It's possible to advance in the restaurant industry based on work experiences, but some industry career seekers consider formal training. Restaurants seeking managers may more readily hire applicants with professional credentials or degrees. People seeking a culinary management career have multiple education options, including community colleges, universities, apprenticeship programs and culinary schools. Professional organizations such as the American Culinary Federation and the National Restaurant Association are good starting points for researching culinary management schools. As industry organizations for culinary professionals, both offer benefits to members that include continuing education opportunities.
The Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts offers culinary programs in multiple locations across the United States. Students seeking culinary management careers may pursue the associate of occupational studies degree. Offered at the Scottsdale, Arizona, campus and online, the Hospitality and Restaurant Management program prepares students to enter the industry as managers equipped to handle daily restaurant operations.
The Art Institutes offers culinary degree programs at most of its campuses across the United States. In addition to culinary arts and culinary management programs, some Art Institutes campuses offer degree programs in hospitality management and hotel and restaurant management. Students in an Art Institutes culinary management program can expect instruction in restaurant operations as well as guidance on how to launch a restaurant as an owner.
Developed by the National Restaurant Association, the ManageFirst program focuses on industry-identified criteria for successful restaurant management. Subjects include food safety, human resources and marketing. It's offered through post-secondary schools. Students who successfully complete the ManageFirst program receive a professional credential. The National Restaurant Association website (see Resources) identifies schools that offer the ManageFirst program as part of their culinary and restaurant management curriculum.