How to Become a Food Service Worker
What is a Food Service Worker
Food service workers are employed in restaurants, cafeterias, grocery stores, and any other institution that offers dining services, such as schools, hospitals, or prisons. If you want to learn everything about food preparation and what it takes to be a restaurant manager or a top-notch chef, taking on a job as a food service worker is a great place to start.
Your job will be to assist kitchen staff in preparing meals. Your responsibilities include helping to keep the kitchen spotless, prepping ingredients, slicing, dicing, rinsing, and peeling while making sure all safety regulations are respected.
No experience is needed to be hired as a food service worker; you just have to be attentive and organized and respect the authority of your superiors, which in this case is basically everyone in the kitchen.
What Does a Food Service Worker Do
Food preparation workers perform many routine tasks under the direction of cooks, chefs, or food service managers. Food preparation workers prepare cold foods, slice meat, peel and cut vegetables, brew coffee or tea, and perform many other food service tasks.
How To Become a Food Service Worker
Food preparation workers typically learn their skills through on-the-job training. No formal education or previous work experience is required.
EducationThere are no formal education requirements for becoming a food preparation worker.
TrainingMost food preparation workers learn their skills through short-term on-the-job training, usually lasting several weeks. Trainees typically start by working under the supervision of an experienced worker, who teaches them basic kitchen duties. Training also may include basic sanitation and workplace safety regulations, as well as instructions on how to handle and prepare food.
Important QualitiesDexterity. Food preparation workers chop vegetables, cut meat, and perform many other tasks with sharp knives. They must have the ability to work quickly and safely with sharp objects.
Listening skills. Food preparation workers must understand customers’ orders and follow directions from cooks, chefs, or food service managers.
Physical stamina. Food preparation workers stand on their feet for long periods while they prepare food, clean work areas, or lift heavy pots from the stove.
Physical strength. Food preparation workers should be strong enough to lift and carry heavy food supply boxes, which often can weigh up to 50 pounds.
AdvancementAdvancement opportunities for food preparation workers depend on their training and work experience. Many food preparation workers advance to assistant or line cook positions as they learn basic cooking skills.
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Food Service Worker Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a Food Service Worker can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as Cook, progress to a title such as Sous Chef and then eventually end up with the title General Manager.
Food Service Worker Jobs You Might Like
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Average Salary for a Food Service Worker
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12 Food Service Worker Resume Examples
Build a professional food service worker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 12+ resume templates to create your food service worker resume.
Judy Foster Food Service Worker |
Jordan Rice Food Service Worker Experience Food Service Worker2019 - Present Aramark•Pittsburgh, PA
Food Service Associate2018 - 2019 Sodexo Operations•Lynchburg, VA
Dishwasher/Server2015 - 2018 Ruby Tuesday•Greensboro, NC
Skills Positive AttitudeCustomer ServiceLunch ProgramHvacKitchen EquipmentPrep FoodDishwasherNecessary SuppliesDishesClean Kitchen Education High School Diploma 2015 - 2015 |
Learn How To Write a Food Service Worker Resume
At Zippia, we went through countless Food Service Worker resumes and compiled some information about how to optimize them. Here are some suggestions based on what we found, divided by the individual sections of the resume itself.
View Food Service Worker Resume Examples And TemplatesAnd if you’re looking for a job, here are the five top employers hiring now:
Choose From 10+ Customizable Food Service Worker Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Food Service Worker templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Food Service Worker resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Find the best Food Service Worker job for you
Food Service Worker Jobs You Might Like
- High Paying Food Service Worker Jobs - $33K and Up
- Entry Level Food Service Worker Jobs
- Part Time Food Service Worker Jobs
- Actively Hiring
- No Degree Food Service Worker Jobs
Online Courses For Food Service Worker That You May Like
Food access: Learn about food supply and food security Have you ever considered that you’re not the only one who decides what food ends up on your plate? In this environmental studies course, you’ll explore how key actors at household, local, national and international levels negotiate and make choices on access to food. You will understand why the choices you make have been predestined. And you will learn what it takes to provide access to a safe and nutritious food supply every day. For whom?...
Everyday reports of food scandals and recalls are published. One day it’s scary bacteria in meat, and another day it’s dangerous pesticides in fruits. According to some, meat needs to be cooked well to prevent food-borne illness while others warn not to heat food to prevent the formation of poisonous substances. Many consumers worry about the conflicting and confusing messages about food hazards. This nutrition and health course will teach you about the risk factors associated with food and...
