Careers in the tourism and hospitality industry: Restaurants & Bars

The hospitality and tourism industry relates to the management, marketing, and operations of restaurants and bars, accommodation, attractions, entertainment and recreation events, and travel-related services.

As discussed in our overview and because it is such a diverse industry with so many job options to pursue, we will break it up into a few articles over the next few weeks. In the following article we will discuss the various career options in Restaurants & Bars.

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

Jobs in Restaurants & Bars

People need to eat and drink and therefore this is one of the most important sectors in hospitality. Ranging from waiters to kitchen staff and all other functions with regards to food and beverage, there are a wide range of jobs available.

Some of the most common restaurant & bar jobs include:

Waiting staff

Waiting staff also known as waiters, work in establishments that provide meals. Their responsibilities are to welcome guests, take orders and deliver an exceptional customer experience. They are also responsible for processing payments.

Responsibilities:

• Welcoming patrons and ushering them to their table.
• Ensuring tables are clean and prepared.
• Familiarizing themselves with the food and beverage menu.
• Keeping up to date with all specials.
• Presenting patrons with menu’s, informing them of any specials, and taking orders.
• Checking the quality of meals before serving them.
• Delivering meals and drinks in a timely manner.
• Ensuring an exceptional customer experience.
• Preparing the bill and processing payments.
• Managing any customer inquiries or concerns.
• Adhering to food health and safety standards.

To be successful in this role you would need to be able to work on your feet. You would also need to have strong interpersonal, communication and listening skills. An ability to maintain a friendly disposition and be calm under pressure is a must have when dealing with difficult customers. The benefit of these roles are you can earn tips on top of your salary. The downfalls are the working hours which may fall over weekends and holidays.

Barista

A barista makes and serves beverages, like coffee and tea. They also serve light meals such as sandwiches, croissants or muffins. Besides welcoming customers and informing them of the menu, they are also responsible for:

• Informing customers of any specials.
• Taking orders and preparing beverages.
• Grinding and blending coffee beans.
• Promoting any additional products for sale.
• Educating customers about brewing methods.
• Keeping equipment and work area clean and presentable.
• Sanitising equipment and utensils.
• Keep up to date with brewing methods and presentation techniques.
• Adhering to all food safety regulations and quality controls.

To be successful in this role you will need endurance to work on your feet for extended periods of time. A willingness to continue learning and improving food and beverage preparation. As a barista you will need excellent customer service and communication skills. This job may not be for everyone though as you may need to work peak hours, including nights, early mornings, weekends, and holidays. The upside is you get to meet new people and earn gratuity’s.

“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” ― Douglas Adams.

Bartender

Bartender’s also known as barmen or bar ladies, work in establishments that provide alcoholic beverages. Their responsibilities are to welcome customers, reading and listening to people to determine beverage preferences, making recommendations, and taking drink orders. The duties and responsibilities of a bartender also include the following:

• Serving beverages to customers.
• Informing patrons about any specials.
• Mixing ingredients.
• Preparing cocktails, decorating glasses and serving them to customers.
• Ensuring that customers are the legal age to consume alcohol.
• Regular stock taking to ensure the bar is well-stocked.
• Assisting management in planning drink menus.
• Adhering to all food safety and quality regulations.
• Developing new cocktail recipes.
• Handling cash, credit, and debit card transactions.
• Maintaining a clean work area.

Bartender Requirements:

• High school diploma.
• Additional education, training, certificates, or experience may be required.
• Meets state minimum age to serve alcohol.
• Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Positive, engaging personality, and professional appearance.
• Basic math and computer skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong task and time management abilities.
• Eye for detail and understanding of drink mixing tools and techniques.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, etc for extended periods, and lift up to 25 lbs.

Food runners

Food runners, also known as bussers are responsible for cleaning and clearing tables. As a busser, you will support the restaurant team and also ensure that restaurant supplies and equipment are clean and maintained. You may also need to assist patrons with any concerns or inquiries. These are entry level positions and you do not normally need any formal qualifications to get a job. It is a great opportunity to kick start your career in hospitality and work your way up. Additional duties will include:

Food runner duties:

• Greeting customers in a friendly and polite manner.
• Assist waiting staff set up tables.
• Ensure tables are clean and setup with correct tableware.
• Serving food when required.
• General cleaning.
• Ensuring that the menus, crockery, and cutlery are cleaned and replenished between tables.
• Managing the inventory and notifying management of any shortages.
• Reporting any customer complaints or suggestions to management.
• Rearranging tables to accommodate customers.

Busser Requirements:

• You must have a passion for customer service.
• A genuine interest in the restaurant industry.
• Phenomenal customer service skills.
• Friendly and polite.
• A keen eye for detail.
• Exceptional verbal communication skills.
• Physically fit and able to stand for extended periods of time.
• A willingness to work long hours which may fall over weekends and public holidays.

Chef

Chefs are trained professionals in the preparation of food. Their main responsibility is to create delectable meals for customers.  There are also different types of chefs, namely:

1. Executive Chef – Primarily a management role and are often responsible for the operation of multiple outlets.
2. Head Chef – Manages the entire kitchen and staff and controls kitchen costs and creates menus.
3. Sous Chef – Is second in command under the head chef.
4. Chef de Partie – Responsible for running a specific section of the kitchen.
5. Commis Chef – Junior member of staff that works under a chef de partie.

We have discussed the the various chef jobs in another article which can be found at this link. For the purposes of this article we will discuss the chef responsibilities and requirements in general.

