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Best caterer certifications
The best certifications for a caterer are Certified Food Manager (CFM), Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS), and Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP).
Caterer certifications demonstrate your competency as a caterer to employers. However, not all caterer certifications provide the same value.
Below is a list of the best caterer certifications. Obtaining a caterer certification will give you a leg up when you apply for jobs and increase your potential salary.
6 best certifications for caterers
| Rank | Caterer certification | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certified Food Manager (CFM) | IFSEA, MCFE |
| 2 | Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS) | NEHA |
| 3 | Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP) | ANFSP |
| 4 | Food Safety Manager Certification | NRSFP, FSMC |
| 5 | ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification | National Rest... |
| 6 | Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) | NACE |
6 best caterer certifications
1. Certified Food Manager (CFM)
These certifications test beyond culinary skills, but rather, focus on the skills needed for the food service professional seeking a management and executive career. These certifications test your knowledge from basic cooking to menu design, management, human resources, accounting and marketing.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
2. Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS)
The Certified Professional - Food Safety is for food safety professionals and is designed for individuals within the public and private sectors whose primary responsibility is the protection and safety of food. The exam for this prestigious credential integrates food microbiology, HACCP principles and regulatory requirements into questions that test problem solving skills and knowledge.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 2 year(s)
3. Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP)
A certified dietary manager, certified food protection professional (CDM, CFPP) has the education, training, and experience to competently perform the responsibilities of a dietary manager and has proven this by passing a nationally-recognized credentialing exam and fulfilling the requirements needed to maintain certified status.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 3 year(s)
4. Food Safety Manager Certification
The National Registry's Certified Food Safety Professional examination has been developed following the strictest test development procedures. The Certified Food Safety Manager examination is accredited by the American National Standards Institute using standards set by the Conference for Food Protection.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 5 year(s)
5. ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification
The ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification is nationally recognized and accredited. ServSafe has always set the standard in food safety training and certification.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 5 year(s)
6. Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE)
NACE encourages the professional development of caterers and event planners through voluntary participation in its certification program. Achievement of the Certified Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) designation demonstrates expertise in catering and events and is earned by taking a comprehensive examination that covers the core competencies of the industry: Accounting, Beverage Management, Catering Services, Contracts and Agreements, Event Management, Food Production, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing.
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or written exam required? Yes
- Renewal required? Every 5 year(s)
What is the best certification for a caterer?
The best caterer certification is Certified Food Manager (CFM). The Certified Food Manager (CFM) is awarded by the International Food Service Executives Association. This certification is great to have as it shows an improvement in your competency to perform your role. You can earn this certification at the beginning of your career, as it often doesn't require a minimum education level and work experience.
Here's a bit more background on how to obtain this caterer certification:
- To become a certified Certified Food Manager (CFM), you need to pass the exam.
- This certificate requires more than two years of work experience.
- Renew certification every 3 year.
The most common combination of caterer certifications include: Certified Food Manager (CFM), Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS), and Certified Food Protection Professional (CFPP).
Online courses for caterers to earn certifications
1. Successful Events: Event Planning, Marketing & Management
Create a single successful event or event-series with effective event promotion, planning, management, and monetization...
2. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System
Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...
3. Fun food safety and sanitation course
The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...
4. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors
The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...
5. The Ultimate Guide to Professional Event Planning Management
Learn techniques to become an amazing event planner. You'll get all the skills you need for event management & planning...
6. Learn how to become an Event Planner
Join one of the most lucrative, and fastest growing industries... Learn how to become an Event Planner...
7. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service
Master Customer Satisfaction & Astonish Your Customers With A+ Customer Service...
8. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen
With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...
9. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals
Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...
10. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
11. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...
12. Event-Driven Microservices, CQRS, SAGA, Axon, Spring Boot
Learn to build distributed Event-driven Microservices, CQRS, Event Sourcing, SAGA and Transactions...
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Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...
14. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives
Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...
15. Event-Driven Microservices: Spring Boot, Kafka and Elastic
Master event-driven microservices architecture with patterns using Spring boot, Spring cloud, Kafka and Elasticsearch...
16. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
17. Customer Service Success: Take Your Skills to the Next Level
3-in-1 Customer Service Training: Levels 1, 2, 3 Improve Your Soft Communication Skills, Customer Support & Experience...
18. Your Customer Service Toolbox: Best Practices for Beginners
Excel as a front-line customer service agent using problem-solving & relationship-building skills, etiquette, and more...
19. Customer Service Basics: Improve your Service now
The basic golden rules to kickstart your service...
20. Java Microservices: CQRS & Event Sourcing with Kafka
Learn how to create microservices that are based on CQRS & Event Sourcing. Powered by Spring Boot and Apache Kafka...