It is also possible to learn the skills needed for a restaurant manager job with a two-year degree or certification in the field.

Your restaurant training will include courses on topics such as food preparation, nutrition, security, sanitation, personnel management, recordkeeping, inventory and more. Besides a thorough knowledge of each of these topics, personal attributes also play a large role in the hiring of a restaurant manager. You will need to show leadership, motivation, respect, cleanliness and a cool, calm demeanor.

Welcome to the Restaurant Industry

In 2004, there were about 371,000 restaurant manager jobs, most of them salaried. These are the folks who make sure the food is served properly; the customers are happy; the work schedule is complete; the staff is well-balanced; the kitchen is stocked; the menu makes sense; the equipment is in top-notch order; and the books are balanced, among other responsibilities.

As you can see, a restaurant manager has a full plate. He or she is often expected to work long hours, opening and closing the eatery, and being there during a weekend or holiday rush. If you have the responsibility and training to handle this wide array of responsibilities, then moving up the ladder in the world of restaurant management is a viable option.

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Brandi Schlossberg holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She writes for a variety of print and online publications.

Posted on April 5, 2007 at 12:20 PM

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