A Career in Food Service Industry

Food Service: The Mover Of The Culinary Artsestablishment, the nutritional value and palatability
The Food Service Of The Present Ageof the food and most importantly, the over-all
There are a few restaurants nowadays that cancost of the menu.
really sweep you off your feet from merelyPlanning is not very easy when you think of the
displaying their exquisite style in food serving.randomness of the number of guests or
Years ago, food serving was an art that wascustomers of the establishment. A food service
practiced like a ritual. This is because, for one,manager will have to periodically review the
people were so deeply religious that even theexisting menu of the restaurant and assess the
preparation of the food was a cause ofrecipes based from comments received from
celebration and joy. Two, people used to have allcustomers. Any comment, such as too much salt
the time in the world that even the preparation ofor too sweet a food, is a major concern for a
food was made into a beautiful ritual of blessing.food service manager. He also needs to assign
Of all the people in the known world, theappropriate prices to the menu items. The
Japanese has managed, up to now, to maintainfeedback from the guests is not only to be able
rituals that they have observed all throughoutto determine the possible labor and overhead
their life, of which include preparation and servingcosts but also to continuously improve the service
of food and drinks. In fact, they have thisto the customers.
so-called tea ceremony for special events likeHe will also direct and organize training programs
weddings or funerals, with teas served in littlefor his workers, evaluate performance of each
cups. Most of Japanese food preparations andworkers and resolve existing problems between
rituals are meant as an offering to their master,personnel, if there is any. It is important for the
teacher, deity or God. In some other parts of thefood service manager to be able to keep-high the
world, like in Africa, for example, there still existmorale of his workers to make them more
more radical rituals such as dancing or the bangingeffective in their word. In serious situations, he will
of congo drums to exalt their God. The foodhave to investigate and resolve conflicts not only
were said to be a gift from their God and theybetween his staff but also between a customer
are dancing out of joy for the blessing.and staff, or complaints by the customer
Such rituals of food service are colorful memoriesregarding the quality of food, service or
of tradition that is slowly being forgotten.accommodation.
Notwithstanding the lost tradition of food serving,A food service manager also makes sure of the
some people still do understand the importance ofeconomical use of raw food materials and the
proper food serving.timeliness of food preparation by coordinating
The Civilian Food Service Managerassignments of food preparation to different
In the modern age, a hotel or food chain orpersonnel. He is also tasked with the estimation of
restaurant needs food service managers who canfood and beverage consumption in relation to the
direct and organize food attendants to prepareexisting stocks in the pantry.
and serve the food to the customers or guests.The tiring part in the work of a food service
Food service managers are normally found inmanager is monitoring. The monitoring of methods
first-class hotels, restaurants or cafeterias. Thein food preparation, size of portions and food
work of the food service managers, however, ispreparation, although very exhausting, should be
so much streamlined into the process thatdone regularly. Aside from this, he will also have
sometimes a food service manager has otherto monitor the performance of his staff, the
responsibilities in tow. In fact, there are instancesbudget and the payroll records.
when the food service manager is also theThe Military Food Service Manager
restaurant manager, two managerial jobs for aThe military food service manager, on the other
single person.hand, works in a military organization. This is
Over the years, nonetheless, the continuousnecessary because there is a need for
integration of work processes in the food industryorganization when feeding hundreds or thousands
and the automation and improvement of some ofof service members every day. The daily meals
the process lines simplify the work of foodare carefully planned to suit the diet and nutritional
service manager. Today, the food servicerequirements of soldiers.
managers can also be the restaurant manager,Even in a battle, there exists a food service
food service directors or dining room managers.manager that directs the food requirements. This
In some five star hotels, however, there areis very important since there have been records
special areas in food management that needsin military history of battles lost due to famished
keen supervision. In such cases, hotels orsoldiers that have become weak both physically
restaurants hire a food and beverage manager, aand morally.
kitchen manager, a banquet manager and cateringDuties Of A Military Food Service Manager
manager, depending on the needs of the hotel.In comparison, a military food service manager
Duties Of A Civilian Food Managerhas fewer duties than a civilian food service
A civilian food service manager is tasked to hiremanager. He merely manages the cooking and
his own serving and food preparation staffs, mustfood serving preparations in mess halls and directs
write his planning menus and food utilizationthe operation of the officers' dining halls. He also
techniques, and must enforce compliance todetermines the staff and required equipment for
current food, health and fire regulations. Certainthe dining hall, kitchen and meat cutting areas. He
nutrition standards by the government, such asis responsible for setting standards for food
iodine requirement in food, must be enforcedstorage and preparation and estimates food
properly. So, the work of a food service managerbudget. In doing this, the military food service
is to be thorough in planning from beginning tomanager will be able to maintain the nutritional and
end. This planning will revolve around the expectedsanitary standards in food service facilities.
number of guests, the popularity of the