Hospitality Job Profiles Dictionary

Often involved in menu development as well as food preparation, the assistant chef assumes many responsibilities.  They are often in charge of preparing accompaniments and sweet dishes to compliment the main dish.  They assist with many duties of the executive chef; therefore, they must have a thorough knowledge of culinary activities.

 

Generally located in retail or wholesale bakeries, bakers assume many responsibilities.  When baking, Ingredients must be weighed, measured, and/or mixed, dough must be cut or formed, fillings must be prepared, and batter must be distributed properly.  These professionals specialise in creating cookies, cakes, pastries, breads, and pies.  

 

All aspects of banquet service and preparation are the responsibility of banquet chefs.  They follow contractual agreements when developing menus.  They are responsible for all members of the banquet staff, so they must have excellent managerial and motivation skills.

 

 

Events including weddings, corporate meetings, birthdays

 

Responsible for services delivered by bar staff, bar managers supervise a number of individuals in generally busy and hectic environments.  They determine serving sizes and adjust prices accordingly to ensure company profits.  They monitor employees to ensure proper portions are served, and determine what inventory to keep on hand.  They also train and manage the staff to ensure a clean facility and smooth operation.

 

The primary duty of the bar staff is to deliver food and beverages to customers in a timely manner, with exceptional service.  They also prepare a variety of drinks and cocktails to serve directly to customers.  They maintain the cleanliness and organization of the entire bar area, and assist bartenders and bar managers as necessary.

 

While the main job of a bartender is to serve beer, wine, and mixed drinks as requested, there are a number of other tasks associated with these positions.  These professionals must memorise drink recipes, and be able to prepare each drink specific to order while accurately measuring drinks to ensure little or no waste.  Professionals receive orders from customers seated at the bar, as well as the wait staff.  They keep track of drinks served, and collect payment as necessary. 

 

Employed to assist guests with their luggage, bellhops and porters meet clients at their vehicle, unload luggage, and immediately deliver their belongings to their room.  Upon check out, they remove luggage from rooms, and load into the guest’s car or taxis.  These positions may be physically demanding, and professionals must exercise care when dealing with personal items of guests. 

 

Once cakes and other sweet goods are finished baking, cake finishers prepare them for presentation to the customer.  They decorate and finish the cake using icing, sugars, sauces, and other confections.  Small utensils are often used to create intricate ornaments to adorn each piece. 

 

Casino dealers undergo a large amount of training to ensure their adherence to government and company procedures.  Candidates will exchange cash for chips, deal cards, determine winners, disperse winnings, and explain rules as necessary.  Professionals must know all rules and exceptions to games, as well as have the ability to quickly calculate numbers in order to ensure accurate chip and card counts. 

 

Accountable for the daily activities of an entire casino, operations managers monitor and manage food service, gaming, security, and other departments throughout the day.  They must meet all necessary government policies, and make necessary changes to current procedures to meet ever evolving regulations.  Professionals must have a thorough knowledge of the gaming industry and should always be seeking new cost effective, company enhancements.

 

To provide food service to an offsite location.

 

 

The responsibility of preparing meals in fine dining restaurants belongs to qualified chefs.  These careers necessitate knowledge of numerous aspects within the culinary field.  Each meal must be prepared according to set standards and recipes.

 

The Chef de Cuisine oversees all aspects relating to culinary operations including kitchen supply and food inventory, maintaining government regulations, and monitoring customer satisfaction.  They also test recipes and create menus as needed.

 

 

Although they work directly under the executive chef, the chef garde managers are responsible for the direction of others on the kitchen staff.  They are also responsible for the preparation of many or all of a restaurant’s cold foods.  A great deal of training is required for these occupations. 

 

 

Acting as an assistant to clientele, a concierge will carry out a number of tasks for guests.  Duties may include recommending local restaurants, giving directions, hailing taxis, and suggesting various points of interest.  Larger, more upscale facilities, expect these employees to deliver some rather inconceivable services.  They are expected to consult vendors, and use various community contacts to fully meet each request, no matter how abstract.

 

Duties for a culinary operations manager vary greatly. They oversee the functions of food service operations, which generally include the creation and implementation of standards that must be maintained for all products.  They also create and develop new recipes and concepts for restaurant usage.

 

 

Responsible for the success of events including weddings, corporate meetings, birthdays, etc. Banquet managers and directors must deliver optimal services.  They arrange entertainment, staff, decorations, and schedule events so that there is adequate time to clean up from one event and set up for the next event.  They are responsible for large and meaningful moments in others’ lives, and therefore must perform exceptionally for each event.

 

When delivering meals to an offsite destination, there are many factors catering managers and directors must consider.  Meals must be prepared in foreign facilities or transported from their restaurant, therefore extensive planning is necessary.  Professionals must be adequately trained in food safety regulations, and ensure employees constantly maintain safe practices.

 

To ensure daily operations run smoothly, food and beverage managers work together with the general management in an attempt to increase profits and assist with the pricing of menu items.  They monitor associates and guarantee optimal preparation, presentation, and delivery to customers. 

