Food Production Service Jobs

When eating out, you want to have a good time and receive reasonable value for your money. The job of professionals in food production service is to ensure that their dining establishments exceed your expectations, so you’ll tell your friends and come back in the future. Their responsibilities and qualifications differ by job title.


Food service managers take charge of operations at their establishments by overseeing budgets, supplies and people. They make sure their facilities comply with applicable health and safety regulations, define standards for performance and customer services, and find solutions to problems from the staff and customers. They also hire food service staff, see to their training, and assign them schedules and tasks. Managers usually reach their positions after many years of experience in food production services, as a cook or server, for example. Many also have post-secondary training, up to a bachelor’s degree, in restaurant management or hospitality.


Chefs, or head cooks, manage both the culinary and administrative details of their kitchens, working often with restaurant managers. Chefs develop menus, order food and supplies, accept and store food deliveries, and monitor sanitation to ensure compliance with food preparation regulations. They also hire, train and supervise subordinate cooks and kitchen staff, and define their stations and tasks. Most chefs learn their trade on-the-job, perhaps starting as line cooks and receiving promotions as they gain expertise. Some have two-year or four-year degrees from culinary arts facilities, vocational schools or community colleges.

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Food servers, most commonly known as waiters or waitresses, serve food and drink to customers. They take patrons to their tables, present menus and daily specials, receive orders, and convey those orders to kitchen staff. They then take the meals from the kitchen to the diners, clear away used plates and utensils, and ask diners about their satisfaction. After the meal, they calculate the total charges, present checks to patrons and accept payment. Food servers require no prior education or experience for entry-level positions. They typically learn their skills on the job from more experienced employees or from restaurant managers.

Prep Workers

Prep workers refer to employees who perform miscellaneous and routine food preparation tasks under the supervision of cooks or supervisors. They keep kitchen areas clean and sanitary, obtain supplies from inventory, wash produce and measure ingredients. They also cut and store food; mix ingredients, such as vegetables, for salads; lay out serving trays; and hand trays over to servers. No advanced education is needed. Prep workers learn their skills through short-term training on the job. From this entry-level position, workers can advance to higher-level cooking or serving positions.


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