Careers in the food and beverage services industry

There are plenty of places to eat in Saskatchewan, ranging from food trucks to fine dining. Each provides delicious meals to residents and visitors alike.

Sample Careers

Executive Chef

Executive chefs oversee food preparation and cooking activities in a facility or for several restaurants in an establishment or for several restaurants in a franchise. They supervise chefs, sous-chefs, line cooks and kitchen helpers. An executive chef researches and responds to trends in the food industry, plans and writes menus, manages finances and supervises kitchen operations.

A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Significant experience at increasing levels of responsibility in the kitchen is required. Interprovincial Trade Certification (Red Seal), Canadian Chefs and Cooks certification or a Culinary Arts degree or diploma is preferred. Certification in food safety and workplace hazardous materials is required. Certification in first aid is an advantage.

Training and certification:

• Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification – Red Seal
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic - 1- & 2-Year Culinary Programs
• Canadian Culinary Federation - Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC)
• Canadian Culinary Federation – Canadian Master Chef (CMC)
• Saskatchewan Health – Food-safety training 
• WHMIS
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross – First Aid/ CPR
• Tourism Saskatchewan - Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Other programs in culinary and food preparation

Food & Beverage Owner/Operator

Successful food and beverage operators manage a wide range of responsibilities including business planning and operations, finance and accounting, human resource management and marketing and sales. Specific duties include creating menus and preparing food, recruiting and managing staff, food inventory control, managing food suppliers and following health and safety regulations.

A high school diploma or equivalent combined with several years of experience working in food service is desirable. A degree, diploma or certificate in hotel administration, hospitality, marketing, tourism or business is an asset.

Training and certification:

• emerit Small Business Owner / Operator
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Business Certificate & Culinary Programs
• University of Saskatchewan, Edwards School of Business – Business Certificate / Degree
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross - First Aid / CPR
• Saskatchewan Health - Food-safety training  or approved safe food handling program
• WHMIS
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Various programs outside of Saskatchewan in culinary, hotel and restaurant management and business

Food and Beverage Manager

Food and beverage managers supervise food and beverage servers and bar staff. In some businesses they may also manage kitchen operations. They have excellent communication and human resource management skills. They excel at motivating others, while becoming efficient at a variety of critical operational tasks.

A high school diploma or equivalent combined with several years of experience working in food service is desirable. A degree, diploma or certificate in hotel administration, hospitality, marketing, tourism or business is an asset. Courses in food handling, responsible beverage service and WHMIS are required.

Training and certification:

• emerit Food and Beverage Manager; Food and Beverage Management International (CFBM)
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Business Certificate & Culinary Programs
• University of Saskatchewan, Edwards School of Business – Business Certificate / Degree
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross - First Aid / CPR
• Saskatchewan Health - Food-safety training  or approved safe food handling program
• WHMIS
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Other programs in culinary, hotel and restaurant management and business

Catering Manager

Catering managers oversee all aspects of catering services in hotels, private catering companies, conference centres and in attractions where catering services are provided. They have excellent communication and human resource skills. They supervise kitchen and service staff. They consult with clients, providing plans and costs.

A high school diploma or equivalent, combined with several years of experience working in food service, is desirable. A degree, diploma or certificate in hotel administration, hospitality, marketing, tourism or business is an asset. Courses in food handling, responsible beverage service and WHMIS are required.

Training and certification:

• emerit Food and Beverage Manager
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Business Certificate & Culinary Programs
• University of Saskatchewan, Edwards School of Business – Business Certificate / Degree
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross - First Aid and CPR
• Saskatchewan Health - Food-safety training  or approved safe food handling program
• WHMIS
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Various programs outside of Saskatchewan in culinary, hotel and restaurant management and business

Food and Beverage Server

Food and beverage servers are employed almost everywhere food is served. They are knowledgeable about the food and beverage products they serve, table service techniques, cash handling and customer service. This position is fast-paced and food and beverage servers work efficiently to meet guest needs.

