Which sector is right for you – restaurants, hotels, foodservice or pubs?

Adam Howard, general manager, Mollie’s Bristol 

“When I was studying at sixth form, I got a part-time job in a hotel as a room service attendant. I went onto study film-making and creative media, but the whole time I was still doing some hospitality shifts. Halfway into my course, I decided to go all in with hospitality and hotels in particular. 

“I didn’t really have any real experience in hotels other than the occasional visit with family holidays. I think a preconception – albeit misconceived – was that they were stuffy, rigid places, uber-focused on tradition. But when I was working in them, it was a lot more warm, especially with the teams you are working with and all the people you get to meet. 

“The most satisfying aspect is probably seeing people grow within their roles, growing in confidence and having meaningful conversations with guests. You have to build a rapport with visitors very quickly, so you learn to understand people in a very different way.

“With hotels, there’s like an intangible heartbeat, a pulse. It’s often a 24-hour operation and there’s so many things to think about, but when it all comes together, it’s like a beautiful harmony.”

 

Restaurants: where a passion for gastronomy will take you far

Many young people work in restaurants and gastropubs while studying or during the school holidays, and some enjoy the busy, fun atmosphere so much they decide on a career in the sector. Working as part of a lively team and interacting with customers is part of the attraction, but ambitious go-getters are also drawn by the opportunities they see to fast-track into management or gain skills to one day run their own business.

In the kitchen, many of the finest chefs in the country started their careers washing pots in the school holidays. Those looking to pursue a career as a chef can enrol in a catering course at college or explore apprenticeship opportunities. The industry is experiencing chef shortages, so the opportunities to develop quickly under an inspiring mentor are there to be taken, and it’s a career that can take you to awards and fame as well as providing opportunities to work around the world.

Front of house roles range from managers and sommeliers to waiters, hosts, bar staff, reservations teams and more. Everyone need to be as passionate about food as their chef colleagues back of house. A good employer will develop your confidence and knowledge, while providing opportunities to expand skills in your chosen area, be it wine, cocktail making, cheese or silver service.

There’s an environment for everyone – from smart-casual dining operators, such as Flat Iron and Dishoom, to high street stalwarts such as PizzaExpress or Michelin-starred restaurants such as Core by Clare Smyth.

 

Tomás Gormley, chef patron, Skua

“I’ve worked in restaurants mainly because they were the only place that would take me after dropping out of university. It was supposed to be a stop gap until I worked out what I wanted to do, but I fell in love with the pace of it all and the opportunities available.

“I’ll be honest – I didn’t think it would be as hard as it was, or as rewarding. I was pretty naive going in. The thing I enjoy the most at Skua is seeing a plan come together, happy guests and happy staff working well together.

“If you’re keen to work in restaurants, find yourself a positive team that’s going to help you develop as a cook and as a person. You’ll spend most of your week with these people, so try to work somewhere that has a positive culture and not just accolades. Take your probation period seriously at a new job and remember it’s as much about it being a fit for you as it is for your boss.” 

Foodservice: a structured career path within the 9 to 5

Foodservice may not be a sector you’re immediately familiar with, but you will encounter those working in it all the time. Those in foodservice work across all areas of catering, from school canteens and hospitals to weddings, airports, museums, cultural attractions and sports stadiums as well as in large businesses and at grand events such as Royal garden parties and Wimbledon.

This sector offers variety, opportunity and career progression with employers including multinationals such as Compass and Sodexo; large independents such as BaxterStorey or CH&Co; as well as smaller boutique operators such as Dinner Ladies or Social Pantry; or in-house caterers. All will offer a diverse working environment and often more sociable working hours than other areas of hospitality.

You’ll be offered a structured career path with the corporate big guns, but arguably the smaller companies might encourage more creative input. The sort of roles on offer include chefs, waiters and F&B managers through to events planners, operations, marketing and sales managers. And if you demonstrate a passion for good food and service, you could find yourself on an exciting journey from working the floor to a seat at head office.

 

Charlie Needler, coffee coach, Gather & Gather

“Before pursuing a career in foodservice, I explored different avenues, from estate agent to children’s nursery. I wanted to work somewhere that allowed me to be myself, and that’s hospitality. I’ve had a few hospitality roles, from kitchen porter and back of house to serving food but coffee is the one! Becoming a barista ignited a passion within. I love being in a busy environment amongst chattering and laughing customers.

“I, very wrongly, had the perception that hospitality was a job you did if you had nowhere else to go. Now I know it’s a career, and one to be proud of. The career pathway is endless and there are so many opportunities to learn and grow.  

“A lot of my time is spent igniting the passion in other baristas in my role as coffee coach. I love the fact I get to train and upskill new talent, but I also love the fact that some days my number one priority is to make the customer smile.

“Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. I’m lucky because in my company we are encouraged to take opportunities to learn at every stage of our careers. I’ve learned how to engage with individuals and take the time to make them feel heard, because we’re not all the same. I’ve grown considerably as an individual since working in hospitality. It’s the best decision I’ve made!”

 

Pubs and bars: one for the social butterflies

 

Pubs and bars are sociable workplaces with great team camaraderie; they are also fantastic places to build a career. It’s easy to find a venue that suits your career aspirations, whether that’s a buzzing drinks-led bar where you can learn to mix cocktails, a food-focused pub offering incredible meals with wine pairings and great service levels, or a community venue where you can get to know the locals.

The roles available are as varied as the range of venues: from chefs to hosts, waiters, bar staff, and managers up to head office positions. Large groups such as Mitchells & Butlers, Fuller’s and Greene King, as well as smaller operators such as Peach Pub Group, Oakman Inns and Chestnut Group, offer great training programmes and opportunities to develop across properties.

Best of all, whether you work in a bar for a summer or a few years or build your career there, you’ll learn skills, such as being able to interact confidently with customers and adapt to busy work environments, that will stand you in good stead wherever life takes you.

 

Georgia Price, training manager, Oakman Inns 

“I left school with good A Levels but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I didn’t want to go to university, but I wanted to do something that was hands on. So I ended up working in a local village pub, and then that became my full-time job. I fell in love with the industry and the people and the experiences that it creates. I started in a standard bartender role and then progressed to have more responsibilities. 

“Oakmann Inns is where I got my big break. Within three years of starting with them, I had become the youngest general manager in the company, having taken on my own site aged 21. 

“At pubs, you meet all walks of life. It’s also where I’ve learnt to read people and read the room. It’s such a transferable skill. You can talk to people, you can crisis manage, time manage – all those different things that you just don’t even realise you are doing. I think that’s why I love it. I think everyone should work in a pub at one point in their life just to have that experience.

“If anyone is deciding between pubs and bars, I would say bars can be a bit more high pressure and fast-paced so if you’ve never done hospitality before, pubs would be the easiest way to get in. That said, there’s something for everyone. It just depends if you want to be a mixologist and absolutely smash out those cocktails on a Friday night, or you want to be serving the best produce at a gastropub.”

 

International opportunities: have skills, will travel

Good news for globe-trotters: your homegrown hospitality skills will be in demand across the world. For instance, international groups including Marriott, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group offer sought-after graduate training programmes that allow you to travel.

 

Popular destinations are the UAE – particularly Dubai – as well as Australia, the US, the Caribbean and the Far East. You could even transfer your skills to cruise ships or enjoy stints at ski resorts. You will need a visa to work in many places, but it’s likely your employer will help you.