Being one of the most important departments in a hotel, the Food and Beverage Department holds a key role in the hotel’s day-to-day operations. Fundamentally, their duties involve the high-quality serving of meals and drinks, combined with excellent customer service to create an unforgettable dining experience for guests.
While those tasks might be the most commonly known by people, there is actually more about the Food and Beverage Department than meets the eye. If you are a hotel staff wanting to learn more about this department or a senior student looking for opportunities in this area, our article will provide you insights into the Food and Beverage Department in a hotel, including the members’ responsibilities, services, and job prospects.
Food and Beverage Department’s Structure
Before we go any further, see below for the organization chart of the Food and Beverage Department in a hotel.
The Structure of Food and Beverage Department.
The Food and Beverage Department is composed of several sub-departments, which vary in each hotel. Based on this organizational chart, the department is led by the Food and Beverage Director who is in the highest position within the hierarchy of the Food and Beverage Department. The director supervises sub-departments which are led by managers that handle various areas of Food and Beverage. Each manager and their sub-departments have different tasks, but they share the same goal of ensuring the seamless operations of the hotel. Now, let us dive into the profiles and responsibilities of the Food and Beverage Department’s key players, shall we?
Food and Beverage Director
The Food and Beverage Director.
As the head of the Food and Beverage Department, a Food and Beverage Director shoulders great responsibilities, aside from mere supervision of subordinates and their sub-departments. In detail, their duties are as follows:
- Planning and organizing the menu, costs, supply, as well as staffing;
- Developing policies and procedures for the department’s operations and implementing them;
- Collaborating with other hotel departments in ensuring seamless visits and dining experiences,
- Keeping track of the industry’s latest trends and working closely with related sub-departments to innovate menu and service offerings.
The role of Food and Beverage Director is rather impressive and no easy feat. It requires exceptional leadership skills to manage the team and inspire them to achieve the department’s goals. If you want to reach this level of career, you will also need a strong knowledge of the Food and Beverage industry, along with excellent communication skills to maintain positive relationships with stakeholders.
Executive Chef
Executive Chef and Staff.
An Executive Chef’s duties are not limited to cooking, as they are in charge of the Restaurant and Kitchen sub-department. In some hotels, the restaurant and kitchen are differentiated, with the Kitchen sub-department may operate outside the Food and Beverage Department, and the Executive Chef directly reporting to the General Manager instead. As the team manager, their responsibilities are crucial to the uninterrupted flow of the hotel restaurant’s operations. To be specific, the job description of an Executive Chef includes:
- Managing the restaurant and kitchen staff, as well as providing tools and resources to support their work;
- Preparing and presenting high-quality culinary for guests;
- Ensuring the final quality of the served meals, which include the taste, presentation, and temperature,
- Collaborating with the Food and Beverage Director in menu innovations and developments.
Similar to Food and Beverage Director, being an Executive Chef means that they should possess great leadership skills to effectively manage the Restaurant and Kitchen sub-department. An outstanding Executive Chef must have a strong culinary background, with knowledge of various cooking techniques and ingredients. Surely, a good understanding of food and labor costs is also needed to improve the Restaurant and Kitchen team!
Room Service Manager
Room Service Manager and Staff.
Have you ever ordered meals or drinks to your room during your hotel stays? If yes, you should already be familiar with the people behind this hotel service: the Room Service sub-department! This team is headed by a Room Service Manager, whose primary role is to manage and provide food and beverage service to guests in their respective rooms. Particularly, their duties consist of:
- Overseeing all orders to ensure they are accurate and delivered to the correct rooms;
- Managing the Room Service staff by providing training to serve the guests very well;
- Planning, developing, and executing the regulations and procedures of Room Service operations,
- Working closely with the Executive Chef and the Restaurant & Kitchen sub-department to secure the food’s quality and delivery orders.
A Room Service Manager should be customer-oriented, as they are also required to handle guests’ complaints and concerns professionally. In addition, detail-oriented, strong quality control, and time management skills are essential to a Room Service Manager’s expertise, so they will be able to manage their responsibilities effectively.
Chief Steward
The Chief Steward.
If you look for the term “steward” on the internet, you might find misconceptions such as the role is said to be the same as a waiter. The truth is, stewards and waiters don’t share the same responsibilities – let alone the sub-department! While waiters are actually the staff of the Restaurant and Kitchen sub-department, stewards are part of the Steward sub-department, led by a Chief Steward. Similar to other sub-departments, the Chief Steward is in charge of overseeing the team’s operations. Specifically, their responsibilities are much more than that, as they cover:
- Maintenance of all cutleries, kitchen, dining areas, and other facilities so they meet the health and safety standards;
- Training Steward staff in performing their tasks;
- Developing, as well as establishing the cleaning and maintenance regulations and procedures,
- Collaborating with the staff and the Food and Beverage Director in providing memorable, satisfying dining experiences to guests.
