What is a catering manager?
Catering managers lead teams of chefs and catering assistants. A catering manager works for a restaurant, bakery or similar establishment. They perform the planning and management of catered events. They are responsible for meeting customer expectations and ensuring food and hygiene standards are met.
How to become a catering manager?
To become a catering manager, you could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree. Useful subjects include business and hospitality management, culinary arts or culinary management, and hotel and catering management.
You could also take professional catering qualifications at college then move into management. You could also do a Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality Management and find work as a trainee catering manager.
Catering manager duties
Catering manager duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Recruit and train permanent and casual staff
- Organise, lead and motivate the catering team
- Plan staff shifts and rotas
- Ensure health and safety regulations are strictly observed
- Keep to budgets and maintain financial and administrative records
- Gather customer requirements
- Plan food and beverage menus considering clients’ preferences and special requests
- Determine requirements in ingredients and set portions
- Arrange food tastings with potential customers
Catering manager skills
To be an effective catering manager, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills
- Customer service attitude
- Ability to remain calm and make quick decisions under stressful circumstances
- Exceptional ability to deliver catering services within budget and on time
- Advanced knowledge of best practices in catering management
- Ability to coordinate catering requirements with customers, chefs, and suppliers
- Good business and commercial acumen
- Strong leadership and motivating skills including the ability to build strong relationships with customers and staff
How to find a catering manager job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the catering manager jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for catering manager jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Catering Manager Job Titles
When you search for catering manager jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for catering manager jobs include;
- Food service manager
- Restaurant manager
What does a catering manager do?
The job of a catering manager varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of catering manager job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a catering manager include;
- Plan and develop menus to increase sales
- Recruit and train staff
- Organise shifts and rotas
- Plan finances, manage budgets and stock control
- Meet suppliers and negotiate contracts
- Monitor the quality of the service to customers
- Run the business in line with health and safety and food hygiene regulations
- Cater for special diets and to meet nutritional needs