Catering or restaurant manager Job Information | National Careers Service

Job profiles

Catering or restaurant manager

Hours

Variable
Starting salary

£18,000 + per year

People who do this job are responsible for making sure that customers are satisfied with the quality of food and service they receive. If good food and great service are important to you, this is a management role that could be perfect for you.

To do this job, you will need to have the ability to manage staff. You will need strong customer service skills. You will also need to be able to work with figures.

To apply for a trainee manager job, you will usually need a good standard of general education plus relevant experience.

The work

As a restaurant manager, you could work in hotels, small independent restaurants, eateries that are part of a large chain, and fast food outlets. Your role would be to make sure that the restaurant runs smoothly, overseeing the business side as well as ensuring high standards for customers.

As a catering manager you would work in larger catering operations, such as business or factory canteens, hospitals or schools. You would have less contact with customers than a restaurant manager, and spend more time behind the scenes.

Your duties as a restaurant or catering manager would include:

planning menus
advertising vacancies and recruiting staff
making sure that all staff are fully trained
keeping staff motivated to provide the highest standard of service
organising shifts and rotas
managing stock control and budgets
running the business in line with strict hygiene, health and safety guidelines.

Hours

As a restaurant manager, your working hours would typically include evenings, weekends and public holidays. Shift work and split shifts (working mornings and evenings, with time off in the afternoon) are also common.

As a catering manager, you are more likely to work regular daytime hours.

Overtime may often be required leading up to or on the day of important events.

Income

Starting salaries for assistant restaurant or catering managers can be between £18,000 and £23,000 a year.

With experience, this could rise to between £25,000 and £40,000 a year.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To apply for a trainee manager job, you will usually need a good standard of general education plus relevant experience.

You could work your way up to a management position, for example by starting as a waiter/waitress. With experience and qualifications you could take on more responsibilities and supervise less experienced colleagues. You could then apply for a head of waiting staff or assistant manager post. Qualifications include:

Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Food and Beverage Service
Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Hospitality & Catering (Supervision & Leadership).

Many large restaurants, fast food chains and catering companies run management trainee schemes that can lead to management roles. You would usually need a qualification such as a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND or degree, or relevant experience, in order to be accepted on a scheme.

Apprenticeships

Training and development

As a manager or trainee manager, you will usually receive on-the-job training. You could support this by working towards a qualification such as the Level 4 Diploma in Advanced Hospitality and Tourism Management.

If you are a graduate with a degree that is not related to hospitality, you could take a one-year BA (Hons) conversion degree course in Service Sector Management. If your degree is in a relevant subject, you could go on to take a postgraduate diploma or Masters in hospitality management.

For more information on any of these qualifications see the UKSP website.

UKSP

Skills and knowledge

To be a catering or restaurant manager, you will need to have:

a tactful and diplomatic manner
the ability to motivate and manage staff
strong customer service skills
good communication skills
the ability to keep calm under pressure
good teamworking skills
the ability to work accurately with figures and manage a budget
a well organised and methodical approach
the ability to manage the health, hygiene, safety and security of the workplace.

More information

Springboard UK (Opens new window)
http://springboarduk.net

People 1st (Opens new window)
2nd Floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1LH
Tel: 01895 817 000
www.people1st.co.uk

UKSP (Opens new window)
www.uksp.co.uk

Opportunities

Your experience as a manager could lead to a regional management post, and to opportunities in related areas such as hotel management.

Many restaurants in the UK are owner-managed or run by the owner in partnership with a manager. With experience and financial backing, you could set up and run your own restaurant.

As a catering manager, you would find job opportunities in business, industry, education, the NHS and the Armed Forces. With experience you could start up your own contract catering business.

Jobs are advertised in the local and national press, in Jobcentre Plus offices and on websites such as:

UKSP
Caterer
Directgov - (Jobseekers page).

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.

