Some possible jobs within this career area are:
Your career goal will determine the type of certification you need. In fields related to the culinary arts, you could earn a:
- Certificate
- Associate’s Degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- PhD
Many careers in the culinary arts stem from entrepreneurship. In short, a lot of people who are successful in these careers start their own business. If you want to own a restaurant or be a chef, you’ll need to be a self-starter who can devote the time to grow a business. Beyond self-owned businesses, the culinary arts are related to luxury, or dispensable income items. People tend to eat in restaurants more when they have more money on hand, which means restaurant and food careers are more plentiful when the economy is good. The same is true for hospitality management and catering careers.
The time it takes to complete your degree or course of study depends on your career goal. You could get your Associate’s Degree and become a certified chef in two years, or you could continue school and get a four-year degree in business.
How to Become a Restaurant Manager
Those who choose a restaurant management career need to be able to multitask: managers are responsible for every aspect of the daily operations of the business. Managers oversee coordinating each department, ordering food, tracking inventory, hiring, scheduling, and firing employees, and all administrative functions of the business such as bookkeeping, balancing cash, and making sure the restaurant is in compliance with all state and federal regulations.
If this sounds like you, you may be wondering what it takes to start a career managing a restaurant. While many companies still hire their managers from within, a greater number tend to employ prospective managers that have a two or four year college degree. Learn what it takes to become a restaurant manager, and what kind of restaurant manager salary you can expect when you land the job.
Many major restaurant corporations recruit their manager trainees from college campuses and prefer to hire students graduating from a two year program in the hospitality field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) two-year degrees in hospitality or food service are available at many community colleges, technical schools, and junior colleges; the curriculum will include classes such as management, accounting, sanitation, food planning and preparation, nutrition, and business law. Because most companies now rely on computers to track many aspects of the restaurant business you will also take classes in computer science. Many college programs offer internships, so you will also receive hands-on training while earning your degree.
Because each business is different, once you become a restaurant manager you will typically enter a training program to learn the ins-and-outs of the company you work for. Management trainees learn the company’s policies, security, and recordkeeping procedures as well as managing personnel, preparing reports, and use of the company computer system. Training may last several months before you are assigned a position as an assistant manager or manager. Advancement is usually offered through relocation to a larger and more profitable establishment within the company.
Restaurant Manger Salaries
Restaurant manager salaries vary widely depending on talent, location and years of experience. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in 2008 the median annual restaurant manager salary was $46,320, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $29,450 and the highest 10 percent making over $76,940. Keep in mind that many in the restaurant management career area also earn bonuses based on the revenue or sales volume of the business they run. (Salary data retrieved 5/24/11)
To get the education you need to become a restaurant manager, find a degree program now!