Food Service Work

In the restaurant business, the first thing that leaves an impression on the customers is the service. Food preparation comes in the second place after the service of a particular restaurant. When we say food service then there are plenty of things that are taken into account for evaluating the restaurant. Restaurant is again a generic term. There are several career options and opportunities available in restaurant business. Food service is the most important factor on the basis of which the critics rate a restaurant or a hotel. It is that industry which covers wide range of profiles and occupations. But in this section we will particularly mention and provide all the relevant information about food service industry and their workers. Food service workers have to take care of different job responsibilities. Their work may vary from one place to another and according to their previous work experience. Some of them are as follows:

• Serves the food or drinks to the customers according to the order that they have placed
• Washes dishes using dishwasher machine when there is nobody else assigned for the same job
• Assists the head chef in cutting and cleaning the vegetables and meat
• Greets the customers and escort them to their table
• Knows all the items mentioned in the menu book and suggests an item from the menu to the customers

A food service worker is also supposed to have some specific skills which will not only help them in their work, but also in getting promotion to higher posts.

Skills:

• Should have a sound knowledge about the food items that are served in the restaurants where they work
• Should have good culinary skills and should be at ease in using all the kitchen equipments
• Should have excellent communication skills as they will have to interact with the customers
• Should be capable of preparing certain items when there is a shortage of staff in the kitchen
• Should be friendly in nature and should never take out their frustration at the work place. the more hospitable they are, the better is the reputation of their work place

Qualification and Training:

Food industry accommodates part time workers at a much higher rate as compared to any other industry. There are no specific educational requirements when it comes to hiring waiters/waitress, attendants, dishwashers, and the kinds. However, in this field the educational criteria may vary widely. For this specific profile of food service worker, a person who has not even finished his/her high school diploma can apply for this job. If somebody wants to go up in the hierarchy then they definitely need to do higher level courses related to the same field. Somebody who is interested in making a career in hospitality sector can start from this level, while pursuing their college course. Once hired, the employees have to go through various on the job training. These training sessions are recommended as this is the source where one can learn about the skills to be used and the details about the job profile of a food service worker.

Salary:

Just like the qualification background, the salary of food service workers also varies widely. It again depends upon your work place and your efficiency at work. It also depends upon your post and number of years of work experience you have had.

For the young people, food service is the kind of a field which steals the limelight from other industries. It is lucrative as well as productive. Somebody who wants to make a career in this industry can earn in six figures. Bartending is one of the most popular profiles of this industry which attracts the youth. Nevertheless, as the demand is high so is the competition. Work keeps the employees on their toes. They have to deal with lot of work pressure and have to put in ample amount of hard work.