1. You’ll start from the bottom - Whatever you want to be, you will never walk into a top job in the catering industry - you have to learn the ropes from the bottom and climb up to the top rung while undertaking qualifications and training along the way.
2. You will usually stay with one business - Once you land a role in the industry you will usually stay in that business as you climb up the ladder to a level you aspire for. It helps to know the business inside and out so you can have a distinct advantage when applying for the next role, if you have been there for a decent length of time.
3. Qualifications are important, but experience is key - If you’re serious about bagging that Head Chef role then you need to be determined and able to complete the right qualification to beat the other applicants to the post, however before that you will need experience and a station skill. It’s a never ending circle when it comes to most careers, but shadowing someone who has been working in the role you desire is the best way of picking up new skills and becoming great yourself.
4. The available career routes are vast - A job in catering can take you down many career paths and through various parts of the industry, from catering for parties to working behind the scenes in a Michelin restaurant, there are so many routes open to you and so many ways to obtain the relevant qualifications to take them.
5. You’ll need to give up your free time - Working in the catering industry means dedicating your time to the cause, you will either work in shifts which can mean unsociable hours (hotel jobs usually require this) or in what most people would consider their spare time honing skills and practising.
6. You must be able to take the heat - We mean this in both the metaphorical and physical sense; as people judge you on your skills you’ll need to take criticism constructively and work to improve based on feedback. Customers can be your rudest, harshest critics – especially if you are working in top end eateries – so be prepared. Plus, with all those ovens on and bodies working to get meals out the door the kitchen can be a stifling place, so be prepared for the all-consuming heat that comes with working with food.
7. Hygiene is important - Those working in the catering industry with food need to be the very definition of human hygiene and understand the importance of keeping things clean.
8. You have to be a team player - The catering industry is one that relies on those within it working in harmony together. You must be a team player to get on, not a Gordon Ramsey stereotype who shouts profanities about overcooked fish.
If you’ve been considering a career in catering and are no stranger to hard work, team playing and working extra hours to progress your personal skills then it’s the perfect industry for you!