Last Updated By Harleen Kaur on 01 Jan, 2023

How to Become a Food Service Manager

About Food Service Manager

Food Service Manager manages the daily activities and operations of a restaurant. He also ensures that all the customers visiting the restaurant are completely satisfied. Food Service Manager also takes care of the accounting, record-keeping, budgeting and other activities of a restaurant. A good Food Service Manager greets the customers at the entrance and tries to resolve each and every complaint of the customer. He also prepares a report that includes the performance of the restaurant and total expenses. Besides this, he also manages the work of other staff members. 

Responsibilities of a Food Service Manager

Check some of the major responsibilities of a Food Service Manager below.

  • Reviewing and overseeing product quality and enhancing upkeep of food preparation

  • Preparing a schedule of all the activities and passing them to the staff members

  • Analysing the current business trends and making changes to the exiting process to generate sales

  • Monitoring the recycling process and preparing schedules for recycling of waste products

  • Ensuring that all the staff members are following the safety standards

  • Planning budgets for future meals and also preparing the list of all requirements. 

Eligibility to become Food Service Manager

Check the minimum eligibility criteria for a career as a Food Service Manager below

Education Required

  • High school diploma in relevant field

  • Candidates with a bachelor's degree in culinary arts will be preferred

  • Those who are looking for a senior position must have completed a bachelor's degree in culinary arts or hotel management

  • A minimum work experience of 2-3 years in hospitality or restaurant is required

  • Knowledge of food production, planning, coordinating and marketing.

Skills

Some of the skills required for a Food Service Manager are listed below.

  • Organizational skills

  • Customer-service skills

  • Communication skills

  • Business skills

  • Leadership skills

  • Detail-oriented

 

How to Become a Food Service Manager? 

Following steps can be taken to become Food Service Manager:

Step 1: Choose a Stream

Students from a variety of disciplines, including commerce, science, and the arts, can pursue a career in food and service management; thus, no specific subject in the 10th or 12th grades is required to pursue a course in this field.

Step 2: Certificate and Project Courses to Advance Your Career as a Food Service Manager

If you're unsure whether a career as a food service manager is right for you, you can take a few online courses. These programmes can assist you in determining your preferences more quickly. Because there are no prerequisites, you can enroll in these classes even after you have completed the tenth grade. Consider a few of the programmes listed below:

Certificate Courses 

Institute Offering the Course 

Duration 

Food & Beverage Management

Coursera 

1-3 Months 

Quick Service Restaurant Management 

Udemy 

15.5 hours of content (Self-paced) 

Culture of Services: Paradox of Customer Relations

edX

8 Weeks 

Hospitality Management Studies – Food and Beverage Services

Alison 

1.5-3 Hours 


Step 3: Educational Requirements for Becoming a Food Service Manager

What do you need to study after 12th to become a food service manager in India?

A) Undergraduate/Diploma Courses 

There is no one degree that is required to work in food and service management. You can enter the field in a variety of ways. Some alternatives include:

Undergraduate Degree 

Duration 

BA in Culinary Arts 

3 Years 

Bachelor of Hotel Management and Culinary Technology 

4 Years 

BSc in Culinary Arts 

3 Years 

Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts 

3 Years 

BBA in Hotel Management 

3 Years 

There are also diploma courses available to help you gain specialised knowledge in the field. Some of those you might want to look into are:

Diploma Courses 

Institute offering the course 

Duration 

Diploma in Food and beverage 

ICE College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology 

6-12 months 

Diploma in Food and beverage services 

National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology

15 Months 

Diploma in Food and beverage services 

IHM, Lucknow 

1 Year 

Diploma in Food and beverage services 

IHM, Goa 

18 Months 

Diploma in Food and beverage service

SRM Institute of Hotel Management 

18 Months 


Step 4: Training necessary to work as a food service manager

  • Small at First: Start out in low-level positions like host or waiter

The majority of food service managers start out in jobs that are related to the industry, such as those of cooks, waiters, waitresses, or hosts and hostesses. They frequently spend years honing the necessary skills while working under the supervision of an experienced employee before being promoted to manager positions. As a result, when starting your career, you can do so modestly.

  • Take Some Extra Training While Interning

Some internships, particularly those with restaurant chains as well as food service management firms, may provide you with classroom education as well as on-the-job training. Food preparation, hygiene, security, corporate rules, human resource management, and recordkeeping are just a few examples of possible topics.

  • Interact with Other Service Specialists Around the World

The advancement of technology has made it simple to communicate with service professionals. One tool you can use to do that is LinkedIn. Alternatively, blogs or college websites may list their email addresses.

 

Courses to Become a Food Service Manager

The table provided below contains all the courses to become a Food Service Manager. 

Course

Total Fee (Approx)

Top Colleges for Culinary Arts 

BA in Culinary Arts

Rs. 65,000 to Rs. 2.93 lakh

Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology (BHMCT)

Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 3.00 lakh

Bachelor of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts (BCT & CA)

Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 2.60 lakh

BSc in Culinary Arts

Rs. 45,000 to Rs. 2.63 lakh

PGD in Culinary Arts

Rs.60,000 to Rs. 3.00 lakh

Master of Hotel Management

Rs.50,000 to Rs. 4.00 lakh

You can visit the official website of the colleges provided in the table to know more about their admission process. Besides this, if you are interested in admission to any of the programs then you can fill our Common Application Form or you can call on our toll-free number 1800-572-9877. 

