Catering and hospitality

Food and beverage team member

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Carrying out a range of general and specialist roles within hospitality businesses, including bars, cafes, conference centres, restaurants and hotels.

Summary

This occupation is found in a large range of sectors across the hospitality industry, one of the most diverse industries globally. Employers range from small to large. Food and Beverage team members work in a range of establishments including restaurants, cafes, counter service, licensed premises, casinos, and coffee shops.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to assemble and serve a range of food and beverages to customers, ensuring a seamless and quality customer experience. General duties include making beverages such as cocktails, coffees and other drinks, serving food and beverages, managing bookings, greeting and serving customers, promoting items, managing groups of customers, taking payments and resolving any issues or complaints. In a restaurant, for example, food and beverage team members would be expected to perform a variety of daily activities, such as monitoring and managing customers to ensure customer needs are met, waiting tables, serving beverages and assisting customers, communicating efficiently and effectively and creating a positive and comfortable environment. Food and beverage team members would clean and sanitise work areas, utensils and equipment and make sure seating areas were cleared and ready for new customers. Team members are responsible for presenting promotions to customers, and upselling items. Team members are expected to monitor and replenish stock front of house.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with... a variety of people including other members of their team and managers. They collaborate closely with back of house colleagues and across the wider organisation. Their main point of contact is with external customers such as restaurant or cafe guests where they are largely responsible for the customer experience.

 An employee in this occupation will be responsible for... carrying out a range of food and beverage service activities, in restaurants, bars, pubs, counter service, and coffee outlets and meeting quality, deadline, productivity, hygiene, financial and environmental requirements. They are largely responsible for timing of service, atmosphere, and guest management front of house. Employees are responsible for applying legislation related to food safety as well as general Health and Safety. They are responsible for ensuring customer needs are met and acting to increase the popularity of the establishment and profitability of products, including promoting items and upselling to customers. They will contribute to stock management, proactive planning, and risk management, meeting daily, weekly, and monthly to provide innovative suggestions and ideas. They will ensure safe production of food, beverages and other products, and a safe, calm and professional working environment for themselves and colleagues. Typically, they will report to a designated supervisor or manager.

Typical job titles include

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Behaviours