A high school diploma or equivalent is desirable, but many food and beverage servers will start working part-time while they are still in school. Courses in safe food handling are an asset. Food and beverage servers in permitted outlets are required to be 19 and must complete a responsible service of alcohol program – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS). WHMIS is required. Courses in customer service are desirable. First aid and CPR courses are desirable.

Training and certification:

• emerit Food and Beverage Server
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Food & Beverage Service Applied Certificate
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross - First Aid and CPR
• Saskatchewan Health - Food-safety training  or approved safe food handling program
• WHMIS
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Many franchise operations offer learning opportunities for food and beverage staff

Bartender

Bartenders pour and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in bars, lounges, nightclubs and restaurants and at permitted special events. Bartenders may serve the drinks they make to a customer or prepare drinks for the food and beverage server who serves the customer, depending on where they are working. Bartenders are knowledgeable about spirits, beer and wine. This position is fast-paced and requires excellent customer service skills.

A high school diploma or equivalent is desirable. Bartenders are required to be 19 and must complete a responsible service of alcohol program – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS). Courses in bartending are an asset. WHMIS is required. Courses in customer service are desirable. First aid and CPR courses are desirable.

Training and certification:

• emerit Bartender
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Food & Beverage Service Applied Certificate
• WHMIS
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve It Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Other programs in bartending, wine, beer and spirit knowledge

Line Cook

A line cook prepares a large portion of the food in the kitchen of a restaurant or other eating establishment. A line cook works directly under the supervision of the head or sous-chef who provides training and instructions. A Line Cook is usually assigned the task of preparing the food in a specific area of the kitchen, such as the vegetable prep or the grill.

A high school diploma or equivalent is preferred. A certificate, diploma, or degree from a culinary program or trade certification is an asset, although many cooks acquire skills in cooking, baking and grilling techniques on the job. Food-safety training is an asset and may be required. WHMIS is required. First aid, CPR and customer service training are an asset.

Training and certification:

• emerit Line Cook
• Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification – Red Seal Cook
• Saskatchewan Polytechnic - 1- & 2-Year Culinary Programs
• Saskatchewan Health - Food-safety training 
• WHMIS
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross – First Aid and CPR
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Customer Service Training (Service Best)
• Other programs in culinary and food preparation

Food and Beverage Journeyperson

Food and beverage journeypersons are highly trained and qualified front-line professionals. They are capable of performing all of the duties of a food and beverage server and bartender, as well as taking on a broad range of responsibility as supervisors, workplace mentors and job coaches.

Food and beverage journeypersons require 3,600 hours of workplace experience for completion of trade certification with the following industry credentials:

Training and certification:

• emerit Food and Beverage Server and Bartender
• Tourism Saskatchewan – Serve it Right Saskatchewan (SIRS), Customer Service Training (Service Best), Workplace Trainer
• Saskatchewan Health – Food-safety training 
• WHMIS
• St. John Ambulance and Red Cross – First Aid and CPR
• All certifications required for trade certification are available in Saskatchewan

Need more information?

Tourism Saskatchewan's Guide to Tourism Careers in Saskatchewan provides detailed descriptions of 45 career opportunities out of the hundreds of occupations available in all five industries that make up the tourism sector of the economy. Each industry, covered in its own module, includes an overview, career profiles, main duties, recommended education and training. Each career description includes a personal feature about someone in Saskatchewan who is doing that work. A bonus module provides links to tourism training and post-secondary programs that support the professional development of tourism employees. Information is provided on programs available from Tourism Saskatchewan, Saskatoon and Regina Industry Education Councils, Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of Regina, as well as private colleges and trainers. This guide includes infographics showing the career progression journeys that are possible in culinary, international special events and hospitality.

Explore Tourism Careers is an interactive online presentation that provides teachers, career counsellors and high school students with an overview of the career opportunities available in the tourism sector in Saskatchewan. This short presentation explores four areas that answer students' and teachers' most-asked questions about building a successful tourism career.

These online resources always contain the most up-to-date information and are revised regularly.