Types of Job Roles Food Service Manager

Food Service Managers are required to complete on-job training and certification in hotel management to get a job at some of the top food service management companies and restaurant chains. Their job roles vary according to their experience and skills. They will be working under the supervision of senior management in the initial stages. Those who have completed an internship or training program during the education period will surely benefit while applying for a job as a Food Service Manager. Some major profiles available for a Food Service Manager are provided below.

You can also ask questions regarding the Food Service Manager at Collegedekho QnA zone

Employment Opportunities for Food Service Manager

A Food Service Manager may look for a job at any hotel management company. Besides this, he can also apply for a job at any restaurant, hotel, online food production channels, fast food chains or beach resorts. It must be noted that around 45% of the job opportunities are available in restaurants and other eating places. You can check the percentage of employment opportunities available for a Food Service Manager from the graph provided below. 

Employment Opportunities for Food Service Manager


Top Recruiting Agencies for Food Service Manager

Some of the major recruiting companies for Food Service Manager are listed below.

  • ITC Hotels

  • Taj Group

  • Oberoi Sheraton

  • Vivanta by Taj

  • Amul

  • KFC

  • Nestlé

Planning to choose Food Service Manager as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of Food Service Manager

  • The average salary of a Food Service Manager is INR 5 lakh per annum

  • A fresher in the hotel industry can get up to 3 lakh per annum

Profile

Starting Salary per annum (in INR)

Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)

Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)

Food Service Manager

2,89,000

4,60,000

20,00,000

Books & Study Material to Become Food Service Manager

A Food Service Manager should have a good understanding of food service management and quality standards. There are many books that can help a Food Service Manager to gain some knowledge and skills for food safety as well as service. Some of the recommended books for Food Service Manager are provided below.

  • A Competition Book For Food Safety Officer by Mrs Durvesh Kumari & Dr S.K. Goyal Er. Suresh Chandra

  • Textbook of Food Science & Technology by Avantina Sharma

  • Food Microbiology by William C Frazier), Dennis C Westoff), K N Vanitha

  • The Profit Recipe by Cesar Quintero

  • Restaurant Success By the Numbers by Roger Fields

  • Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

Pros of becoming a Food Service Manager

  • They learn new recipes and dishes daily

  • A career as a Food Service Manager is never boring

  • Food Service Manager get to interact with different kinds of people as a part of their job

  • They can use their creativity to add new items to the menu and then they can prepare the budget according to that

Cons of becoming a Food Service Manager

  • At least 1-2 years of experience is required in the field of hospitality is required for this profile

  • You should have good customer service skills for this profile

  • You will have to take care of the quality of the food served to the customers

  • A career as a Food Service Manager requires a good understanding of the quality standards of food

Do you think this is the right career choice for you?

Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.

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FAQs about Food Service Manager

What is the average Food service manager course fee?

The average course fee ranges from INR 20,000 to INR 4,00,000. Food and Beverage Management Jobs are available in hotels, restaurants, resorts, and other organisations in the hospitality industry.

What is the management of a food service?

This degree puts graduates on the path to manage food service operations, such as those in hospitals, corporate cafeterias, upscale fast food operations, and chain restaurants. It is designed to provide the skills needed to manage a restaurant or food service outlet.
 

What duties does a service manager have?

Interacting with the business team, comprehending SLAs, and managing the service team to support and maintain the infrastructures are the primary responsibilities of the service manager. It is the duty of this professional to provide services that add value for clients.
 

Is work experience required for a career as a Food Service Manager?

Yes, a minimum of 1-2 years experience is required for a career as a Food Service Manager.

Who are the major recruiters of a Food Service Manager?

Some of the major recruiters for a Food Service Manager are ITC Hotels, Taj Group, Oberoi Sheraton, Vivanta by Taj, Amul and KFC.

What is the best thing about a career as a Food Service Manager?

Career as a Food Service Manager allows you to learn new dishes and recipes daily. Besides this, you will be interacting with different kinds of people.

What job profiles are available for a Food Service Manager?

Some other job profiles available for a Food Service Manager are Food Technologist, Chefs and Head Cooks, Lodging Managers, Food Safety Officer and Food Stylist.

What is the average salary of a Food Service Manager?

An experienced Food Service Manager can earn up to INR 7 lakh per annum.

How can I become a Food Service Manager?

In order to become a Food Service Manager, you must have completed a bachelor degree in hotel management or culinary arts. Besides this, some company also requires a work experience of 1-2 years.

What skills are required to be a Food Service Manager?

Some of the important skills required to be a Food Service Manager are organization skills, customer service skills and good communication.

What is the role of Food Service Manager?

Food Service Manager manages all the daily operations and activities of a restaurant. Besides this, he also ensures the staff members are following the safety standards.

What degree do I need to become a Food Service Manager?

You must have completed a bachelor's degree in culinary arts in order to become a Food Service Manager.

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