What Does A Food & Beverage Management Career Look Like?
Food and beverage management is a term applied to management careers that involve some aspect of the culinary and hospitality worlds. In fact, it’s easiest to consider it a cross between the two: equal parts hospitality and culinary; professionals in this field oversee everything from restaurants to casinos, and usually with an eye to superior customer service.
Most food and beverage management careers take place in a restaurant setting (an estimated 40 percent), and many are actually the owners of said restaurants. And while it can be a very rewarding career to run a restaurant, your options aren’t limited to just that.
These days, food and beverage management job opportunities can be found anywhere where customer service efforts related to dining and entertainment are a priority.
Other Fields In The Industry To Consider
Depending on where you live, your professional goals, and your education, you may be able to consider careers in any of the following fields:
- Institutional/Governmental Food Service (prisons, hospitals, nursing care facilities, etc.)
- Commercial Food Suppliers (manufacturing plants, bakeries, etc.)
- Educational Services (school cafeterias)
- Amusement Parks
- Casinos/Gaming Services
- Cruise Lines
- Banquet Halls
- Room Service/Food Delivery Services
To work as a food and beverage manager in any of these settings, you’ll need the required experience and education. Most professionals working at the management level have at least a four-year Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, restaurant management, or culinary arts. Master ’s-level degrees are also fairly common, especially if you intend to work at a larger chain or established name in the industry.
So many top employers look for advanced degrees in food and beverage management because there is a combined focus on culinary skills and business/industry savvy. Being a manager takes a lot more than overseeing a large staff or knowing how to prepare large quantities of food; it means being able to manage things like marketing, business administration, and human resources.
Much of the job is performed behind a desk, and it’s not uncommon for huge stacks of paperwork to keep you there during evening and weekend hours. Of course, food and beverage management isn’t all work and no play!
Suppose you enjoy the fast pace of the food service industry and have the leadership skills necessary to lead an entire team of culinary professionals to success. In that case, this is a great opportunity to earn a living doing what you love.
Is A Culinary Career Right For Me?
- What Happened to All the For-Profit Culinary Schools
- The Journey of Celebrity Chefs: From Passion to Fame
- Cooking for Business or Pleasure
- Give the Gift of Cooking Classes
- What It Takes To Become An Executive Chef
- Which Hospitality Management Jobs Pay the Best
- Interview with Top Ten Pastry Chef in America Mary Cech
- 10 Things To Consider Before Getting Into The Culinary Industry