14 High-Paying Jobs in the Food Industry - Skills To Get Ahead In Your Career

If you’re considering entering the food industry, you may want to know which jobs have the highest pay. There are many jobs available in food preparation, planning and management that you can explore. In this article, we describe 14 jobs in the food industry that pay more than $50,000 a year, including six that pay over $60,000.

The food industry has jobs for professionals from any background or experience level. If you’re outgoing and like working with customers, you may enjoy jobs in the front of the house where you work directly with guests. For people who prefer administrative work, there are plenty of positions in management. You might consider looking at jobs in the kitchen if you enjoy working with a team.

You may also want to work in the food industry because of the potential for growth. For example, dishwashers can become executive chefs after gaining experience in a kitchen. If you’re passionate about your work, you can continue to learn and progress in your career path in the food industry.

Here’s a list of eight jobs in the food industry that pay at least $50,000. For the most up-to-date Indeed salaries, please click on the links below:

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A sous chef works in a kitchen under the command of the executive chef. Their duties can vary depending on the size of the kitchen. A sous chef’s responsibilities can include training and supervising kitchen staff, helping with menu planning and making sure that staff cooks the food and plates it to the executive chef’s standards.

Dietitians develop diets for clients that help them address and manage health issues, such as diabetes. They identify a client’s needs and concerns and create meal plans. They also help clients maintain the diet by tracking their progress and adjusting the diet as needed.

A sommelier is a trained expert in wine. They frequently work with restaurants to manage their wine list. Their responsibilities include ordering wine, maintaining it and training staff on the available wine options. Sommeliers also pair menu items with the wines that taste best with that food.

Restaurant managers are responsible for day-to-day operations of a dining establishment, especially those related to front-of-house staff. They hire and supervise staff, answer menu questions, handle customer complaints and make employee schedules. They keep restaurant owners updated and work with them to make any needed adjustments to staff or procedures.

A director of dining services manages dining halls, cafeterias and other food service facilities. They specialize in handling large scales of food, so they often work in places like schools or hospitals. These directors may even oversee multiple facilities, such as working for a school district to manage multiple cafeterias. They are responsible for hiring, training and supervising staff. They also manage inventory and monitor costs.

A head chef is in charge of running the kitchen. Their duties can include planning menus, ordering supplies and managing kitchen employees. They may also prepare meals, but often delegate cooking tasks to others in the kitchen.

A restaurant owner runs and maintains their own dining establishment. If they’re opening a new restaurant, their responsibilities may include overseeing construction, acquiring necessary permits and hiring staff. If they purchased a preexisting restaurant, they oversee the current operations and make changes to improve customer satisfaction or increase revenue. Many owners also manage their restaurants, handling the day-to-day needs.

Food service managers handle daily operations in any establishment that serves food. This includes restaurants, hotels and schools. They make sure the establishment is following all health and safety regulations, handle inventory and work with cleaning and maintenance staff or services. They may also have duties related to training other staff and handling schedules.

Here are six jobs in the food industry that pay at least $60,000. For the most up-to-date Indeed salaries, please click on the links below:

: A director of catering manages catering events. Their duties include booking events, managing the dining schedule, coordinating services and handling client questions. They also hire, train and supervise catering staff, including chefs, servers and administrative professionals.

An executive chef is in charge of managing kitchens at larger restaurants, often overseeing multiple kitchens in different locations. Their responsibilities can include hiring, overseeing restaurant costs, maintaining standards and procedures across the kitchens they manage and creating menus. Executive chefs typically delegate cooking to others, performing quality checks to ensure consistency.

A culinary manager handles operations at a restaurant. Their primary duties focus on customer experience. They work with the head chef to make sure the kitchen has everything it needs and also monitor food quality. Culinary managers also often develop dishes and menus, work with food vendors and find ways to reduce food waste.

Food safety specialists monitor the safety and quality of food. They can work with food processing plants, health agencies, grocery stores and restaurants to make sure products and practices meet safety standards. They may also train employees on how to safely handle food.

A regional restaurant manager handles several local establishments in the same franchise. They oversee many restaurants, ensuring that they meet the goals and standards of the larger company. They may hire, train or supervise local managers who oversee a single restaurant.

A private chef works full time for a single client to prepare their food. They plan menus, manage and organize the kitchen, work with other household staff and cook meals. Private chefs may live in a client’s home and are on call at odd hours. They may also travel with clients.