Food service is a broad term that encompasses a variety of positions within the restaurant industry, hospitality business, or the restaurant business. More than 14 million people work in the food service industry, and many jobs are easy to access. Americans enjoy going out to eat with family and friends, which is why the food service industry is growing. There are a variety of positions available, such as kitchen staff, waiters, front desk attendants, and back room careers.
Waiters and waitresses take customer orders, pass them on to cooks and chefs, and take out food when it's ready. Cafeteria workers may be employed in schools, prisons, hospitals, or office buildings to prepare and serve large quantities of food. Restaurant attendants often set tables, help waiters serve food, and clean up after customers have left. Most waiters, coffee shop workers, and attendants don't need extensive education or experience to find work.
However, those with proven skills can earn lucrative food service careers in private businesses and upscale restaurants. In some states (California, Illinois, Arizona, West Virginia, Texas, and New Mexico) it is law for food handlers to receive training. Food service workers may also be responsible for customer service tasks such as accepting orders and completing transactions for customers. They use their leadership skills to ensure kitchen staff comply with food safety laws, attention to detail to ensure that all meals meet restaurant quality standards, and creative thinking skills to create unique dishes and solve problems in the kitchen as they arise.
The public relies on the knowledge and skills of food service workers to provide them with safe and tasty food. Cooks and food preparation workers combine ingredients according to recipes, cook food using various methods, and organize meals into plates. Food service workers include waiters (the term waiter refers to both male and female waiters) of many different types, as well as counter attendants, dining attendants, hosts, fast food workers, kitchen assistants, and others. Managers can be responsible for ordering ingredients in bulk and maintaining food processing and cooking equipment. These workers receive customer orders, serve food and beverages, write customer checks, and sometimes accept payments.
Estimate food and beverage costs and order or purchase supplies, equipment, and food and beverages. Banquet servers may be employed in banquet halls or reception rooms in hotels or resorts. Companies that offer on-site catering services may also employ banquet servers. There are many different career paths within the main categories of the foodservice industry mentioned in the article. If you need a job right away, it is a good option because there is usually demand for unskilled workers in the industry.
