The catering industry in great britain is a thriving one, with annual turnover of about £4 million. Furthermore, with its ever-growing success rates, it’s a popular profession choice for both young and old. Anybody from any background can succeed in obtaining a catering job - all that is necessary is an enthusiastic approach along with an intense passion for food.

Training and qualifications

There’s no fast track to becoming a fully-fledged chef. It takes a great deal of determination, ability, and a lot of experience. 

Catering job apprenticeship: If you’re still at school, and know for sure that you would like to get a catering job, it’s wise to make an application for an apprenticeship at the age of sixteen, or when you’ve done your GCSEs. This is how the majority of chefs have started - as food preparation workers. Jobs involved will of course call for less ability and minimal responsibility, yet as you progress you’ll be given more responsibilities as well as higher-skilled duties to undertake. A catering job apprenticeship can be quite hard to come by, however there are numerous school programmes available for young people, offering internships and also workshops so that you can eventually get the catering job you’re after.

National Vocational Qualification: Three years after you’ve commenced an apprenticeship, you’ll be eligible for a National Vocational Qualification. A diploma in Business Mathematics or Business Administration can also help to secure a higher placed catering job. 

Culinary Arts School: Another (and better) way in which you’ll be able to secure a good catering job is by registering at a Culinary Arts school. The length of courses at these schools range anywhere from a few months to as long as four years or more, depending on the course you take up. This type of formal training will give you greater chances of getting the catering job you would like as opposed to no prior formal training.

Food Hygiene Certificate: If you know that you’ll be in direct contact with food in your catering job, you’ll have to obtain a food hygiene certificate. This shows your employer you have learned about and also grasped the basics of food hygiene in the kitchen area.

Other courses: If you wish to be a manager of a food establishment or pursue a more corporate-related catering job, there are also other courses you can take to achieve your goal. These are usually courses in establishment supervision and management, offered by private universities as well as vocational schools.

Different kinds of catering jobs

There are many different catering jobs out there for any skill level. Each position has its own duties or specialisations - so with hard work and dedication it’s easy to work your way towards the specific catering job that you would like.

Kitchen Aide: This is an entry level catering job, typically for those who have entered into an apprenticeship. In this catering job you’ll perform repetitious jobs which include preparing ingredients, chopping meats and vegetables, blending soups or mixing sauces. Additionally, you will assist the chefs in handling pots, pans and cutlery. In this catering job you will also give assistance with the washing up of the utensils, and cleaning the cooking area after use. 

Commis Chef: This catering job is a step up from Kitchen Aide. In this position, you’ll undergo direct apprenticeship of the kitchen’s Chef De Partie. Underneath his/her direct supervision you will learn the basic necessities of food preparation. 

Chef De Partie: This catering job lets you pull together the operations of the kitchen. Your task is to make sure that the prepared food goes out to the customers in the restaurant area right away. This catering job additionally allows you to supervise the operations of the commis chef under his/her guidance.

Sous Chef: The head chef of an establishment will usually turn over his/her duties to a sous chef. And so, in essence, this catering job means that you’ll be a second-in-command. You will undertake all the duties of the head chef in his/her absence.

Head Chef: All of the kitchen staff will operate under command of the head chef. In this catering job, you will choose specific menu courses and also handle the economic side of the business. This catering job demands much more responsibility compared to other positions. It can take up to fifteen years of experience to become a head chef.

Executive Chef: If an establishment, such as a hotel, has more than one restaurant it’ll normally employ the services of an executive chef. This catering job gives you even greater responsibility than a head chef. An executive chef will control everything from the menus to the cuisine speciality of a restaurant.