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Students completing a major in Foodservice
Administration are prepared for professional careers as Foodservice
Director, Manager, or Supervisor in institutional food service
settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, school systems, industrial
food services, hotel or restaurant food service and food service
companies.
The Food Service Administration
program at Central Michigan University is designed to offer the
student the administrative and practical skills necessary for
success as a food service professional. The philosophy of the
program is to educate individuals to be food service administrators,
not to train individuals in culinary arts. A field requirement
in which actual commercial food preparation equipment is used,
gives our graduates the confidence and competence to direct food
service staff.As a student of Food Service Administration, you
would enter a program containing the following three-pronged complementary
approach:
Food service administration --
Coursework in this area is designed to give students the skills
to run a food service. Courses include:Purchasing
Menu Pricing and Planning
Beverages
Foodservice Facilities Design
Quantity Food Production
Food science and technology --
This coursework is designed to develop an understanding of the
composition of food and what happens to foods in processing. These
courses prepare the student to take corrective action for various
foods in various stages of preparation and to ensure the quality
and safety of food produced. Courses include:
Food Theory and Practice
Advanced Food Technology
Food Safety and Sanitation
Introduction to Foods
Business Management -- Students
in this area learn the skills needed to lead, control, organize,
staff, and plan for the operation. A minor from the College of
Business is recommended. Required coursework includes:Accounting
Management
Economics
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Continued
high employment opportunities stand as testimony to the demand
for graduates of food service administration programs. The person
who has acquired the necessary practical and administrative skills
and works well with people is on the road to a challenging, rewarding,
and lucrative career in food service administration.Along with
these rewards, food service administration work also can be very
demanding, especially for restaurant managers who do much of the
work. Supervisors in institutions may work fewer hours and have
more regular schedules than do restaurant managers.Students who
complete a major in Food Service Administration are prepared for
professional careers as food service director, manager, or supervisor
in institutional food service settings such as hospitals, nursing
homes, school systems, industrial food services, hotel or restaurant
food service, and food service companies.A pleasing personality,
a desire to manage, and patience are important for food service
supervisors. Because many food service positions in your organization
will offer low pay, they often attract people who cannot easily
find jobs elsewhere. These people may not be as easy to work with
and supervise. You will have to cope with constant turnover and
training of new employees.
More on Career PossibilitiesAs
a food service administrator, you may own a restaurant or manage
food service operations for others. Your duties will be many and
varied.
Food service directors train,
supervise, and schedule food service workers in hospitals, nursing
homes, schools, colleges, and other institutions. Besides their
supervisory duties in the kitchen, food service directors also
keep records and inventory, place orders, receive and check deliveries,
set prices, and help the dietitian plan menus. Directors often
interview and hire new employees.
Dietary managers meet with dietitians,
physicians, and nurses to develop applicable diets for the foodservice
and direct the personnel preparing the food. They show staff how
to prepare and serve food to meet dietary requirements.
Flight kitchen managers purchase
and prepare food and supplies for airlines. By reviewing reservations
and flight information, they determine the kinds and amount of
food to supply for passengers. They oversee cooks and other kitchen
workers who prepare meals. Special challenges can make their job
very demanding. Meals must be attractive, tasty, and easy to serve
and eat. The variety of passengers and the lack of elaborate kitchens
are among these challenges.
Industrial cafeteria managers
supervise workers who prepare and serve meals to company employees.
Along with being nutritious and reasonably priced, these meals
must appeal to a wide range of tastes and needs. Managers of industrial
cafeterias are in charge of cost control, food, merchandising,
and personnel. They plan daily menus for employees of all shifts.
They order food and supplies and supervise storage. They keep
records and inventory, report expenses, and interview and hire
new food service workers.Like other food service supervisors,
school lunch program managers
have much paperwork. Their duties include keeping detailed records
required by the government on milk subsidies and surplus foods.
However, managers in this environment apply principles of nutrition
and use computer analysis of menus for nutrient content. Nutrition
education of the staff and students is also part of the managers
responsibilities.
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