The food, beverage and hospitality industry is among the thriving industries in the Philippines due to the increase in international and domestic tourism. Likewise, a number of food retailers, food manufacturing restaurants, hotels, and resorts have already been rising in Metro Manila outskirts and provinces. If you’re eyeing a career in food and hospitality, these 12 jobs info may help you get started.

1. Executive Chef 

Photo by Kyle tsui and licensed under creative commons
 

Chefs make up a number of hierarchical positions in the hotel and restaurant industry and the highest is the executive chef. You manage a number of restaurants headed by sous chefs under your supervision. Your job is more administrative or managerial and you may do little cooking. Being in this role, you’ll:

• Make menus and design food presentations.
• Make food costing by quantifying food wastages (weighing) to monitor and bring down food wastages.
• Delegate food costing tasks to CDPs and kitchen commissaries to quantify food wastages and measure the weight of ingredients.
• Make sure that HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is followed.
• Oversee kitchen operation to ensure smooth flow, make dishes, design presentations and garnishing. 
• Make sure that mise en place standards are followed by CDPs and junior chefs. The French term refers to the preparation of ingredients such as chopping parsley, dicing carrots, washing vegetables, deseeding olives and peeling potatoes etc.
• May write for magazines (for chefs who have writing skills).
• May do some computer-related tasks such as populating spreadsheets on food costing and contacting suppliers. 
• Ensure that the received and ordered goods are in good condition.
• Tolerate a high-pressure environment especially if you work in busy hotels and restaurants.
• Set standards of mise en place (ingredient preparation) and cooking.

Human resources

• Interview applicants for chef positions.
• Conduct screening of candidates.
• ​Train and orient newly hired chefs.

2. Chef de partie

A Japanese Chef Photo by Dengeki Bunko from Piqsels.com

Chef de partie is the third in command of chefs. They are subordinate to chefs as they only oversee a kitchen section such as salad, bread, pizza. So there are CDPs each assigned for salad, pasta, pizza and Japanese cuisine sections. You’ll likely work in a hotel, restaurants specialized kitchens (military, prison, hospital), and resorts. Here are the lists of tasks that you’ll likely encounter in a typical fine dining restaurant.

• Handle purchase order in the absence of the chef. 
• ​Follow preservation standards.
• Replace expiration dates, supervise kitchen commissaries/junior chefs 
• Make mise en place (preparation of ingredients). You’ll uphold hygiene practices recommended by the HACCP. You may monitor temperature, follow chopping board colour codes and safety measures.

3. Junior chef (Kitchen commissary)

Photo by Pixfuel and licensed under creative commons

Junior chefs rank below the chef de partie and demi chef de partie. Most of the cooks who took this job are either kitchen newbies or transferees from other restaurants. Likewise, this is an entry-level role in culinary arts. In a la carte restaurants such as fine diners, you’ll do the following tasks:

• Make mise en place. 
• Follow HACCP guidelines such as using the right chopping boards and knife colours (red for meat, white for dairy, green for vegetables) and maintaining sanitation procedures.
• Rotate stored ingredients or first in and first out. 
• Place stickers onto food containers to avoid spoilage.
• Monitor chiller temperatures.
• Make sure that no foreign things go into pasta, salad or sandwich.

4. Bartender

Photo by gimballica from creativePxHere

Movies and to some extent, dramas and soap operas, often show bartenders who serve alcoholic drinks and fruit cocktails while talking to customers. Bartenders work in bars, restaurants, resorts, hotels, cruise ships, night clubs, and casinos. What you’ll do in this role? Well, here is the list:

• Mix alcoholic and syrup recipes (such as piña colada, rusty nail, tequila sunrise, whisky sour, margarita, cosmopolitan, dry martini and negroni).
• ​Serve water with ice cubes.
• Keep the glassware, and alcoholic drinks stocked.
• Keep the bar clean by following HACCP practices.
• Operate a cash machine

5. Barista

Coffee is a well-loved beverage of people who wake up for work or folks who want to fight drowsiness.  At cafes, you can meet guys and gals working 8 hours who serve various coffee recipes. In this job, you’ll be the master of coffee-based drinks.

