Here is our run down of some of the key roles available in the restaurant sector. Which one do you like the sound of most?
A restaurant is split into two main sections – front of house and back of house. Front of house is everything you see when you visit, and the back of house is where the creation of the food, and everything that goes into that, happens.
Front of house roles are possibly more diverse, have more opportunities for progression and don’t require any specific qualifications, aside from being friendly and motivated (a friendly and committed waiter who can only carry 2 plates is still a great waiter). For back of house and working in the kitchen, you will need a level of physical ability around the preparation of food. A lot of this can be learnt on the job, of course, but then it does require a level of stamina and physicality (you will need to learn how to prepare food quickly and well. If you can’t do this then you probably won’t succeed in the kitchen).
Front of House Roles
Restaurant Manager
This is the top job of any restaurant. The restaurant manager is ultimately responsible for the success of the business so will oversee everything from the specifics of the offering itself (the menus etc) through to the culture, strategic direction, any marketing and promotion, recruitment and retention of staff, and all financial matters. Of course, they might outsource elements such as HR and finance but fundamentally the buck stops with them.
How to become a Restaurant Manager?: Most people work their way up to Restaurant Manager. They might be an Assistant Manager for a while and then move up internally or move to a new restaurant as Manager.
Pay range in London (average): £50 - £100K
Assistant Manager
Second in line, Assistant Managers have many of the same skills and job functions as the Manager but might not have as much experience. The Assistant Manager will also step in as Manager when needed.
How to become an Assistant Manager?: People coming out of a top hospitality management school might be able to start as Assistant Manager but otherwise people work their way up from Supervisor position.
Pay range (average): £38 - £60K
Supervisor
Supervisors make sure whatever the Manager and Assistant Manager would like to be done gets done on the ground and daily.
How to become a Supervisor?: most Supervisors have either worked their way up from Waiter or similar position, they have studied hospitality at college or university, or have been part of the Jupiter Scholarship Programme. Unlike other forms of work, there is no formal way of rising through the ranks in the restaurant business. If someone is good they are often spotted and given the opportunities to keep progressing in their career. This offers huge potential for everyone, for example for those who might not have had a strong educational background.
Pay range (average): £28- £30K
Bar Manager
The Bar Manager within some of London’s top restaurants can be as celebrated as chefs. They are very creative and hugely knowledgeable about drinks and the sector more generally. They keep up to date on latest trends and new drinks from around the world to ensure they bring the best to their customers.
How to become a Bar Manager?: much like other roles in restaurants, there is no formal pathway but most people start by learning on the job and then supplementing their knowledge by reading around the subject, visiting other cocktail bars and restaurants and maybe taking some courses.
Pay range (average): can be as much as £50 - £60K
Waiter
This is the entry level job in the restaurant hospitality business. In top restaurants in London it is common for there be a hierarchy of waiting staff positions as well. Traditionally these were called Commis, Chef de range and Maitre d’hotel. Even if the restaurant doesn’t have these formal titles, it is quite common for different members of the team to have specific tasks assigned to them.
How to become a Waiter?: there are many opportunities available to become a Waiter in a restaurant and as they are the entry position, formal qualifications are not required to get started. The best Waiters are friendly, attentive, have an interest in people, are enthusiastic and committed.
Pay range (average): no set rate but you should expect minimum wage plus usually a share of the service charge.
Back of House
The two main roles back of house are the Sous-chef and Chef.
Chef
The Chef is the top job back of house and in the top London restaurants the Chef can be very well known (sometimes the restaurant will be named after them, for example). Even if they have been to catering college, they will have worked their way up through the kitchen to get to Chef level, perhaps not at their current restaurant but in their career. Chefs are hugely skilled and very passionate about what they do. The best ones are also good at team building. They work very closely with the Restaurant Manager to develop the menu (the Manager bringing the financial input into the creative approach of the Chef). Unlike the front of house roles, Chefs’ hours can be very long. It is not uncommon for them to work a 45-hour week but then also work an extra 20 – 30 hours practising something or testing something as well.
How to become a Chef?: The most common routes are either by going to catering college and then starting as Sous Chef in a restaurant. It would be uncommon to become a Chef without first being a Sous-chef.
Pay range (average): £50K - £??? (can be very high)
Sous Chef
The number two in the kitchen. They are the right-hand man/ woman of the Chef and will be doing a lot of what the Chef does but will not be the one leading the team. They might stand in for the Chef as and when needed.
How to become a Sous-chef?: much like the Chef, they will either have gone to catering college and joined a kitchen and worked up. Or, they might have started as an Apprentice in a kitchen with a top Chef and been trained by them on the job.
Pay range (average): £35K - £50K
Which role do you like the sound of most? Register your interest in the Jupiter Scholarship Programme and receive further details on this exciting new training programme to find the future leaders of the restaurant industry.