With such important duties, the Chief Steward is another key role in the Food and Beverage Department. To become a handy and exceptional Chief Steward, one must hold high levels of leadership, organizational, and attention to detail skills. For these skills to develop, you can challenge yourself by participating in volunteer, or even internship programs that will provide you with professional self-development!
Bar Manager
The Bar Manager.
The bar is a common Food and Beverage service in large-sized hotels and is popular among the guests. A bar provides various types of drinks (often alcoholic beverages) which are served by a bartender. The Bar sub-department is managed by a Bar Manager, the person in charge of all the bar’s operations. As the team leader, their responsibilities are:
- Managing the bar’s daily operations, which include organizing supplies, budget, and more;
- Sourcing and training bar staff;
- Developing and implementing bar regulations and procedures to maintain high-quality serving of drinks and exceptional bar service for guests,
- Working with the head bartender in the creation and innovation of drink recipes.
Being the leader of the Bar sub-department means a Bar Manager should possess a high qualification, primarily in leadership and customer service. Additionally, a grasp of finances is needed as well for Bar Managers to successfully manage budgets and make monetary decisions.
Banquet Manager
The Banquet Manager.
Hotels are often utilized as a venue for grand celebrations; for example, a company gala, weddings, or fancy dinner parties. As these kinds of events require special arrangements, there are people tasked to plan, prepare, and execute such occasions. They are the Banquet sub-department, with a Banquet Manager in charge of leading this sub-department. Specifically, the manager’s duties include:
- Coordinating with clients to execute the special events properly and supervising the special events to make sure they run seamlessly;
- Recruiting and training the banquet staff to perform excellent service for guests;
- Developing and implementing policies and procedures for the Banquet sub-department’s operations;
- Ensuring the facilities and equipment for special events are well-maintained and good to use.
The Banquet Manager is required to excel in the following expertise: organization, communication, leadership, and decision-making. To train and develop these skills, you will need experience and practice, which you can get directly by joining an internship program.
Staff Members
Food and Beverage Department’s Staff.
Last but not least, the staff of each sub-departments that completes the Food and Beverage Department! These staffs are the hands and frontlines of Food and Beverage’s sub-departments, as some of them are required to serve the guests directly. In general, their responsibilities are as follows:
- Work according to their job descriptions and answer to their supervisors;
- Enforcing the regulations and following the procedures of their respective sub-departments,
- Ensuring guests’ satisfaction by providing quality service in their respective fields.
The staff’s contributions are equally vital in supporting the Food and Beverage Department’s daily operations. Hence, it is mandatory for all department members to contribute to their fullest and maintain teamwork.
Types of Food and Beverage Services
Food and Beverage Services.
The Food and Beverage Department has a wide range of service offerings for guests. Here are some of the common Food and Beverage services provided in a hotel:
- Restaurant Service: Provides a sit-down dining experience with various cuisine and menu options. Guests’ orders are taken and served by waiters.
- Cafe Service: This service serves casual and light meals such as pastries and sandwiches for guests.
- Room Service: With this service, guests are allowed to order food and beverages to their rooms. Hotel room service mostly operates 24 hours a day.
- Banquet Service: The banquet service includes providing a large amount of food and beverage for special occasions, such as weddings and parties.
- Bar Service: The service of drinks, often alcoholic beverages such as cocktails, beer, and wine. The drinks are prepared by bartenders according to guests’ requests.
- Buffet Service: The buffet service allows guests to experience a self-serve dining experience. Guests can pick a variety of food from a buffet setup and enjoy it in the designated area.
- Fine Dining Service: This service is ideal for events with important guests, as it offers a high-end dining experience with attentive service, exquisite food presentation, and also a wine list.
Food and Beverage Employment Prospects
Positions in Food and Beverage Department are one of the most job vacancies available in the Hospitality industry! If you are interested to work in Food and Beverage Department – and aiming for its top positions, the best route is to start from the bottom. For those who already have adequate experience in Food and Beverage, intermediate-level jobs would be ideal, while internship programs are a great starting point to pursue a career in this area.
RMC Asia offers internship and training opportunities in the Hospitality industry, with Food and Beverage as one of its focus areas. Our participants will gain professional development, hands-on work experience, and cultural exposure from our partners’ and programs’ destinations!
Join us and be a part of an unforgettable culture exchange and exceptional working experiences here!
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