How can you choose the best F&B career path?

1 F&B Operations Overview

F&B operations refer to the activities and processes involved in preparing, delivering, and selling food and beverage products and services. F&B operations can be found in different settings, such as restaurants, hotels, catering, events, and retail. F&B operations require a range of skills and knowledge, such as food safety, customer service, inventory management, cost control, and marketing.

2 F&B Career Options

Depending on your level of education, experience, and ambition, there are many F&B career options to consider. For example, chefs require formal culinary training, certification, and experience to create and execute menus, oversee kitchen staff, ensure food quality and safety, and manage food costs and supplies. Servers need good communication, interpersonal, and multitasking skills as well as a valid food handler's permit to take orders, serve food and drinks, and provide customer service. Bartenders require good customer service, math, and memorization skills as well as a valid alcohol server permit to mix and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Lastly, managers need a bachelor's degree in hospitality, business or a related field along with relevant experience and leadership skills to oversee the daily operations of an F&B establishment.

3 F&B Career Factors

When choosing the best F&B career path for you, there are several factors to consider, such as passion, lifestyle, and growth. Your passion should be the primary factor when selecting an F&B career path - if you love cooking, you might consider becoming a chef; if you love interacting with people, you might prefer a role as a server or bartender. Additionally, your lifestyle should be taken into account - if you prefer a regular schedule, then a managerial role may be best; however, if working long and irregular hours doesn't bother you, then a front-line role may be more suitable. Lastly, it's important to think about growth opportunities - if you're looking for more skills and responsibilities, or the chance to explore different F&B segments and markets, then seek out roles that provide these opportunities.

4 F&B Career Resources

If you are looking to pursue a career in food and beverage, there are plenty of resources available online and offline to help you choose the best path. Following F&B blogs and podcasts can provide you with insights, trends, tips, and stories from F&B professionals and experts. Joining F&B associations and networks can offer membership benefits such as training, certification, events, and networking. You can also find F&B mentors and coaches who can offer guidance, advice, and feedback on your career goals and challenges. Examples of these resources include The Food and Beverage Podcast, The Restaurant Coach Podcast, The Foodservice Blog, the International Food and Beverage Association, the National Restaurant Association, the American Culinary Federation, the F&B Mentorship Program, the F&B Coaching Academy, and the F&B Career Center.

5 F&B Career Action Plan

Creating an F&B career action plan is the best way to choose the right career path for you. This plan should include assessing your current F&B skills, researching desired roles and markets, updating your resume and portfolio, applying for jobs or internships, seeking education or certification, building your network, and evaluating your progress. With these tips, you can find the perfect F&B career path that will help you reach your goals.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?