Top Skills For a Food Service Worker
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 23.4% of Food Service Workers listed Positive Attitude on their resume, but soft skills such as Dexterity and Listening skills are important as well.
Best States For a Food Service Worker
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a Food Service Worker. The best states for people in this position are California, Massachusetts, Oregon, and New York. Food Service Workers make the most in California with an average salary of $32,617. Whereas in Massachusetts and Oregon, they would average $31,853 and $30,901, respectively. While Food Service Workers would only make an average of $30,777 in New York, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Washington
$30,650
Avg. Salary
2. Oregon
$30,901
Avg. Salary
3. California
$32,617
Avg. Salary
How Do Food Service Worker Rate Their Jobs?
Food Service Worker Videos
Becoming a Food Service Worker FAQs
How long does it take to become a Food Service Worker?
It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a food service worker. That is the time it takes to learn specific food service worker skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.
What are food service careers?
Foodservice careers include servers, cooks, and bakers, all of which have different skillsets and qualifications. The service sector is one of the fastest-growing in the world economy, and part of that is due to the expanding food service industry.
While some foodservice careers only require on-the-job training, others require a culinary school education or even a four-year degree. Whatever the case, there are job opportunities for anyone in the foodservice industry. Two standard options are food service manager and waitstaff.
Foodservice managers take on various roles within a restaurant or business, all related to ensuring excellent food and excellent service. They must have exceptional people and planning skills, exhibiting a calm, cool, and collected demeanor at all times. Foodservice managers usually attend college or a culinary school for at least two years.
Waitstaff must also maintain a calm demeanor amid a fast-paced and often stressful job, but most of their skills are learned on the job. An experienced server takes responsibility to make the difference between a great meal and a dining nightmare that others will hear about.
What are the duties of a food service worker?
A food service worker's duties include preparing and serving meals in cafeterias, grocery stores, and food courts. Food service workers work for dining services that help universities, schools, hospitals, and correctional facilities.
A food service worker performs a wide range of duties to prepare and serve foods and beverages in one or more of various foodservice environments. Typical responsibilities include preparing baked goods, salad items, hot foods, and cold foods.
Some will assist in cleaning work areas, equipment, and utensils. Others may set up or take down serving spaces, serve food to customers, or perform cashiering duties.
A food service worker should be prepared to do anything that is asked of them that relates to the running of the food service area. This means the duties of the position will change from day to day and even hour to hour, so a food service worker should be highly flexible and able to keep up with a fast-paced environment.
What is another name for food service worker?
Standard titles for food service workers include cafeteria workers, lunch or dinner aides, and cafeteria assistants. All of these titles generally describe the exact role of someone who assists in a cafeteria food setting.
These employees perform a wide range of duties involved with preparing and serving foods and beverages in one or more of various foodservice environments. Typical responsibilities include preparing baked goods, salad items, hot foods, and cold foods.
They should be prepared to do anything that is asked of them that relates to the running of the food service area. This means the duties of the position will change from day to day and even hour to hour, so a person in this kind of role should be highly flexible and able to keep up with a fast-paced environment.
What skills do you need to work in food service?
Skills you need to work in food service are flexibility and keeping up in a fast-paced work environment. These are critical skills that a person needs to possess to meet the minimum requirements of the job.
The best food service workers also have an in-depth knowledge of the supplies and equipment used in the food service area. They should also know the services used for ordering supplies and inventory control.
Foodservice workers should also utilize safety procedures in everyday operations, including safely cleaning equipment and supplies. Top foodservice workers can lead and train other staff in best practices for the foodservice industry.
Finally, they should possess cooking and food preparation skills. This should include knowledge of food preparation and presentation methods and techniques and various quality standards and temperature requirements.
What type of education do you need for food service?
The type of education you need for food service is a high school diploma. This is a role typically held by students in a part-time capacity. Therefore the educational requirements are few.
However, if a person wishes to pursue a career in food service, they should consider additional education to advance into management positions. This may be in the form of an associate's or bachelor's degree in management or customer service.
Many restaurants prefer applicants that have some postsecondary education. These degrees, especially those with an internship or work-term component, provide students with valuable practical experience and skills to work in the industry.
Another way to begin a career in food service management is by starting at an entry-level position such as a cook or member of the wait staff. It may take several years of work experience for a worker to be promoted to a manager.