Related industry information

Industry summary

The restaurants industry is represented by People 1st, the Sector Skills Council for hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism. The hospitality, travel and tourism sector incorporates the following industries: contract food service providers, events, gambling, holiday parks, hospitality services, hostels, hotels, membership clubs, pubs, bars and nightclubs, restaurants, self-catering accommodation, tourist services, and visitor attractions. The sector accounts for a workforce of 2.1 million, most of which are based within the restaurants, hospitality services, and pubs, bars and nightclubs industries. The roles within the sector are extremely diverse and include managers, technical staff, front-of-house staff, back-of-house staff, and non-core staff.

The restaurant industry provides food and drink and includes:

Fast food establishments – such as McDonalds, Burger King and KFC, as well as traditional outlets such as fish and chips shops, sushi bars and sandwich bars
Cafes and coffee shops
Mainstream Restaurants – these are high street restaurants which tend to be mid‐price and include many branded and themed chains such as Pizza Express, Garfunkel’s and Ask
Fine Dining – these tend to be more expensive restaurants that offer unique dishes and, sometimes, more experimental cuisine.

Key facts:

There are 614,100 people working in the restaurant industry.
14% of the workforce has an NVQ Level 4 or above qualification.
The majority of the workforce has a NVQ Level 2 qualification (28%).
13% of the workforce has no qualifications.
53% of the workforce is employed full‐time.

[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2009.]

Jobs in the industry range from: kitchen assistants, bar manager, general manager, chef, cleaner, conference and banqueting manager, waiter/waitress, food and beverage manager, kitchen porter, restaurant manager, wine waiter.

National and regional data

East Midlands – There are approximately 45,200 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

45% work full‐time
53% of the workforce is female
70% of the workforce is white
28% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

East of England – There are approximately 47,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

50% work full‐time
53% of the workforce is female
81% of the workforce is white
The majority of the workforce is aged 16‐24 years (44%)
31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

London – There are approximately 92,900 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

64% work full‐time
69% of the workforce is female
39% of the workforce is white
20% of the workforce is 20‐24 years
30% of the workforce has an NVQ level 1 and entry level qualification

North East – There are approximately 25,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

46% work full‐time
55% of the workforce is female
80% of the workforce is white
The majority of the workforce is aged between 16‐24 years (48%)
26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

North West – There are approximately 65,500 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

53% work full‐time
46% of the workforce is female
79% of the workforce is white
The majority of the workforce is aged between 16‐24 years (47%)
28% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

South East – There are approximately 76,500 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

61% work full‐time
45% of the workforce is female
73% of the workforce is white
21% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

South West – There are approximately 53,000 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

47% work full‐time
56% of the workforce is female
93% of the workforce is white
36% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
35% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

West Midlands – There are approximately 48,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

49% work full‐time
42% of the workforce is female
64% of the workforce is white
22% of the workforce is 20‐24 years
31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

Yorkshire and the Humber – There are approximately 51,000 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:

43% work full‐time
52% of the workforce is female
79% of the workforce is white
26% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

Northern Ireland – There are approximately 43,900 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Northern Ireland, of which 20,800 work in the restaurant industry in 2,000 establishments. Details as follows:

55% work full‐time
57% of the workforce is female
88% of the workforce is white
34% of the workforce is 20‐29 years
26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

Scotland – There are approximately 183,500 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Scotland, of which 59,600 work in the restaurant industry in 6,200 establishments. Details as follows:

51% work full‐time
54% of the workforce is female
88% of the workforce is white
24% of the workforce is 24‐29 years
27% of the workforce has an NVQ level 3 qualification

Wales – There are approximately 86,100 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Wales, of which 28,800 work in the restaurant industry in 3,300 establishments. Details as follows:

49% work full‐time
60% of the workforce is female
88% of the workforce is white
22% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
29% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification

[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2009.]

Career paths

Further sources

People1st
UKSP – guide to career pathways, employers and job opportunities in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector
British Hospitality Association

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