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Chef to General Manager

The hospitality industry is under a lot of change, and there has never been a more exciting time to think about your career progression. Whether you are just starting in the kitchen to being a key figure design your restaurant’s menus, your experience could allow you to make the pass to front of house and into the office

Apprentice Chefs

First Course: Chef Roles

For anyone looking to get into the hospitality industry, entry level kitchen jobs offer a wide range of opportunities to earn some great experience in a fast paced working atmosphere.

The tasks that all chefs undertake vary and depending on your role and can be categorised from preparation, cooking and plating food.The role you hold, where you work and the type of food you produce are all determining factors of the responsibility you will hold.

Throughout your progression in a chef role, you can expect to:

  • Work in different sections of the kitchen

  • Prep, cook and assemble dishes, ensuring they go out on time

  • Developing menus

  • Oversee the day to day running of a kitchen

 
  • Delegate responsibilities to beginner chefs

  • Be responsible for quality control, tasting dishes and making sure they are to the highest quality

  • Recruit, motivate and manage your staff

Salaries vary massively depending on where you work, this comes down to geography and the establishment you are working for. For example a Michelin-starred restaurant are likely to pay their chef roles more generously than contract catering jobs.

As a guide a trainee chef can look for a salary between £12,000 and £16,000. As you progress through your career to a head chef role, you can expect higher salaries of £25,000 to £55,000.

To view our Chef roles available click here >

 

Next Step: Assistant Manager

If you decided that working in a kitchen is no longer for you, your experience has a lot of transferable skills to other areas in the industry, the most dominant is the other side of the pass and moving into Front Of House management.

Whether you have qualifications directly relevant to Assistant Management or not, the majority of work places offer formal training to help you flourish in the front of house role.

All restaurant management roles remain a highly fast paced job and require you to ensure your restaurant operates efficiently, earning a great reputation, sticking to your brand ethos and producing a profitability.

Directly contributing to the day to day running of the restaurant, you will be heavily involved with inspiring your staff on shift, as well as behind the scenes tasks.

Salaries again vary for assistant managers based on location and who you work for, but you can typically expect to earn between £18,000 and £30,000.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Prepare reports at the end of the shift

  • Respond to customer queries and complaints

  • Coordinate the operation of the restaurant during scheduled shifts

  • Respond to customer queries and complaints

 
  • Plan and coordinate menus

  • Train, manage and motivate staff

  • Meet and greet customers, organise table reservations and offer advice on food and drink choices

  • Maintain high quality standards of hygiene, venue presentation and level of service

To view our Assistant Manager roles available click here >


Deputy General Manager

Excelling in an Assistant Manager provides you the opportunity to progress into a Deputy General manager role. Bringing your hard work, desire to put your own taste onto your restaurant setting and the ability to successfully train a great team around gives you all the qualities needed

Directly contributing to the day to day running of the restaurant, you will again be heavily involved with inspiring your staff on shift, as well as behind the scenes tasks.

Salaries again vary for deputy general managers based on location and who you work for, but you can typically expect to earn between £25,000 and £35,000.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Analyse and plan restaurant sales levels and profitability

  • Organise marketing activities, such as promotional events and discount schemes

  • Coordinate the operation of the restaurant during scheduled shifts

  • Train, manage and motivate staff

 
  • Check stock levels, order supplies and prepare cash drawers and petty cash

  • Meet and greet customers, organise table reservations and offer advice on food and drink choices

  • Maintain high quality standards of hygiene, venue presentation and level of service.

To view our Deputy General Manager roles available click here >


General Manager

Your progression continues into the top role in Front Of House management as a General manager.

As a general manager you will truly be running the restaurant. Reporting directly above you to the respective operations team members, area managers and board of your brand.

Your career progression looks to take a change into the operations side as you become more heavily involved with the brand as a whole.

Salaries again vary for general managers based on location and who you work for, but you can typically expect to earn between £27,000 and £40,000.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Take responsibility for the business performance of the restaurant

  • Analyse and plan restaurant sales levels and profitability

  • Organise marketing activities, such as promotional events and discount schemes

  • Prepare reports at the end of the shift/week, including staff control, food control and sales

  • Create and execute plans for department sales, profit and staff development.

 
  • Set budgets and agree with senior management

  • Recruit, train and motivate staff

  • Check stock levels, order supplies and prepare cash drawers and petty cash

  • Maintain high quality standards of hygiene, venue presentation and level of service

To view our General Manager roles available click here >