Catering manager

Catering managers plan, organise and develop the food and beverage services of organisations and businesses

You'll be responsible for managing all aspects of food and beverage preparation and service and ensuring the smooth running of catering operations. You'll make sure that food is prepared to the highest standards and that customers receive excellent service and enjoy their dining experience.

You'll also recruit and manage staff, plan menus, order stock, work within budgets and financial targets, and ensure that food and hygiene standards are adhered to.

Catering manager jobs in hotels are often advertised under the title of food and beverage manager.

Types of catering manager

Catering managers typically work either:

• in-house for one organisation or
• for a contract catering company that provides services to a range of clients.

In-house catering managers typically work for:

• school, colleges and universities
• hospitals and care homes
• corporate offices - some companies run their own in-house canteens.

Contract catering managers are more likely to work for clients in:

• the hotel, events and sports venue sectors
• industry, particularly factories and manufacturing plants
• the public sector, such as prisons and government buildings
• retail and leisure, including shopping centres, leisure centres and entertainment venues.

There is, however, considerable cross-over between in-house and contract catering, particularly in sectors such as education, hospitality, education and business. For example, a university might use an in-house team for everyday catering but outsource to a contract catering company for large events.

It's also possible to work as a private caterer, usually working on a smaller scale for customers celebrating special events, such as birthdays or anniversaries, either at home or in a hired venue.

Responsibilities

The role varies according to whether you work in-house or for a contract catering company. It also varies depending on the size of the business. In a small establishment, for example, you'll usually have a hands-on role and will be involved in the day-to-day running of the operation. In larger organisations, however, you may have the help of assistant managers and supervisors to handle the different catering functions and outlets.

However, as a catering manager, you'll typically need to:

• organise, lead and motivate the catering team
• plan staff shifts and rotas
• plan menus taking into account special diets and allergies, cultural and nutritional requirements
• monitor the quality of the product and service provided
• ensure food hygiene and health and safety regulations are met
• manage budgets and establish financial targets and forecasts
• keep financial and administrative records
• manage the payroll and monitor spending levels
• maintain stock levels and order new supplies as required
• interact with customers if involved with front-of-house work
• liaise with suppliers and clients
• negotiate and manage contracts with clients, assess their requirements and ensure they're satisfied with the service delivered (in contract catering)
• recruit, train and manage permanent and casual staff
• ensure compliance with all fire, licensing and employment regulations
• maximise sales and meet profit and financial expectations
• develop and implement marketing strategies to attract new clients.

In more senior posts, you're likely to:

• oversee the management of facilities, such as checking event bookings and allocation of resources and staff
• plan new promotions and initiatives, and contribute to business development
• deal with staffing and client issues
• keep abreast of trends and developments in the industry, such as new menu ideas or trends in consumer tastes
• conduct performance reviews and provide feedback to staff.

Salary

• Assistant or trainee catering managers typically earn between £17,000 and £20,000.
• Catering managers with several years of experience can expect to earn between £22,000 and £45,000.
• Heads of catering and operations managers can earn in excess of £50,000. Salaries for operations directors, usually with responsibility for a whole region and several operations managers, can range from £60,000 to over £100,000.

Salaries vary depending on your location, the sector you work in, the type and size of organisation you work for, and your skills and experience.

In addition to your salary, you may receive extra benefits such as a company pension, shares, health insurance, gym membership or a company car (for senior positions). Some organisations offer bonuses.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Catering managers in the hospitality industry often work shifts that include long and irregular hours, such as evenings and weekends. However, in hospitality service operations within business, industry and schools, you're more likely to work standard office hours, plus occasional evenings or weekends for events.

What to expect

• In larger organisations, the work tends to be office based, though time spent in restaurants and kitchens during busy periods is common. In smaller organisations, a more hands-on approach is typically required. You may spend a lot of time on your feet, which can be tiring.
• Job opportunities are available throughout the UK. Catering managers may oversee a single site or have overall responsibility for several sites (that must be visited on a regular basis) with a number of assistant managers working under them.
• The role is demanding with high expectations for delivering consistent, high-quality service. Handling pressure and maintaining standards are key challenges.
• Working in contract catering management can be particularly competitive and you'll need to meet your budget, keep your clients happy and stay ahead of the competition.
• Daytime travel between sites is common if you're managing multiple sites, although overnight stays or international travel are rare unless working in an international role.

Qualifications

You don't need a degree, HND or foundation degree to become a catering manager, as relevant experience, skills and personal qualities are often more important than formal qualifications.

However, having a qualification in a related subject can be advantageous. Relevant degree, HND and foundation degree subjects include:

• business or management studies
• culinary arts or culinary arts management
• food science and technology
• hospitality management
• hotel and hospitality management.

Some companies, for example large contract catering companies and major hotel chains, run graduate training schemes. These schemes usually accept graduates from a range of degree subjects as long as they have a good grade.

It's also possible to start as a catering assistant and then work your way up to a catering manager role. Ideally, aim for an entry-level position that provides broad experience and structured training. Most initial management roles are at supervisory or assistant manager level.

The Confederation of Hospitality and Tourism (CHT) offers a range of hospitality management diploma courses from entry level through to senior level. These courses provide a mix of practical experience and theory.

The Institute of Hospitality (IoH), in collaboration with the CHT, offers the following qualifications:

• CTH (IoH) Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality Management
• CTH (IoH) Level 4 Diploma in Advanced Hospitality Management.

