A Career in Foodservice
A Job Worth Loving

The economy has been in a recession. The government is cutting taxes and interest rates to help keep unemployment from rising. But one industry continues to be strong and show signs of growth for many years to come — the foodservice industry. As the second largest industry in the country (behind government), the culinary field continues to grow each year as it has over the last several years.

Although many people often think of the culinary arts profession as beginning and ending with a chef in a restaurant, the field encompasses a wide range of diverse jobs as well as diverse peoples. In addition to cooking in a restaurant or hotel, one could be a caterer, a food stylist, food photographer, food scientist, food writer, food critic, food and beverage director, server, grocer, nutritionist, personal chef….the list goes on and on. And fortunately for those people graduating from culinary school today, nearly every food-related company in the country is looking for trained people to work in their operation.

Of course, what kind of experience and education an employer expects of a new employee varies from company to company. Most companies will hire someone to be a prep cook or entry-level employee with little to no experience or training of any sort. The value of an education only becomes apparent after an employee has gotten a couple of years of experience at the bottom. Why? Because someone who has never studied culinary arts will always need to follow others to learn, while someone who has studied the profession can be the leader in a company. Leaders in today's culinary field need to know so much more than just cooking; they must be articulate, mathematically adept, socially skilled, fiscally knowledgeable, and physically fit. In addition, they must be teachers, able to train a wide range of people all working toward a common goal.

The culinary field changes so fast that new trends and technologies are appearing each and every year. Even well-established chefs continue learn and studying in order to remain current on today's trends and technology so they can appeal to the most knowledgeable, sophisticated clientele. A leader in a culinary organization needs to understand management and business strategies as well as modern thoughts on nutrition and genetic modification. Ten years ago, chefs didn't debate whether organic or genetically-modified foods should be on their menus, but they do now. Chefs need to be able to prepare dishes for people with all sorts of allergies or dietary restrictions. As new information and research is published, the way a chef learns to approach nutritional cuisine changes. If a young chef is aware of all of these trends and keeps pace with the technological advances, she is in a better position to hold a high-level position in a company and lead it into the future.

Choosing the right school is a difficult task that should not be taken lightly. Each person will be appropriate for some schools but not for others. No school is perfect for everyone. Before choosing a school, you should visit the campus, speak with some of the current students, and get a feel for the environment around you. If you aren't comfortable with the first school you visit, then keep looking. You'll know the right school when you find it. It will feel comfortable to you, but still excite you. You should not feel overwhelmed, but neither should the school seem too easy. A quality program will challenge you to reach your full potential so you will be prepared to excel in the field when you graduate.

Once you've graduated, your education has still only just begun. Very few people ever become foodservice managers without working at an entry-level position first. Even with an education, everyone starts near the bottom. It is important to know where you are headed and how you plan to get there. Find a place that will continue to challenge you and teach you new things. Plan on working hard. Learn all that you can from those around you. Most people don't realize that a manager will often promote the hardest working, most competent worker. If that person is you, you'll get the promotion.

You'll hear about the heavy lifting, long hours, and stressful workplaces, and those are all common attributes of a foodservice worker's job. What you won't hear are the wonderful reasons why people in this field love to wakeup and go to work each and every day. When you arrive at work, your "office" smells like fresh-baked bread and chicken soup, not copier paper and pencil shavings. Instead of staring at paperwork all day, you see colorful foods that smell and taste fabulous. When you're doing a good job, your customers recall fond memories and associate your cooking with happy moments in their lives. For those people who love to work with food and with others, who always seek knowledge and strive for excellence, the culinary profession is truly one of the best career options in the world.

Provided by Daniel Traster , Dean of Culinary Arts and Dean of Hotel and Event Management at Stratford University in Falls Church, Virginia.