Knowledge

• Administration and Management: Knowledge of managing the operations of a business, company, or group.
• Sales and Marketing: Knowledge of advertising and selling products and services.
• Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of providing special services to customers based on their needs.
• Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of producing, supplying, and using goods and services. Also includes knowledge of the methods for keeping business records.
• Personnel and Human Resources: Knowledge of the department that is in charge of the relationship between a company and its employees. In particular, includes knowledge of the activities performed by the department.
• Education and Training: Knowledge of teaching and the methods involved in learning and instruction.
• Mathematics: Knowledge of the rules and uses of numbers. Areas of knowledge include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and statistics.
• Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of protecting people, data, and property.
• Law, Government, and Jurisprudence: Knowledge of laws, rules, court procedures, and the political process.
• English Language: Knowledge of the meaning, spelling, and use of the English language.

Preparation

Some restaurant managers are promoted from within the company. However, most restaurant managers go through formal training programs. More than 150 colleges and universities offer four-year programs in restaurant and hotel management or food service management. Graduates receive a bachelor's degree. In addition, over 800 community and junior colleges or technical schools offer programs in these fields. Graduates receive an associate degree or other certification. Both types of programs offer classes in nutrition and food planning and preparation. They also offer classes in accounting, business management, and computer science. Some programs combine classroom study with experience in a restaurant setting. Most restaurant chains and food service companies have training programs for managers. Trainees receive both classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Topics include food preparation, nutrition, management of employees, record keeping, and use of the company's computer system. Trainees usually receive their first permanent assignment as assistant managers after six months or a year. High school students interested in this field should take business and computer classes. Working in a restaurant or food service setting would also be helpful.

Skills

• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.
• Change behavior in relation to others? actions.
• Express ideas clearly when speaking and writing.
• Choose a mathematical method or formula to solve problems.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Think of original ideas or creative ways to solve problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Examine solutions to problems and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Study measures of system performance and review their accuracy.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Understand spoken information.
• Suggest approaches for applying ideas.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.
• Understand written information.
• Obtain needed equipment, facilities, and materials and oversee their use.
• Analyze ideas or actions and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Decide how to spend money to get the work done and keep track of how the money was used.
• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Develop a vision of how a system should work.

Interests

There are many different interest inventories available. The results they produce may differ from the interests described here.
• Have enterprising interests. They like work activities that involve starting up and carrying out projects, especially in business. They like to lead and persuade others, make decisions, and take risks for profit.
• Have conventional interests. They like work activities that follow set procedures, routines, and standards. They like to work with data and detail. They prefer working where there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• Have social interests. They like work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development. They like to communicate with others: to teach, give advice, help, or otherwise be of service to others.

Values

• Consider independence important. They like to make decisions and try out ideas on their own. They prefer jobs where they can plan their work with little supervision.
• Consider achievement important. They like to see the results of their work and to use their strongest abilities. They like to get a feeling of accomplishment from their work.
• Consider recognition important. They like to work in jobs which have opportunities for them to advance, be recognized for their work, and direct and instruct others. They usually prefer jobs in which they are looked up to by others.
• Consider good working conditions important. They like jobs offering steady employment and good pay. They want employment that fits their individual work style. They may prefer doing a variety of tasks, working alone, or being busy all the time.
• Consider relationships important. They like to work in a friendly, non-competitive environment. They like to do things for other people. They prefer jobs where they are not pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

Related Educational Programs and Colleges

The Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association.
250 South Wacker Drive
Suite 1400
Chicago, Illinois  60606

American Culinary Foundation Educational Institute
P.O.Box 3466
St.Augustine, Florida 32084