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Culinary Careers

An Elementary Career Exploration Activity

How many different careers can you think of by looking at these pictures?
"If you don't follow your dream, who will?" - Emeril Lagasse
What careers come to mind when you think of the food service industry?

Server, cook, host or hostess are probably the most well known. However, there is a wide variety of careers available in the food service industry.

  • Banquet Manager
  • Catering Manager
  • Food and Beverage Director
  • Food Service Director
  • Kitchen Manager
  • Restaurant General Manager
  • Research Chef
  • Food Batchmaker
  • Hospitality Manager
  • Food Scientist
  • Food Scientist
Culinary arts is the art of the preparation, cooking and presentation of food, usually in the form of meals.
"Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors - it's how you combine them that sets you apart." - Wolfgang Puck

One of the main requirements for working in the food service industry is...

A Passion for Food

What would you learn if you went to school to be a chef? Watch this video and find out.

What does a nosey pepper do? Gets jalapeño business.

A Buffet of Career Possibilities

Check out these careers in food service. Each video provides a brief description of the tasks and responsibilities of the career.

Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

Food Preparation Workers

Waiters and Waitresses

“If you are a chef, no matter how good a chef you are, it’s not good cooking for yourself; the joy is in cooking for others. It’s the same with music.” – will.i.am

Chefs and Head Cooks

Bakers

Food Batchmakers

Food Scientists and Technologists

What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.

Unique Careers in Food Service

Future of Cooking

Is food your passion?

The great thing about careers in food service is that you can start experimenting, learning, and gaining experience now. Remember to always ask an adult for permission and supervision in the kitchen!

  • Cook meals for family and friends
  • Research recipes to make
  • Learn what all those kitchen gadgets are for and how to use them
  • Take a cooking or culinary arts class
  • Research proper place setting

Explore the K12 Career Education Navigator

The K12 Career Technical Education (CTE) Navigator helps you explore high school courses and career pathways offered across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Browse by industry sector, county, school district, and more to find options that match your interests and career goals and see how these pathways can prepare you for college, certifications, apprenticeships, or the workforce.

CREATED BY
Workforce SBCSS

Credits:

Created with images by Unknown - "Female pastry chef adding cream on macaroons shells in ..." • Pexels - "bakery bread baker" • paolabaldacci - "kitchen chef resort" • Pexels - "restaurant cooking chef" • Unknown - "Waitress serving breakfast at a restaurant | Royalty free ..." • FotografieLink - "decoration invitation elegant" • Pexels - "doughnuts desserts pastries" • Michael_Luenen - "fried buffet gastronomy" • Counselling - "buffet dine eat" • kerdkanno - "background baker baking" • Unknown - "Person Holding Silver Fork and Knife Slicing Vegetable on ..." • Skitterphoto - "dough cook recipe"