When most people think of food service jobs, they probably think about servers, chefs, and perhaps hosts and bus boys. However, there are many other types of food service jobs you can look for in the food industry, in many different areas from distribution to hospitality management.

If you think of different types of food service careers, you'll find more places to look for a job in the restaurant industry, but you'll add mileage to your job search, as well. When looking for alternatives in foodservice jobs, think outside the box, like:

1. National parks and other tourist locations with food and beverage service.

2. Airline food service preparation and menu development.

3. Foodservice jobs in hospitals, penitentiaries, and other social service organizations.

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Search for jobs at resorts, lodges, and tourist destinations like ski resorts

A lot of people don't think about working in food service in a nearby park or resort, but many hire dozens of food service jobs every season. Many offer room and board, too, so you live and work in one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

I recommend: Websites like Park & Resort Jobs offer lists of ski resorts, park lodges and restaurants and other tourist resorts looking for seasonal and full-time foodservice workers. Xanterra Parks & Resorts operates lodges and restaurants in numerous national and state parks around the country, and they are continually hiring for food service jobs.

Take flight with food service employment in the airline industry

Many airlines are cutting back on food service on short flights, but longer flights and overseas flights still offer food service, and someone has to create those meals for the airlines. A food service job in the airline industry could include preparing meals for on-board airline food service, as well as designing new menus for airlines the company serves.

I recommend: LSG Sky Chefs is one of the largest airline catering companies worldwide, and they offer locations throughout America for food service employment. Click on the interactive map to find a location in your area. Gate Gourmet is another worldwide airline caterer with many foodservice job opportunities in the U.S. and abroad.

Seek out food service jobs in social service areas like hospitals and penitentiaries

Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, penitentiaries and military hospitals all offer food service for their patients and inmates, and they hire many civilians to work in these facilities. These are good places to train for a career in the food service industry too, if you don't have any experience.

I recommend: The US Army lists opportunities in their Army hospitals for many different food service careers and jobs. Jobster offers thousands of hospital food service jobs across the country.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Clearly, making the most of food service jobs means less about waitress employment and bus boy employment, and more about creatively seeking out other restaurants and food service employment. From food booths at craft fairs and state fairs to cruise ships, remote tourist destinations, and even railroad dinner trains, there are food service job opportunities wherever you look, if you just take the time to be creative and a little daring with your food service job search.

If you like working with the public in a fast-paced environment, you should consider a career in the food service industry. Food service careers offer a wide range of opportunities from waiting tables to managing a bustling restaurant kitchen.

Corporate restaurant chains are always in need of talented employees to manage their franchise locations. There are many food service employment agencies online that can connect you with food service jobs in your area. Many colleges and trade schools have programs in culinary arts that can have you in a food service employment in as little as six months.

There are many positions in food service employment including:

1. Cooking
2. Waiting
3. Catering
4. Managing
5. Bartending
6. Hosting

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Go to school for a career in the food service industry

If you are truly serious about pursuing a career in the restaurant industry or food industry, going to school may be the right move. While some food service jobs don't require any type of training, the most elite restaurants require formal training for chef's positions or manager's positions.

I recommend: The Culinary Institute of America is the Harvard of cooking schools. Students pay a hefty tuition, but walk out with a degree that can help them get jobs in the nation’s top restaurants. Culinary.edu-info.com is another educational institute that offers training for the restaurant industry.

Let the food service jobs come to you

Polish up your resume and post it online, so employers looking to fill food service jobs can find you. Using an online job agency will open up a lot more possibilities beyond your local job market. You can also use the same food service employment sites to look for job openings.

I recommend: If you have ever dreamed of working in the Caribbean or on an Alaskan cruise ship, then check out CoolWorks.com. This online site is dedicated to food service jobs in exotic and exciting places. Escoffier.com is another food service employment site that caters to chefs and culinary students. Foodservice.com has the largest database of jobs in the restaurant industry in the nation.

Sign up with restaurant employment agencies to find jobs in the restaurant industry

Restaurant recruiting agencies help connect qualified candidates with the right food service jobs. You can contact an agency directly or a recruiter may contact you via an online resume. Restaurant agencies most often deal with higher paying positions, such as general managers and head chefs.

I recommend: Resources in Food, Hcareers.com, Restaurant Recruit are all restaurant employment agencies that can help you find the perfect job in the restaurant industry.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Experience goes a long way in food service employment. Don't be discouraged in your job hunt if you don't have a food service degree.
• •  Take the initiative and walk into the restaurant you want to work for. There is high turnover in most restaurants, and you could be hired on the spot for a kitchen or floor job.