Chef Responsibilities (general) include:

• Ensure that meals are of excellent quality.
• Meals are served in a timely manner.
• Planning menu’s.
• Managing budgets.
• Ensuring seasonal ingredients are available.
• Managing kitchen staff.
• Coordinating kitchen staff, and assisting them as required.
• Training and on-boarding of new employees.
• Maintaining a good relationship with suppliers.
• Enforcing food health standards.
• Creating new recipes to keep the menu fresh.
• Creating dishes that keep customers coming back.

Chef Requirements:

• Completion of a 1 or 2 year course at a recognised Culinary School.
• Creative.
• Multitasking ability.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Remarkable customer service.
• Ability to work extended hours on your feet.
• Passion for food.
• A strong sense of food health and safety.

Food & Beverage Manager

A Food and beverage manager’s main responsibility is to plan and control food and beverages for a hospitality establishment. They ensure that stock levels are maintained. The may also be responsible for working with the head chef in designing menus. They are often the middleman between the customer and rest of the restaurant staff. Therefore to be successful, you should have excellent customer service skills. Apart from the above, the Food and Beverage Manager responsibilities also include:

• Forecasting, planning, sourcing, and ordering food and beverage supplies for the kitchen and bars.
• Building positive relationships with suppliers.
• Managing budgets.
• Overseeing daily food and beverage operations.
• Following food and safety regulations.
• Maintaining customer relationships and responding to any queries or concerns.
• Employing, on-boarding and managing training for new food and beverage staff.

To become a Food and Beverage Manager, you will need the following:

• Hospitality management degree or diploma.
• In-depth understanding of the food and beverage industry.
• Ability to stick to budgets and meet financial targets.
• Exceptional leadership skills.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Excellent forecasting and budgeting skills.
• Extraordinary customer service skills.
• Computer literate with a good understanding of inventory management systems.
• Great people skills.

Catering Assistant Jobs

Catering assistants are normally employed by catering companies. These roles can either be full or part-time roles. They assist at Corporate events, Weddings or Parties. Catering roles range from cooking, delivering and serving food and beverage at the clients location. Catering staff work alongside management to ensure that clients and guests are provided with an exceptional experience.

The different roles in the catering industry include:

• Food preparation staff.
• Delivery driver roles.
• Waiting staff.
• Bar tending staff.
• Cashier jobs.
• Dietitian.
• Catering manager.
• Banquet Captain.

Catering Assistant Requirements:

Requirements differ and do depend on the role but you should possess these as a minimum:

• Previous experience in the catering industry is preferred but not essential.
• Knowledge of food health and safety regulations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Able to work fro extended hours on your feet.
• You will be required to work long hours which may fall over weekends and public holidays. These could also include late night shifts.
• Working as part of a team.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Strong communicator.

“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” – Don Alden Adams.

Kitchen Assistant Job Vacancies

Kitchen assistants are an integral part of the restaurant team. They are responsible for cleaning, washing, and food preparation duties. They assist the kitchen team to assure that kitchen operations run smoothly.

Kitchen Assistant Responsibilities:

• Cleaning and sanitizing food preparation areas.
• Discarding of waste.
• Washing all kitchen appliances, dishes, utensils and cutting boards.
• Mopping kitchen floors.
• Storing rubbish bins in designated areas.
• Food preparation duties, which include peeling, cutting, and slicing fruit, vegetables, poultry, and meat.
• General cleaning and maintenance of the kitchen areas.
• Unloading and storing of supplies.
• Transferring meal ingredients from storage areas.
• Following any other instructions from the head chef.

Kitchen Assistant Requirements:

• No formal qualifications are necessary.
• Previous experience is preferred but not essential.
• Able to follow instructions.
• Knowledge of food health and safety regulations.
• Ability to work on your feet for extended periods of time.
• Must be a team player.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication and people skills.
• Good customer service skills.
• The ability to work varied shifts which may include nights, weekends and public holidays.

“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better. – Jeff Bezos”

Host/Hostess/Maître d’

A hostess or host welcome patrons to the establishment. They are often the first point of contact for customers and show them to their table. They may also manage the phone and take reservations.

Responsibilities and duties of the Host/Hostess/Maître d’:

• Welcoming patrons on arrival.
• Handling phone calls and taking reservations.
• Creating a waiting list if necessary.
• Handing menus to guests and answering any questions.
• Assigning a waiter to the guest’s table.
• Communicating with guests to ensure that they are satisfied with the food and service.
• Responding to any customer issues or complaints.
• Assisting with any other duties as required for the smooth running of the restaurant as needed.
• Providing a great customer experience.

Hostess Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Ability to provide noteworthy customer service in a fast-paced environment.
• Positive and friendly attitude.
• Unique telephone manner and communication skills.
• Able to walk, stand and move around for long periods of time.
• Willing to work shifts which may fall over public holidays and weekends.
• Good numerical skills and and can operate a point of sale system.
• Previous customer service experience in hospitality is preferred.
• A diploma or degree are also helpful in getting the job.

The great thing about the restaurant and bar sector is that it offers many entry-level job opportunities. This can help you get a foot in the door and you can work your way up to higher-level jobs.

Now that you understand the different jobs in restaurants and bars, you can decide which role best matches your skills and interests. When it comes to hospitality jobs, there are plenty of amazing opportunities available. Have a look through all of our online restaurant and bar jobs to find your new job.

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