For many people, owning their own restaurant is a longtime dream. One appeal of such an ambition is the opportunity to merge creativity with business skills. Programs in culinary arts management and restaurant management provide the education needed to satisfy this passion, combining your culinary knowledge and experience with formal training in business towards a satisfying a career. A working knowledge of culinary arts and wine is often part of degree and diploma programs in culinary arts management. To help you learn how to run a culinary arts establishment smoothly and profitably, culinary business topics include knowledge of food safety and sanitation practices, operational management, human resources, marketing, sales, business administration, finance, and tips for providing special event catering and banquet services.
One- and two-year programs in culinary arts management are offered at the diploma, associate degree, and bachelor degree level, primarily by specialized career education schools, voc/tech schools, and community colleges. Executive chefs and head cooks in fine restaurants have years of culinary arts training, but if you are more interested in the management side of culinary arts, there are programs that focus on running such establishments as clubs, casinos, and resorts. The American Culinary Federation offers culinary arts management programs to experienced chefs without a college degree. When researching culinary arts management schools, look for those who are accredited by the American Culinary Federation.
Culinary Arts Management Related Careers
Even during a recession, culinary arts is a big business. Combined with tourism, culinary arts management is a more sophisticated business enterprise than it may appear. Culinary arts management includes such careers as restaurant manager, maitre’d, head chef, or catering manager, but may also include specialized jobs such as wine cellar manager and buyer, or culinary tourism director.
What’s the Job Outlook?
The National Restaurant Association anticipates that restaurant industry will add 1.8 million jobs over the next decade, with employment reaching 14.8 million by 2019. Purdue University’s 2006 National Survey of Postsecondary American Culinary Career Programs found that the restaurant industry is hiring more than 90 percent of all culinary school graduates.
How much does it pay?
The Purdue Survey also reported a culinary career starting salary range of $15,000 to $35,000, averaging almost $24,000 a year. Head chefs and other culinary arts management employees can earn substantially more, $45,000 and up.
