Food Service Occupations
6 Skill Levels
Types of employment depend on skill levels. In the restaurant industry, employment opportunities can be sorted into three general categories based on training and experience. These job categories are entry level, skilled, and supervisory.
The first category of jobs is entry level. Entry-level employment usually requires no particular skills or experience. At this level, front of house employees will be working as hosts/hostesses or bussers, and back of house employees usually do routine jobs such as washing vegetables, preparing hamburgers or chicken orders in fast-food outlets, or even washing pots and pans. In the past, many chefs started working in the industry at this level. Even today, workers who have just completed professional cooking courses often find themselves in situations that do not require the training they have received and start in entry-level positions. However, these students probably will move on to more challenging industry jobs and advance quicker than their untrained co-workers.
The second category of jobs can be described as skilled and technical. Skilled workers in the hospitality industry are those who have taken professional cook training or apprenticeship programs and, for the front of house, hospitality training or bartending programs. These are the workers who actually carry out the tasks needed for a food service operation to be successful.
The third category of jobs is supervisory in nature. Individuals working in supervisory roles need to be experienced in the industry and can effectively organize and motivate other skilled workers. In addition to front line and skilled technical experience, the supervisor should be able to control costs, schedule production, manage budgets, and work well with other people even in the most pressure-packed situations.
Cooking for others as an occupation, not as a hobby.