You’ll make Cappuccino by drawing the right amount of an aromatic arabica coffee down right into a portafilter - a device used to filter coffee powder from the liquid. Pressing a button just above the portafilter will cause hot water to fall down into the device. This makes an espresso - a concentrated coffee liquid. On the other side of the coffee bar is the aluminium pot of milk. 

You’ll turn this milk into foam by having a steamer nozzle submerged into the milk and pressing a button that releases a jet of steam which rotates and warms the milk (145 C)  and turns it into a foamy consistency. After the foaming process, you’ll pour this milk foam into an espresso mini mug. 

Barista veterans say that a good espresso should make up this layer (a thick layer of foam on top, a thin layer of liquid in the middle mixed with espresso. If you’re artistic, you can make art of latte foam such as cats, dogs and birds.  You may also serve juices flavoured with different syrups such as orange, caramel etc. Here are the details of what goes in the daily life of a barista.

• Receive ordered supplies such as coffee beans, gas cartridges for whipping cream, jugs of full and skimmed milk, syrups, sugar sticks, sugar substitute sticks, take out paper cups, cup lids and paper bags.
• Restock coffee bar supplies by making a list of depleted items (milk, coffee etc) either on paper or via the system. In some large coffee chains, a cafe manager may do this restocking orders.
• Make bi-monthly inventories of cafe supplies.
• Operate cash or point of sale (POS) machines by keeping enough cash float and submitting details of the day’s sale. In large coffee chains, a cashier may handle this task but if you can multitask you may operate a POS and handle money.
• Make coffee and juice recipes according to the cafe’s standards. Popular recipes include macchiato (espresso with whipped cream on top) cappuccino (espresso with milk foam), an espresso shot.
• Keep the bar clean by daily cleaning of a coffee machine and its steam nozzle, portafilter, coffee grinder, glassware, pots.

6. Food Stylist

Photo by Elke Wetzig and licensed under creative commons

This one is uncommon like the sommelier. You have a flair in making food aesthetically pleasing in the eyes of diners. You’ll turn a heap of veggies meat into a food art ready for photography and videography. You may work for a team to transform that tonkatsu into a crispy and freshly fried one. You could make burger patties with a sizzling appearance by adding grill marks. The result of your creativity is mouthwatering and fresh looking food that can be placed on ads, magazines, shows and televisions. Your specialities could be poultry, ice cream, baked goods, meats and chocolate.

7. Kitchen steward

Photo by Simcitywok and licensed under creative commons

Kitchen stewards are also called Messman and sometimes dishwashers. They work in hotels, resorts, fine dining restaurants, and industrial food factories. In other hotels and restaurants, the kitchen steward is distinct from the dishwasher. This is mostly a manual role and you don’t need formal training in culinary arts except for the HACCP crash course. Large food factories also employ a steward supervisor who manages a group of dishwashers and stewards. Your responsibilities may include:

• Clean kitchen equipment (grill, fryer, pots, pans, oven).
• Update clean up monitoring checklist by populating it with checkmarks and dates corresponding to areas that need cleaning.
• May clean grease trap (a plumbing device used to filter waste cooking oil).
• Operate a dishwashing machine and organize plates and cutleries.
• Use professional sanitation chemicals (used for cleaning grills, grease trap, dishwasher, floors, fridge, and crockeries).
• Clean pots and pans.

8. Sommelier

Photo by Eduardo Pavon and licensed under creative commons

Fine dining isn’t complete without red and white wines. Certain foods taste better or the dining experience enhanced with a serving of wine. The knowledge of pairing and wines is the job of Sommelier. 

• Lists wines such as the brand, type and origin.
• Order wines.
• Organize wine tasting parties/events.
• Coordinate wine lists with chefs and restaurant managers.
• Inform guests about the availability and varieties of wine.
• Train waiters about wine pairings.
• Negotiate prices with sellers.
• Comply with HACCP (sanitation standards).
• Suggest wine to food pairings.
• Write articles about wines for wine websites and magazines.