 

Accountable for all aspects of guest room housekeeping, housekeeping directors and managers ensure excellent service is delivered to every room.  They may inspect facilities, coordinate maintenance, or make renovation recommendations.  Professionals must be capable of delegating necessary tasks to associates, and monitoring the completion of all duties, in an attempt to deliver overall cleanliness.

 

The executive chef oversees all aspects relating to culinary operations including kitchen supply and food inventory, maintaining government regulations, and monitoring customer satisfaction.  They also test recipes and create menus as needed.

 

Thorough knowledge of culinary arts is necessary in order to be a successful executive pastry chef.  They direct all activities of the pastry kitchen and will continually create new recipes for baked goods, and prepare the dessert menu.

 

Located directly below the executive chef in the chain of command, the executive sous chef must take over all functions of the kitchen in the absence of the exec chef.  With duties that may include inventory management, employee scheduling, and constant assistance to executive chef, extensive experience is mandatory for these positions.

 

F&B is typically the widely accepted abbreviation for "Food and Beverage" which is the sector/industry that specialises in the conceptualisation, the making of, and delivering of food.

 

The sector/industry that specialises in the conceptualisation, the making of, and delivering of food.

 

 

Food service managers are responsible for the oversight of all activities related to food service within a specific organization.  They purchase necessary food, plan menus, maintain health and safety regulations, and staff the kitchen and dining room.  They purchase the best equipment at the best price for their facility in order to maintain company budget and increase profits. 

 

Often a client’s first contact with a hotel establishment, front desk attendants must cordially welcome all guests, and assist with any needs throughout their stay.  At check out, attendants prepare bills, explain charges, and tender funds.  They are commonly expected to utilise a number of computer systems for check in/out, and issue room keys, badges, and/or any other necessary items. 

 

Responsible for ensuring customer satisfaction for their entire stay, front office managers hire and train staff in order to guarantee excellent services delivered.  Front office managers oversee the daily actions of many individuals, and handle customer complaints as they arise.  Scheduled hours may require overtime, weekend, evening, or holiday shifts.

 

Hosts and hostesses greet guests as they arrive, monitor the restaurant floor to ensure the availability of seats and efficiency of the staff, keep waiting lists, and seat guests.  They resolve customer complaints, and are in charge of taking reservations.  The main difference between these associates and maitre d’s is that hosts and hostesses are employed in establishments ranked with fewer than four stars.

 

Hotel housekeepers are expected to thoroughly clean rooms before guests arrive for their stay.  Duties include stripping/ and making beds, changing linens, restocking rooms, cleaning all room surfaces including walls, floors, counters, tables, tubs, mirrors, etc. Professionals must tidy all areas, remove rubbish, and dust rooms as needed.  They may inspect rooms prior to guest admittance, and are responsible for the delivery of requested items to rooms upon guest request.

 

All aspects of guest room cleaning, including coordinate maintenance, or make renovation recommendations.

 

 

Kitchen managers work jointly with food service managers to ensure all operations within the kitchen are properly organised and executed.  They monitor the preparation and serving of food, as well as the training and supervision of the staff.  They must keep a number of financial records, and are in charge of preparing reports. 

 

To assist chefs and cooks when preparing dishes, the kitchen staff organises and prepares ingredients or simple dishes.  Duties may include cleaning, chopping, slicing, trimming, or seasoning meats, fruits, vegetables, or breads.  Professionals must wash and store pots, pans, and utensils necessary for later use.  Overall, they maintain the cleanliness, and organization of kitchen and adjacent areas throughout the day, delivering their assistance when needed.

 

Laundry and linen attendants are enlisted for the cleaning of soiled linens.  Attendants separate any damaged items and prepare for repair or destruction.  They sort and weigh items, load items into washers/dryers, and keep records of the operation of equipment.  They fold towels, pillow cases, blankets, sheets, and bed pads either manually or mechanically, and iron table cloths and sheets. 

 

Little or no formal education is required to become a line cook.  They prepare foods according to pre-established guidelines and standards and are responsible for ensuring only quality foods are produced.

 

Responsible for all tasks associated with the maintenance of a hotel, maintenance technicians must be skilled in a number of carpentry, mechanic, HVAC, plumbing, and painting duties.  They must inspect the facility and repair items as needed.  They may be utilised for indoor or outdoor repair, so candidates must be physically capable of completing many tasks.  Communication skills and personable characteristics are necessary due to the high amount of customer interaction. 

 

With duties similar to a host or hostess, the maitre d’ is responsible for dividing the restaurant into sections for each server to maintain, greeting guests as they arrive, keeping seating charts and logs, and seating guests as tables are cleared.  They may also be in charge of taking reservations, handling any customer complaints, or fulfilling requests as they arise.  These professionals are often employed in elite or very exclusive establishments.

 

Employed to cover the slower hours of the night, night auditors maintain a number of tasks.  They run reports, balance shift audits, as well as a variety of administrative duties.  They may be required to fill in as registration clerks or front desk attendants as necessary.  Professionals are responsible for keeping detailed records, and reporting to day shift and other superiors.

