Hotel Restaurant Managers

High School

The food and beverage department is one of the best places to start in the hotel industry since there are so many positions to fill. Many entry-level food service jobs may lead to better-paying and more responsible positions if the worker shows enough drive and potential.

You can prepare for a career in hotel restaurant management by taking a wide range of classes, especially business, English, and communication courses. Family and consumer science and marketing classes would also be helpful. Other useful classes include accounting, mathematics, and foreign languages.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation offers ProStart (https://chooserestaurants.org/prostart), a two-year career-building program for high school students who are interested in careers in culinary arts and food service management. Students gain experience in the field via classes and mentored work experience in foodservice operations. They also have the opportunity to participate in the National ProStart Invitational, a culinary and management competition in which students demonstrate their skills and compete for scholarships. Visit https://chooserestaurants.org/ProStart/Invitational for more information.

Postsecondary Education

Many colleges and universities offer four-year programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in restaurant and hotel management or institutional food service management. Some individuals qualify for management training by earning an associate’s degree or other formal award below the bachelor’s degree level from one of the nearly 1,000 community and junior colleges, technical institutes, or other institutions that offer programs in these fields. Students hired as management trainees by restaurant chains and food service management companies undergo vigorous training programs.

Those interested in working at higher-end restaurants, chains, or opening their own restaurant should earn at least a bachelor’s degree in restaurant management or a related field.

As always, it pays to have the advantage of work experience to back up a solid education. Part-time, seasonal work, and/or an internship in a hotel’s food service department during college will be a definite foot in the door come interview time.

Other Education or Training

The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute offers a variety of online continuing education courses. The National Restaurant Association offers webinars and other continuing education opportunities for members. Contact these organizations for more information.