There are multiple paths to catering management but, in the end, you will need a full range of knowledge and a never-give-up attitude to succeed. A career in catering management can also to a variety of interesting career options, such as business ownership, working with an upscale restaurant or on a contract basis for a sports stadium or convention center. No matter your starting and ending points, you will need to be able to stand (and walk, and run) on your feet for several hours a day. You will also need charisma, exceptional customer service skills, a passion for food and top-notch organizational and interpersonal skills. In return, you will get to work directly with customers while enjoying the finer side of life. You will also get to meet all kinds of people and will avoid the monotony of sitting behind a desk for forty hours a week.

One of the most direct paths to catering management is to gain a catering management degree. You can take online classes for some certifications such as food and beverage law but will need in-person training for others, such as customer service and employee management. Associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and graduate degrees are available in culinary arts and catering management. Be sure to check with your city, county or state to see whether additional licensing is required. Also, check with perspective employers to determine their training standards. Many caterers will put new managers through private training programs regardless of their level of education.

Another catering management path, and a very common one, is working up through the ranks. This can be arduous, low-paying and slower, but if you are highly talented and don’t like formal education, it is a good option. You will likely start as a dishwasher or busboy, then move on to waiting tables or selecting decorations for an event such as a wedding or awards ceremony. You may also spend time in the kitchen as a sous chef or help create employee schedules or order food ingredients. Even if you are not interested in online classes or a college degree, you will be required to take a class and a test to earn a food handler’s permit to ensure customer’s safety through proper cooking techniques, effective storage temperatures and contamination avoidance. Reaching the top could take decades, but if food and customer service are your passion, your hard work will pay off.

In fact, one of the best things about the catering industry is that you can experience the workplace without the time and expense of intensive training. Even a few months of work will show you how well your skills, interests and abilities fit the job. We also recommend paying attention to your coworkers, who may live on the wild side. If you are easily offended or closed-off to people of differing opinions and systems of morality, catering management may not be right for you.

From the local Lion’s Club dinner to executive conferences in the swankiest hotels, the quality and consistency of the food you will serve is paramount for pleasing customers and attracting new ones. A career in catering management may be volatile, high-paced and challenging but also rewarding on personal and professional levels. . You can also feel assured that a successful catering business will pay its top managers more than enough to support the average family.