 

Thorough knowledge of culinary arts is necessary in order to be a successful executive pastry chef.  They direct all activities of the pastry kitchen and will continually create new recipes for baked goods, and prepare the dessert menu.

 

By working from existing recipes, pastry chefs create numerous baked goods.  They ensure customer satisfaction by producing only high quality baked goods and pastries.  Formal education combined with past experience is generally necessary for these positions.

 

 

Employed to assist guests with their luggage, bellhops and porters meet clients at their vehicle, unload luggage, and immediately deliver their belongings to their room.  Upon check out, they remove luggage from rooms, and load into the guest’s car or taxis.  These positions may be physically demanding, and professionals must exercise care when dealing with personal items of guests. 

 

Commonly responsible for the preparation of side dishes or soups, these chefs assist other chefs as necessary.  They clean, dice, cut, slice, and arrange foods as needed by the executive chef.  A general knowledge of all fields is necessary for these positions.

 

Reservation Clerks process requests for rooms received via telephone, fax, or any number of online services.  They process all information, and ensure room availability throughout the guest’s stay.  They may also provide certificate of non-availability or present alternative lodging to guests, if need be.  Prior to guest arrival, they inspect rooms to ensure all requests have been fulfilled. 

 

To ensure rooms are not overbooked, facilities employ reservation managers to oversee all duties associated with the reservation of hotel and banquet rooms.  Professionals will train subordinate staff, and assist them with any issues that may arise.  Their goal is to maintain customer satisfaction, while following company policies.  A combination of formal education and on the job experience is commonly necessary for entrance into these occupations. 

 

To maintain the overall satisfaction and experience of customers, restaurant managers oversee all activities within a facility.  They ensure that each customer is welcomed into the establishment and seated in a timely manner.  For special patrons, they may personally take orders, ensuring that top of the line service is delivered.  They also resolve any issues in order to secure customer satisfaction in compliance with company policies. 

 

Hotel housekeepers are expected to thoroughly clean rooms before guests arrive for their stay.  Duties include stripping/ and making beds, changing linens, restocking rooms, cleaning all room surfaces including walls, floors, counters, tables, tubs, mirrors, etc. Professionals must tidy all areas, remove rubbish, and dust rooms as needed.  They may inspect rooms prior to guest admittance, and are responsible for the delivery of requested items to rooms upon guest request.

 

The room service wait staff must promptly deliver meals and other products directly to guest rooms upon request.  Candidates are generally uniformed, and must maintain customer satisfaction.  Good communication skills are needed for success in these positions.

 

Room division managers ensure that all details of a room are properly completed prior to and throughout the stay of guests.  They supervise the front desk, guest services, and housekeeping departments.  Schedules are often varied and may include nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

 

Responsible for the safety of all persons and property at a facility, security managers monitor individuals throughout the day.  They recommend and coordinate the installation of extra security systems, as well as handle the scheduling of the security staff.  They must also be capable of solving problems, and ensuring safety.

 

Responsible for the safety of all persons and property at a facility, security managers monitor individuals throughout the day.  They recommend and coordinate the installation of extra security systems, as well as handle the scheduling of the security staff.  They must also be capable of solving problems, and ensuring safety.

 

Often distinguished or identified by a particular cooking style or ingredient, a signature chef must have extensive culinary experience.  They are responsible for creating new recipes, and will often combine, alter, and/or tweak existing recipes to create an excellent final product.  They must create elaborate presentations for each food as well. 

 

Employed by restaurants for delivering wine to a customer’s table, or overseeing wine tastings, Sommelier are thoroughly knowledgeable about all wine sold within their establishment.  They ensure wine is stored properly and suggest the best wines to compliment specific dishes. 

 

Located directly below the executive chef in the chain of command, the executive sous chef must take over all functions of the kitchen in the absence of the exec chef.  With duties that may include inventory management, employee scheduling, and constant assistance to executive chef, extensive experience is mandatory for these positions.

 

As the creators and adaptors of traditional Japanese dishes, sushi chefs undergo a large amount of training.  They work a great deal with raw fish, so health and safety knowledge is a must.  They must be creative and precise when making these dishes. 

 

Employed by upscale restaurants and hotels, valets meet and greet customers at the curb, assist them with exiting their vehicle and safely park their vehicle for the customer.  Valets exchange identification slips for keys so when customers are ready for to leave, the slip is presented, and valets drive the customer’s car up to the curb, assist guests, and ensure exceptional service from beginning to end.  Valets must be highly trustworthy due to the equipment customers entrust them with. 

 

In order to become part of a wait staff, it is required to complete training to ensure the safe and proper handling of food from the kitchen to a customers’ table.  In facilities where alcoholic beverages are served, waiters and waitresses may be required to obtain a liquor license in order to legally handle alcohol.  Professionals may collect payment from customers, and must ensure that facilities are clean and equipment is well maintained.  They are expected to assist others as the work load necessitates.

 

Employed by restaurants for delivering wine to a customer’s table, or overseeing wine tastings, wine stewards are thoroughly knowledgeable about all wine sold within their establishment.  They ensure wine is stored properly and suggest the best wines to compliment specific dishes.