Beverage Management
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When you order a fancy mixed drink at an upscale restaurant or resort, the drink you choose, and the menu you chose it from, are the work of beverage managers. Beverage managers are a specialized type of food service manager that manage beverage services at restaurants, diners, resorts, hotels, schools, and other large food service institutions. Beverage managers work with chefs and food service managers to develop drink menus and order the appropriate drink ingredients and supplies. Some beverage managers are responsible for hiring and training beverage staff, such as bartenders, waiters, and waitresses. They create work schedules and ensure that their establishment is properly staffed with beverage workers on any given night.
There are a few ways to launch a career in beverage management. Those with professional experience in food service or bartending may qualify for these positions based on their experience. Others may choose to earn an associate or bachelor's degree in food service management, hospitality, or a related area from a community college or university. These programs discuss topics like nutrition, food ordering, management and decision making, and business skills. Beverage managers may also earn voluntary professional credentials, such as the Foodservice Management Professional certification.
Despite slower than average job growth in the coming years, beverage managers and other food service managers should have good job prospects. This is because many current managers will be retiring or otherwise leaving the business, leaving many open positions available. Those with formal training in a food service area will have the best prospects. The middle half of food service managers earn $38,000-62,000 a year.
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Career Specializations
Beverage management is itself a specialization, within the larger umbrella of hospitality and food service management. However, beverage managers may be able to further specialize within this field, depending on the type of restaurant, hotel, bar, or institution where they are employed. For example, an especially large hotel or resort may also employ assistant beverage managers, who are in charge of heeding the directions of the general manager; assistant managers may order supplies, stock shelves, or develop work schedules for bar staff.
Degree Levels
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
The educational paths for entering a career in beverage management are varied. Some enter this career based solely on their professional experience in food service, as a bartender, chef, assistant manager, or other food service worker. After they are hired, most recruits undergo extensive training conducted by their employer. Since many restaurants, bars, or resorts are part of a chain, employee training must be standardized across the many franchises in that chain. In this setting, new hires develop skills through shadowing an experienced beverage manager and through taking employer-run courses.
Those interested in pursuing a formal education in beverage management can choose to enroll in an associate degree or bachelor's degree program in hospitality or food service management. During these degree programs, students take coursework in practical areas of food management, such as nutrition and food ordering, as well as in business topics like decision making and effective management. Many hospitality and food management programs require students to intern in a restaurant, hotel, or other food service establishment, to get real-world experience in this field.
Beverage managers will not need licensure or professional certification to find employment. However, earning voluntary credentials can boost one's job prospects and opportunities. The Foodservice Management Professional (FMP) certification is given out by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), and is one of the most widely recognized credentials in the food service industry. To earn this credential, individuals must complete a set of classes offered by the NRAEF and pass a written exam. (BLS)
Salary Information
Those with an associate degree or bachelor's degree in hospitality or food service management can expect initial job offers of around $38,000 a year. After demonstrating their skills and gaining professional experience, beverage managers can earn $38,000-$62,000 a year. The industries employing the most food service managers are limited-service eating places, full-service restaurants, special food services, traveler accommodation, and elementary and secondary schools. The areas with the highest concentration of food service managers in the workforce are Tennessee, Hawaii, Nevada, Maine, and Minnesota. The states with the highest average salaries for food service managers are Nevada, Delaware, Washington, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, where wages range from $63,000-72,000 a year. (BLS)
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job growth for food service managers, of whom beverage managers are a subset, will be a bit slower than the national average rate, in the coming years. Fewer new restaurants and food service establishments will be opening in the next few years. However, some beverage management positions are predicted to open up in non-restaurant establishments, such as convenience stores, grocery stores, and recreation industries.
And, despite relatively slow job growth, job prospects should be good for beverage managers, especially those with a formal education. This is because many current food service managers will be retiring and leaving the workforce in the 2008-2018 period, opening up a number of positions. More positions will also be created in sectors which serve the growing elderly population, such as nursing care facilities, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities. (BLS)
Related Careers
Individuals considering careers in beverage management might also be interested in careers in the culinary arts. Many individuals with culinary arts degrees begin as assistant chefs or food preparatory workers, and with professional experience advance to top chef and management positions. An associate or bachelor's degree in a culinary field is useful for entering this career.
Professional catering is another type of food management career. Professionals in catering oversee the preparation of large amounts of food for events, such as weddings and conferences. While the setting is different, catering requires many of the same management and food service skills as beverage and food service management.
Baking & pastry arts is another food service specialty. Bakers and pastry chefs work to develop recipes and create satisfying baked goods, such as breads, bagels, cakes, and cookies. Many baking and pastry arts workers learn their trade through a two- to four-year degree program at a culinary school or other vocational institution.
