All about catering technologist
Choosing a future profession is a very important and difficult task that each person faces. There is an opinion that choosing a profession should be based on personal interests. That is why if you are attracted to subjects such as labor or technology, you should pay attention to work. food service technologist... Today in our article we will talk about the features of this profession.
What is this profession?
Public catering technologist Is a person who is engaged in the production of culinary products. In addition, he is responsible for the quality of goods, therefore, he also carries out control functions.
Such work has a rather long and interesting history of its development. So, the first technologists can be considered the workers of the royal court, namely those who tried the royal food. After that, with the emergence of taverns, the work of technologists became more relevant and in demand. Today, such workers are integral employees of catering organizations.
If you give a brief description of the profession of a technologist, then it should be noted that he participates in the cooking process, is responsible for the quality of food and its safety. Thus, we can say that the work of a calculator technologist is very responsible and complex.
Nevertheless, before you finally connect your life with this profession, you should evaluate all the features of the work.
The advantages of working as a catering technologist include:
- relevance in the labor market (due to the fact that various catering establishments are constantly opening - cafes, restaurants, canteens - the technologist will not be left without a job);
- a sufficient level of material remuneration for labor (traditionally, the level of wages of a catering technician is above the national average);
- status (a person holding the position of a technologist is respected in society).
Among the shortcomings, the main highlight is the fact that the work of a specialist is associated with great responsibility. So, a technologist must be 100% sure that food products are completely safe, respectively, he must be confident in the quality of the work of cooks, confectioners and other people subordinate to him. In addition, he is a responsible person in the event of various inspections by certification bodies, sanitary and epidemiological services, etc. At the same time, due to such a high level of responsibility, the specialist experiences stress, which can negatively affect the psychological health of the employee.
Thus, we can conclude that the profession of a public catering technologist is characterized by both pluses and minuses. It is very important to evaluate them carefully so as not to regret your own choice in the future.
Responsibilities
For the work of a catering technologist, as well as for other professions, there is a professional standard. All responsibilities are detailed in job description. In addition, the activities of a specialist are regulated by a unified tariff and qualification reference book of jobs and professions of workers, and internal documents of the organizationwhere the technologist works.
In general, the standard tasks of a specialist include:
- organization of production processes;
- placement of equipment;
- employee training;
- drawing up a menu;
- distribution of duties in the kitchen;
- use of the most advanced technologies during production;
- control over the operation of equipment in the kitchen;
- development of recipes;
- quality control of the products used;
- preparation of technological maps of dishes;
- calculating the number of calories per serving;
- using the latest trends and novelties in the culinary field;
- control of compliance with hygiene and sanitary standards;
- preparation of the necessary documentation.
It is important to note, however, that this list of responsibilities is not definitive or exhaustive. Accordingly, each employer can change and supplement the tasks assigned to the technologist, in accordance with which he does his work.
When employed, very it is important to familiarize yourself with all the documents that regulate the activities of a specialist, in this case, you will be ready in advance and can adapt if necessary.
One way or another, it should be remembered that a technologist may be punished (up to criminal) for failure to fulfill or improperly fulfill his duties.
Knowledge and skills
Due to the fact that a public catering technologist performs a large number of various functions, he must have a large volume of specialized professional knowledge, skills and abilities. Among them are:
- knowledge of labor protection rules;
- ability to be guided by quality standards;
- knowledge of product preparation technology;
- understanding food classification;
- knowledge of the regulatory framework, laws and regulations that govern the professional activities of a specialist;
- ability to understand specialized documentation;
- the skill of document management;
- ability to use specialized equipment;
- the ability to identify low-quality products;
- knowledge of cost standards;
- understanding of the basics of economics;
- the ability to communicate correctly with regulatory organizations;
- the ability to carry out preventive measures.
It should be borne in mind that not only professional characteristics, but also the personal qualities of a catering technologist are important. The most important of them are:
- the presence of aesthetic taste;
- high sensitivity to tastes and smells;
- good memory;
- cleanliness;
- sociability;
- tact;
- stress resistance and emotional stability;
- accuracy;
- punctuality;
- creativity;
- honesty;
- leadership skills.
The person who combines these professional skills and personal characteristics can be as successful as possible in their profession.
Education
If you want to get the profession of a foodservice technologist, then first of all you need to get specialized education... Moreover, depending on the specific enterprise (its scale and level), the employer may require the candidate for the position diploma of higher or secondary vocational education.
So, after graduating from school (grade 9 or 11), you should start looking for an appropriate educational institution. Wherein it is worth giving preference to such organizations that are located in large cities or the capitalas they are respected and respected by employers. After you have decided on the educational organization (university, college, technical school, etc.), you should visit the admissions office and find out what subjects you need to take for the State Examination Agency or the Unified State Examination, as well as if there are requirements for entrance exams (for example, some universities offer applicants to take mathematics or Russian).
Depending on the chosen educational institution, the level of training and the program, the duration of study can vary significantly. At the same time, you need to study as responsibly and carefully as possible. One should pay attention not only to theoretical training, but also to the acquisition of practical skills and abilities. In this regard, it is very important to carefully approach the passage of internships and internships, which are provided for by the curriculum, as well as to draw up a high-quality report on industrial and diploma practice.
In the event that you already have basic education, but you want to change the field of professional activity, you should go through special retraining and retraining courses. They usually don't last very long and will allow you to get the job you're interested in.
However, even after that, you should not stop your education. So, in order to stay abreast of all the latest trends and innovations in the professional field, it is necessary to attend events such as conferences, seminars, master classes, etc.
Thanks to this, you will remain a relevant and in-demand employee.
Where does it work?
After graduation a young specialist is not always immediately hired for the position of a catering technologist, he can do simpler work until he gains the necessary experience. Then you can apply for the job of a technologist. If you work at a large enterprise, then in the future you can get a position senior technologist or head of the relevant department.
If you are not interested in career growth, then you can work at any catering enterprise (cafes, restaurants, canteens, etc.). Otherwise, you can start your own business.
If we talk about the level of salary, then it depends on a large number of various factors:
- educational level (specialists with higher education receive more than those who have a college or technical school diploma);
- work experience (with an increase in work experience, wages also increase);
- region of residence (wages in the capital are higher than wages in the regions);
- a specific place of work (the material remuneration of employees of large companies is higher than that of those who work in small firms), etc.
If we talk about the national average, it is about 50,000 rubles.
Thus, public catering technologist - it is a very creative and interesting profession. However, be prepared for the fact that employers will make high demands on you in terms of professional knowledge, skills and personal qualities.