What Is a Catering Manager and How to Become One
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What Does a Catering Manager Do?
As a catering manager, you run the operations and management of a catering business. Your job duties include hiring and supervising staff, handling client interactions and event planning, maintaining the facility, and ensuring the quality of the food and service. Organization, time management, and people skills are essential to your success as a catering manager. You are responsible for scheduling workers, making sure events go as planned, assisting your staff members, and helping manage unexpected issues.
How to Become a Catering Manager
To start your career as a catering manager, you need a high school diploma or GED certificate and experience in food service or hospitality. The more experience, skills, and qualifications you have, the faster you can advance to a catering manager role. You may begin your career as kitchen staff or a server for a catering company, so you gain familiarity with the industry. You can get professional certifications from organizations like ServSafe and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, which offers a Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) certification.
Catering Manager Job Description Sample
With this Catering Manager job description sample, you can get a good idea of what employers are looking for when hiring for this position. Remember, every employer is different and each will have unique qualifications when they hire for a Catering Manager role.
Job Summary
We are searching for a Catering Manager to oversee our catering operations. Your primary duties in this position involve staff management, but you are also ultimately responsible for customer satisfaction. This means you need to be involved in every aspect of the catering process, from booking to food preparation to cleaning. Our ideal applicant has a degree in hospitality or culinary arts and significant experience as a chef or food server, preferably in a supervisory role. Event planning and hygiene compliance experience is also a plus.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Hire and train new employees
- Book events with catering clients
- Work with the chef to plan a menu
- Place orders for supplies and help with food preparation
- Supervise employees during the event
- Help with the cleanup process
Requirements and Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED certificate
- Degree in culinary arts or hospitality
- Restaurant or guest service experience
- Strong leadership and organizational skills
