How to Become a Catering Manager
A catering manager is the person who manages all of the day-to-day operations of catering services in a restaurant, hotel or resort. The catering manager supervises employees, creates budgets for events, hires and trains workers and may even plan menus. Many people who want to go into catering management start out working in a lower-level position within the restaurant or hotel before they become a catering manager.
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Things You'll Need
- Work experience in a food service field
- Degree in hospitality or restaurant management
- Resume and cover letters
- Excellent communication skills
Instructions
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Start out your food service career by taking a job as a cook, chef or another position for which you are qualified. Become familiar with the day-to-day duties involved in working in a kitchen or catering company before you decide to go into management.
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Apply to an accredited hospitality and restaurant management program. Students in this type of program learn the business side of catering management and benefit from hands-on training in the kitchen and bar area. Most positions for a catering manager require applicants to have at least a bachelor's--if not a master's--degree in the hospitality field.
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Update your resume to reflect your management degree as well as relevant on-the-job training that you received at your previous job. Write a cover letter that tells prospective employers why you want to become a catering manager and why they should hire you.
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Create a sample plan for a catering event for your portfolio. Attend to all of the details, such as budget, workflow and menu. Have copies available to hand out to your interviewers when you apply for catering manager positions.
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Take advantage of your hospitality management program's career center when you are ready to search for internships and jobs. Network with alumni of the program to get leads about available positions.
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Be ready to put in very long hours as a catering manager, especially at the beginning of your career when you are expected to prove yourself as you learn the ins and outs of the job. Find the balance between taking your job seriously and having a sense of humor when things go wrong.
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Tips & Warnings
If a Le Cordon Bleu-accredited program is too expensive to attend or out of your reach academically, look into culinary arts and business programs at your local community or business college. These may be more suited to your level and can help you build a strong foundation in the food service industry. With work experience in a restaurant or catering business, you may be able to work your way up to become a successful catering manager.
