If you want to work as a kitchen manager, one of the first things you should do is make sure you have the necessary qualifications. You should, for example, be well-organized, a good leader, and enthusiastic about both food and cleanliness. You should also be prepared to take on typical kitchen manager responsibilities, such as keeping the kitchen stocked and clean, ensuring that the food is prepared correctly, and ensuring that the restaurant is profitable. If you believe you possess these abilities, you may want to consider pursuing a culinary education, though many kitchen manager jobs do not require formal education. However, you will almost always need prior experience in a kitchen because you will need to know how to effectively manage employees in this setting.
One of the most important qualities to have as a kitchen manager is leadership, because you will be delegating tasks to your employees on a daily basis, such as food preparation and kitchen cleaning. This also implies that you should be well-organized, enthusiastic about food preparation, and able to pay close attention to detail so that each item on the menu is prepared to perfection. You’ll almost certainly have a lot of say in what goes on the menu. You should also be comfortable conversing with others on a regular basis, as you will most likely speak with customers and call vendors to order inventory for the kitchen, which may require some negotiating. If you become a kitchen manager, you should also expect to play a role in the restaurant’s business operations, as you will be responsible for ensuring that the company makes a profit while staying within its budget.
Applicants with a background in this field have the best chances of becoming a kitchen manager, though it is not always necessary; many restaurants only ask for a high school diploma. Culinary school is often a good idea if you want to further your education in this field; just make sure you want to be a kitchen manager, because this degree may not be useful in other fields. If you want a more comprehensive education, you should consider pursuing a four-year degree at a university, where you can major in a related field or simply take some cooking classes. Even if you don’t end up getting a degree, taking culinary classes at a community college can help you get a job as a kitchen manager.
Many restaurants value kitchen experience as much as formal education, which is why you might be able to get a job as a kitchen manager even if you don’t have a degree. You can often gain experience applying for a position as a cook at a small restaurant that will train you, though you can also start as a busboy, dishwasher, or server and learn to cook watching. Once you’ve established yourself as a good cook, you can often work your way up to managing a few kitchen employees. After a few years of experience in this field, you should consider applying for a position as a kitchen manager because you will know how to manage people and cook.