Some food service jobs are the kind where your staff can learn on the job, but for most food service careers, training is a necessity for the best staff. Most people know of the prestigious culinary schools that turn out chefs and pastry chefs with masterful skills, but other food service job training is available in a wide array of career choices.

When choosing a school for preparing your staff for a career in the food service industry, choose a school that's well rated, accredited and has a good reputation. Make sure they specialize in restaurant or hospitality employment or management. Things to look for in a school include:

1. Seek an accredited school that offers degree or certificate programs and training for foodservice jobs.

2. Look for a culinary school that includes real-time restaurant experience and uses trained chefs as instructors.

3. Think outside the box for training in the restaurant industry, such as bartending, catering or personal chef when considering food service careers.

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Find your dream job in the restaurant industry by choosing a well-respected school

Some of the biggest names in food service careers are the culinary schools that turn out some of the world's greatest chefs. Some of the best schools have impeccable reputations that can lead to the graduate's pick of the top foodservice jobs. These schools may cost a little more, but they have very high standards for instruction, and that will lead to better training and more rewards in the long run.

I recommend: One of the most respected and desirable culinary programs in the world is Le Cordon Bleu, a prestigious school that offers restaurant management, culinary arts and pastry and chef classes for degrees and certificates. Another highly respected school is the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), which offers degrees and certificate programs in schools throughout the U.S.

Choose a school that uses professionals to ensure success in food service careers

When you look for restaurant and food service employment training, you'll want to study with the best. Choose a school that offers curriculum developed by master chefs and taught by professionals. If you can't train for food service employment during the day, seek out schools that offer nighttime classes.

I recommend: Some of the best schools for restaurant and foodservice employment are flexible, so staff can attend day or evening classes developed by professionals, like The French Culinary Institute. They use professional, respected chefs as instructors and some of the best-known chefs in the industry, like Jacques Pépin, Alain Sailhac, André Soltner and Jacques Torres, develop their curriculum. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh offers schools across the country with a well-developed program in culinary and hotel management, with management courses online as well.

Think non-traditional types of food service employment and foodservice jobs training

There's more to a career in food service than waitress employment and bus boy employment. If you want to get the most qualified staff possible, look for bartender training or other non-traditional training. Offering a training course from a national or local association adds to your restaurant's credibility and experience, which helps bring in a wider clientele.

I recommend: The Professional Bartending School offers online and interactive courses, complete with an accredited certificate, for fledgling bartenders. The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation offers classes and testing across the nation for food safety and responsible alcohol service. Taking a class can help add to your staff's experience and sales ability as a server, bartender or caterer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When thinking about training for food service jobs, remember many restaurants offer on-the-job training, and some may even offer apprenticeship programs in certain areas of the kitchen and restaurant. Keep this in mind when looking for a job, many big-name chefs got their start in the food service industry this way.

If you are new to the food service industry and are thinking that this might be a good career move for you, or if you are looking to add some new jobs to your restaurant or eatery, you should have a basic knowledge of what is available to you. An easy way to get a solid grasp on food service jobs is to learn a few key terms that can give you a background on what to expect.

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Culinary arts

The term culinary arts refers to all of the jobs in the food service field. These jobs can be pastry chefs, bakers, or restaurant managers.

I recommend: If you'd like to see more information on culinary arts or the fields that it refers to, visit All Star Directories.

Hospitality management

Hospitality management is what a person who would like to manage a restaurant in a hotel or a cruise line must learn. It entails not only learning what will go on in the kitchen, but also any office related work, such as payroll or ordering food supplies.

I recommend: At Culinary Careers, you can learn more about the classes necessary to learn hospitality management.

Bartender

The bartender is one of the more popular roles in the food service industry. This person is responsible for making and creating all of the drinks that a restaurant has on the menu.

I recommend: If you'd like to read more on what a bartender does, visit The Webtender.

Hosting

Many restaurants or eateries hire someone for the role of hosting. This person will direct diners to their seats, take reservations, help with coat checks and organize any special events.

I recommend: At the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, you can find additional information on the role of hosting in the food service industry.

Sous-chef

The sous-chef is the second in command to the head chef in a restaurant. This type of chef is primarily situated in the kitchen and is in charge of creating the daily specials and supervising the kitchen staff.

I recommend: To learn more about the role of a sous-chef, and of the other chefs in the hierarchy, visit CuisineNet. They have detailed explanations for each level of chef.

Signature chef

A signature chef is typically known for a specific dish or cooking style. Their end dishes normally have some type of elaborate finish to them, also. They can also be known for changing run of the mill dishes and adding a special ingredient of their choosing to make the dish something completely different.

I recommend: If you'd like to read more on the role of the signature chef, visit iHire to find additional details on this and other roles.