The hospitality industry is fast-growing, and promotions are critical for people seeking to grow to the management level in hospitality. There are different careers in hospitality which include housekeeping, chefs, and even managers. The various jobs required other forms of training and experience, with the careers becoming more demanding in terms of experience and training as you move up the ladder. This essay looks into the careers progression from a baker to a general manager in terms of skills, training, and salary.
A baker is the entry-level in the kitchen in the culinary sector. Most of the bakers start as trainees in the first few months before advancing and working on their own. Bakers have a varied role that deals with pastries, bread, and baked goods (Hcareers, 2008). Bakers have to have undergone some form of training such as a diploma or a certificate. A baker is required to be a person that can work very early in the morning. Baking a baker offers a wide range of settings from which a person can operate, ranging from small-scale hotels to corporate-owned Industrial corporations. Although the role of baker varies from job to job, all the settings require the bakers to work in a tight schedule that determines the number of each item produced at the end of the day. Some of the skills necessary for a person to qualify to be a baker include maintaining high levels of hygiene, creativity, and paying attention to timing. Bakers should also have proper knowledge of how to mix ingredients and work under pressure. A baker earns an hourly wage of between 8 dollars to 15 dollars, but some bakers have a salary depending on their experience, educational l background, and expertise.
Bakers can graduate to pastry chefs after undergoing some training. A pastry chef can work in a variety of settings ranging from hotels to government institutions. Training in pastry works requires prior work experience or a trained person with an experienced chef (Cooking school, 2018). Pastry chefs who lack proper skills have difficulties in operating the kitchen equipment. Course work in pastry arts deals with the measurements, ingredients, and presentation. A pastry chef is required to have a degree or higher-level degree. Some programs may also incorporate some management skills in the coursework. Pastry chefs' skills include styling various desserts, paying attention to details, and creating icings and fillings from scratch. Pastry chefs have to multitask and have to train other employees. Careers in the pastry arts have increased chances for promotion and other benefits such as paid vacation and sick leave.
A pastry chef who has gained enough training and experience can be promoted to a sous chef. A sous chef is charged with the responsibility of delegating duties to the other staff. A sous chef must have familiarity with all the kitchen operations and may fill in the position of the head chef over time (Hcareers, 2008). Some of the duties of a sous chef include supervision, maintaining discipline among kitchen staff, and giving instructions on how food will be prepared. Sous chefs use the experience from various settings where they worked as chefs to mentor the junior team. A sous chef is one of the highest paying jobs in the hospitality industry, with a minimum salary of 30,000 dollars and other benefits.
The executive or head chef has a crucial managerial role. The head chef is the leader and the decision-maker. They are responsible for creating menus and training and motivating their staff to prepare dishes appropriately. Formal training is required for the head chef to handle various personnel management and budgeting (Lowry, 2018). The head chef is answerable to the general manager. Head chefs are required to have problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and good communication skills. The preferable education level for a head chef is an advanced degree and seven to eight years of experience as a chef. A natural progression is used in the promotion of a sous chef into a head chef. The minimum salary of a head chef is 41,500 dollars.
A kitchen manager heads all the kitchen staff working in that company and the activities they engage in. A kitchen manager must have proven work experience as a head chef and have a broad knowledge of a wide range of recipes (Workable University, 2018). Kitchen managers should have proper organizational skills, solve conflicts, and maintain high levels of hygiene.
A kitchen manager can advance to the position of general manager. A general manager starts from the bottom and works their way up. To end up as a general manager, they have to specialize as they move up the ladder and network with other managers and hotel owners by attending various events (Julie, 2018). General restaurant managers should have good managerial and organizational skills. A general manager is the highest paying job that attracts multiple benefits and allowances.
In conclusion, the hospitality industry is broad and ever-evolving, with new recipes and menus emerging every time. The best part of the industry is the increase in demand for the promotion of chefs who have the chance to grow and become general managers. Careers in the hospitality industry are promising and have attractive compensation packages as well.
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References
Cooking school. (2018). Instructions on How to Become a Pastry Chef. Retrieved from https://www.cookingschool.org/pastry-chef/#context/api/listings/prefilter
Hcareers.com. (2008, October 17). Sous Chef Job Description. Retrieved from https://www.hcareers.com/article/career-advice/sous-chef-job-description
Julie. (2018, February 08). How to Become a Restaurant Manager in the UK. Retrieved from https://sonicjobs.co.uk/how-become-restaurant-manager/
Lowry, B. (2018). How to Become an Executive Chef. Retrieved from https://www.culinaryschools.org/chef-types/executive-chefs/#context/api/listings/prefilter
Workable University. (2018, January 26). Kitchen Manager Job description template | Workable. Retrieved from https://resources.workable.com/kitchen-manager-job-description
