Catering jobs in the UK: your guide on how to progress and succeed

The catering industry in the UK is a thriving one, with total annual turnover close to £4 million. In addition, with its ever-growing success rates, it’s a popular career choice for both young and old. Any person from any background can succeed in getting a catering job - all that is needed is an enthusiastic approach along with an strong passion for food.

Training and qualifications

There is no fast track to becoming a fully-fledged chef. It takes a lot of dedication, talent, along with many years of experience.

Catering job apprenticeship: If you’re still in school, and know for sure that you would like to get a catering job, it’s wise to submit an application for an apprenticeship at the age of 16, or when you’ve done your GCSEs. This is how many chefs have started - as food preparation workers. Duties involved will of course call for less skill and minimal responsibility, but as you progress you will be given more responsibilities and higher-skilled duties to execute. A catering job apprenticeship can be quite difficult to come across, however there are many school programs available for young people, offering internships and also workshops so that you can end up with the catering job you’re after.
National Vocational Qualification: 3 years after you have started an apprenticeship, you will be eligible for a National Vocational Qualification. A diploma in Business Mathematics or Business Administration also helps to secure a higher positioned catering job.

Culinary Arts School: A different (and better) way in which you can secure a good catering job is by signing up at a Culinary Arts school. The length of courses at these schools range from a few months to as long as 4 years or more, based on the course you take up. This kind of formal training will give you better chances of getting the catering job you would like as opposed to no past formal training.

Food Hygiene Certificate: If you know that you’ll be in direct contact with food in your catering job, you’ll have to acquire a food hygiene certificate. This shows your employer that you have learned about and grasped the basics of food hygiene in the kitchen area.
Other courses: If you would like become a manager of a food establishment or pursue a more corporate-related catering job, then there are other courses you can take to achieve your goal. These are usually courses in establishment supervision and management, available from private universities and also vocational schools.
Various kinds of catering jobs
There are several different catering jobs to choose from for any skill level. Every position has its own responsibilities or specialisations - so with hard work and determination it’s easy to work your way towards the specific catering job that you would like.
Kitchen Aide: This is an entry level catering job, normally for those who have entered into an apprenticeship. In this catering job you'll perform repetitious duties such as preparing ingredients, cutting meats and vegetables, blending soups or mixing sauces. You will also assist the chefs in handling pots, pans and cutlery. In this catering job you will also give assistance with the washing up of the utensils, and cleaning the cooking area after use.

Commis Chef: This catering job is a step up from Kitchen Aide. In this position, you'll undergo direct apprenticeship of the kitchen’s Chef De Partie. Under his/her direct supervision you will learn the basic necessities of preparing food.
Chef De Partie: This catering job allows you to pull together the operations of the kitchen. Your task is to make sure that the prepared food goes out to the customers in the restaurant area instantly. This catering job also enables you to monitor the operations of the commis chef under his/her guidance.

Sous Chef: The head chef of an establishment will usually turn over his/her tasks to a sous chef. Therefore, essentially, this catering job means that you will be a second-in-command. You will undertake all the duties of the head chef in his/her absence.

Head Chef: All of the kitchen personnel will operate under command of the head chef. In this catering job, you'll choose specific menu courses as well as handle the economic side of the business. This catering job demands far more responsibility than other positions. It can take up to fifteen years of experience to become a head chef.

Executive Chef: If an establishment, such as a hotel, has more than one restaurant it'll usually employ the services of an executive chef. This catering job allows you even more responsibility than a head chef. An executive chef will control everything from the menus to the cuisine speciality of a restaurant.