Careers in foodservice
If you have a passion for food and want a varied working life, foodservice could be the area for you. You could be working within a museum designing menus for guests, preparing lunches in a bank’s staff restaurant, or managing the match-day food and beverages for a football club. You may not have heard of foodservice, but
it takes in everything from fast food to fine dining – it’s just supplied by a third party. So it covers city firms’ dining rooms, staff restaurants, airports, train stations, oil rigs, race courses, museums, hospitals, schools and the Ministry of Defence. They are all served by foodservice companies operating under contract – which is why they are also called contract caterers. Foodservice companies include multinationals such as Compass, large independents such as BaxterStorey and CH&Co, smaller players such as Bartlett Mitchell, niche caterers such as Rhubarb or Vacherin, and in-house caterers. Each type offers different opportunities. The big
boys provide structured career development, while independents may allow more creative input. Roles include chef, waiter and food and beverage manager, through to operations, marketing and management. Few other sectors of hospitality let you start your career back of house and end up in head office.
Why foodservice?
“Foodservice has many advantages that make it a desirable sector. We offer a great work-life balance because of the operational hours, which are mainly weekday office hours. “We offer the opportunity to work in a wide range of operations. These are
just some of the places #bmfamily team members work: TV and media, law firms, financial institutions and government departments. Team members can develop their professional skills by adapting to the needs of this diverse portfolio, as well as gaining experience in some very interesting organisations.” Wendy Bartlett, executive chairman, Bartlett Mitchell
“A background in catering can lead to so many different career opportunities; from roles that require different craft skills to leadership and management positions. Many of the skills learned in the industry are transferable and can be used for a wide variety of careers, from procurement to sales and marketing.” Claire Aylward, joint managing director, Harrison Catering
“Contract catering offers flexibility, excitement and progression. With so many industries using hospitality services, where else can you go from working in retail to fashion, motorsport, universities or even cathedrals. “Late nights or weekends are rare, giving you that important work/life balance –
that’s right, you can work in hospitality and not work Saturday nights!” Maureen Sandbach, people director, BaxterStorey
“Amadeus is a specialist in retail, conference, banqueting and event catering, and we love our industry. “To be able to support seven million visitors per year across NEC Group venues, and
even more across our external venues, is a privilege for us. We invest time in sourcing the finest seasonal produce to make sure we wow people with our food and passion. “Our sector and our offering across restaurants is always evolving, but providing the same excellent service for our visitors is what motivates us. We want to lead the way in new culinary trends and delivering an outstanding food and service experience at every event.” Kerri Astley, human resources business partner, Amadeus
International opportunities
In hospitality, you’ll never be short of work, wherever you are in the world. Besides the favourite destinations of Australia, Dubai and Europe, hospitality skills
are in demand in some of the furthest-flung corners of the globe – China, Russia and the former Soviet republics to name a few. And there is always those most glamorous of tourism and business traveller hotspots, the Caribbean and the Far East. It’s worth noting that while opportunities are growing, competition is sharpening, so
don’t expect to land a plum job on an idyllic island without getting some experience first. But English speakers tend to be in demand. So take your pick from sun, sand, snow or the city.
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