If you already have industry experience, you could consider taking a:

• Level 3 Advanced Hospitality Supervisor Apprenticeship, which can lead to a catering manager role
• Level 4 Hospitality Manager Higher Apprenticeship, ideal if you already have supervisory experience.

Apprenticeships combine paid work with academic study, allowing you to earn while you train.

You'll also need a food hygiene certificate to work in catering as this is a prerequisite for most roles.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• culinary knowledge and menu planning experience
• effective communication and interpersonal skills
• the ability to lead and motivate a team of staff
• excellent customer service skills
• commercial acumen with an appreciation of both customer expectations and commercial demands
• the ability to think on your feet and take the initiative
• flexibility and the ability to solve problems and make decisions in a pressurised environment
• a creative and innovate approach to problem solving
• tact and diplomacy
• attention to detail
• resilience and stamina
• a well-organised approach to work with excellent time management skills and the ability to multitask and prioritise effectively
• event management skills
• knowledge of food safety and compliance regulations
• drive and determination to improve service delivery, overall standards and profitability
• general administrative and IT skills
• numeracy and financial skills to manage a budget and ensure a profit.

A driving licence is often required.

Language skills can be useful if you're working for an international hotel chain, for example.

Work experience

Relevant experience is vital, so look out for part-time or seasonal work in catering outlets such as pubs, hotels, restaurants and fast-food chains. Part-time work can help you develop your practical skills, build your network and show your commitment to working in catering. Examples include:

• barista - serving hot and cold drinks and snacks and developing customer services skills through working front-of-house
• catering assistant - supporting event catering teams with tasks such as food service, setting up and clearing away
• fast food crew member - developing your time management and multitasking skills in a high-pressure setting
• kitchen assistant - learning the basics of food preparation, kitchen hygiene and teamwork in a fast-paced environment
• waiting staff (servers) and bar staff - developing customer service and communication skills while working front-of-house.

Seasonal opportunities to gain experience include festival catering, wedding catering, particularly over the summer, and festive catering at Christmas markets.

Taking a placement year during your degree is another way of building up relevant experience and making good industry contacts. Alternatively, you could look for a summer placement or internship with a hotel or restaurant or with an event catering company.

Voluntary work can also provide valuable catering experience. For example, you could:

• volunteer to help with catering at your university's open days, campus events and graduation
• volunteer for a charity and help with catering for events such as charity fundraisers and galas
• help with catering for community projects and local sporting events.

Employers are particularly drawn to candidates with strong commercial sense, a drive to deliver excellence, outstanding customer service skills and motivation to contribute ideas and upscale the profits of the organisation.

They will also be looking for experience of people management, so any experience you have in a supervisory or team leader role will put you at an advantage.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

You can either work in-house for an organisation's catering department or for a contract catering company that provides catering services to a range of clients.

Typical employers include:

• the Armed Forces
• businesses and industry, e.g. large factories
• cruise ships
• hospitals and care homes
• hotel chains
• leisure centres
• local and central government
• prisons
• retail outlets
• schools, colleges and higher education institutions
• sporting venues
• tourist attractions and organisations, such as the National Trust.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Caterer.com
• Food Service Circle
• Hospitality Jobs UK
• LocalGov Jobs and local authority websites.
• NHS Jobs

The websites of major hotel groups, restaurant chains and contract catering companies will also advertise vacancies.

Vacancies are also advertised on LinkedIn.

Professional development

Some employers provide in-house training, support for NVQs and other professional qualifications such as the Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality, tailored professional development plans and even job swaps. If you don't already have a qualification in food safety, you may have to take a Level 2 Food Safety qualification or above, as well as qualifications in health and safety.

If you're on a graduate training scheme you'll usually gain experience across key areas such as financial management, sales and marketing, human resource management and operations before specialising in your chosen area. During this time, you'll learn from experienced colleagues and managers and may also take professional qualifications.

It's important to keep your skills and knowledge up to date throughout your career. This can include attending courses and conferences, carrying out research and reading the trade press to find out about the latest industry trends.

Membership of organisations such as the Institute of Hospitality (IoH) is important and provides opportunities for networking, professional learning and development, and mentoring and career guidance.

Managers looking to progress further into high-level management roles may take a postgraduate qualification, such as an MBA.

Career prospects

During the early stages of your career, you'll probably work in a number of different catering roles in order to gain a range of experience, perhaps doing a mixture of contract catering and in-house work.

You'll normally start your management career by working in a supervisory role, then move up to become assistant catering manager before progressing to the position of catering manager. Promotion prospects are good for those with ability, strong interpersonal skills, commercial awareness and a high level of motivation.

From the role of catering manager, it may be possible to progress to head of catering or operations management roles. There are limited opportunities to move on to catering director roles, where you may have responsibility for a whole region and team of operations managers. In hotel chains, there are opportunities to progress from food and beverage manager to director with strategic responsibility for the delivery of all food and beverage operations at the hotel.

Choosing to work for a well-established company can lead to a broader range of opportunities and greater support for training and development. Some of the larger hotels and catering organisations also operate overseas, so there are opportunities for foreign placements.

Once you have substantial experience, you may choose to set up your own contract catering business, supplying food to different organisations and businesses. Alternatively, you may wish to move into other areas of management, such as marketing, sales, human resources, training and facilities.