9. Pastry chef 

As artisans of bread and confectionery (desserts such as chocolates), pastry chefs are tasked to turn doughs and other ingredients into delicious morning pairs for coffees. If you have been to a bakery or cafe, you’ll see croissants, cakes, apple turnover, baguettes, rolls, ciabatta bread, danish pastries, pan de sal and bread loaves. You’ll likely work in a chain of a bakery, hotel, resorts, a fine dining restaurant or specialised kitchens. Inside a large bakers kitchen, you’ll do mixing, kneading, waiting for the dough to rise (fermentation) and operating sophisticated machines such as bread proofer, oven and dough kneader. Another related position to this job is the confectionery chef who specializes in making sweets such as macarons, ganaches, candies, and other gourmet desserts.

Tasks 

• Supervise junior pastry chefs.
• Make food costing.
• Make sure that mise en place standards are followed.
• Make pastries according to standards set by the executive chef. For example, if you make a croissant, you’ll start in the preliminary steps such as mixing and folding layers of butter and dough.
• Make sure that the HACCP principles are followed.

10. Restaurant manager

Photo by rawpixel from creative commons

This job entails managing the workflow and profitability of restaurants as well as leading employees. In large restaurant chains, you may either manage one to two restaurants or report to a network manager who oversees restaurants. Your role here is primarily administrative and marketing as you help the company go in the right direction. Here are some of the errands that may go into your life as a restaurant manager.

Administration:

• Coordinates with chef/sous chef and other kitchen staff with regards to menu planning and costing.
• Estimate food and beverage costs.
• Coordinates with baristas, waiters, and cooks to ensure a smooth and efficient flow of restaurant operation.
• Checks if the food preparation process and recipes conform to the standards - portions and the quality of ingredients.
• Checks if the sanitation standards are followed.
• Establish policies on tips sharing.
• Make sure that HACCP is followed.
• Make marketing strategies to increase restaurant sales. 
• Negotiate with vendors of food and beverage ingredients.
• Build a network of vendors.
• Ensure that all paperwork is coordinated and done. Such paperwork includes sanitary, business, fire safety permits and rental.

Managerial and Human Resources

• Train restaurant staff.
• Supervise one or more supervisors.
• Promote teamwork among the staff.
• Interview new staff.
• Evaluate team performance.

11. Waiter

Photo by Jonathan Marin Posada from Pixabay

Being a waiter lets you work in the frontline of the restaurant. You also act as the restaurant’s salesman by inviting more diners and upselling food. The nature of your work and uniform depends on the type of restaurant. It could be - a fine dining, bar, sem-fine dining and fast-food.  In a fine dining setting, you’ll wear a bib apron, vests, ties, and black pants. 

• Arrange plates and cutleries according to plating guidelines.
• Bus tables or take out dirty dishes, take them to the dishwasher and replenish crockeries and cutleries. In large fine diners, a busboy or busgirl may handle bussing.
• Guide the customer by answering his/her questions regarding the menu. 
• Follow HACCP standards.
• Upsell the menu by suggesting relevant food and beverage offerings.
• Clean the table and floor after the busy and dining time.
• Take orders accurately.
• Use the POS system to identify customers’ tables and send their orders to the kitchen. You may follow up this verbally to chefs and kitchen commissaries (in larger restaurants).
• Deliver the ordered menus by carrying several plates.

12. Vegan Chef

Photo by Guillermo Muro of Pixabay

Since the awareness of animal welfare and the ill effects of meat, vegan dishes sprung up and so too specialty positions in vegan culinary jobs. A vegan chef is trained in making dishes made from 100% plant-derived ingredients. You could plan and cook faux meat-based recipes comparable to ham, tapas, barbeques, adobo, lechon and kebabs. How is that mock meat possible? Vegan meat is possible because of seitan or gluten which is a plant protein. Another best source is the textured vegetable protein (TVP) with a taste and texture of pork, beef or chicken. Now, as a vegan chef, you can turn such meat analogue into a delicious vegan chicken curry that your diners can mistakenly take for a roasted 45-day old chicken. Same with other kinds of chefs, you may:

• Make vegan dishes according to restaurant standards.
• Follow HACCP principles.
• Negotiate with vegan supply vendors. 
• Supervise a team of junior chefs.