What educational and training programs can prepare you for a food service career?

To succeed in the careers of food service workers, it's a good idea to obtain professional certifications that are popular among food service workers, such as certified food manager (CFM), OSHA safety certificate, or certified food safety professional (CP-FS). Tulare adult schools offer a culinary arts certificate. This program prepares students for a career in food service. The course includes five certified classes on basic cooking principles; health, safety and knife skills; food preparation and presentation; baking and pastry; manger (pantry chef).

Food service programs prepare students to work in hotel restaurants, in restaurant kitchens, in school or hospital cafeterias, or in assisted living facilities. They will gain the ability to clean and organize eating areas, prepare simple foods and beverages, cook or reheat food, and follow food safety and sanitation procedures. To succeed in careers as food service specialists, it's a good idea to earn professional certifications that are popular among food service specialists, such as ServSafe Alcohol, Certified Food Manager (CFM), or Certified Professional: Food Safety (CP-FS). Students who complete this intermediate level food service skills certificate will acquire time management and critical thinking skills to prepare food easily, plan work so that food is prepared and served together, complete food orders for steam tables, and follow appropriate food safety and sanitation procedures.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the food service manager to ensure that the kitchen and dining staff are in sync so that food is served at the right time and in the right way. Some companies, such as hotels, chain restaurants, or food service companies, can hire management interns directly from hospitality management or food service programs at universities; this means that the chances of being discovered increase if you enroll in a university program. Companies that hire managers for these types of programs generally want them to have received some training in food preparation, sanitation, safety, personnel management, and bookkeeping or record keeping. A comprehensive program will provide you with a good foundation in all facets of the foodservice industry, so that you are well prepared to take on roles in an internship or entry-level job that, over time, could lead to a responsible position as a food service manager.

They will adopt a long-term vision that includes multiple local, national and global scales, envisaging different possibilities for the future of food. Earning a degree will also teach you to talk intelligently about the problems and operations of the foodservice industry, so that when a management opportunity presents itself, you're ready to prove your worth. This course examines food security from the perspective of food systems and illustrates the main current global challenges, from the environmental impact of food production to the public health impacts of current and future diets. This course will examine the principles of the ecology of production and the “pillar of availability” of global food security, which lie at the heart of food production.

Food service managers often rise to management positions with just a high school diploma or even a GED, without having earned any college degree. According to some, meat should be cooked well to prevent foodborne diseases, while others warn that food should not be heated to avoid the formation of poisonous substances. Today, company leaders are more willing to consider a candidate for managerial level positions if they have some formal training in food service operations, as well as in human resource management and finance.