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Catering manager: Typical employers/vacancy sources

Typical employers

Catering is undertaken in a huge variety of settings, from one-person operations to large hotel chains to contract catering companies with workforces numbering in the thousands. Among the organisations employing catering managers either directly or indirectly are:

• local authorities;
• higher education institutions;
• schools;
• hospitals;
• prisons;
• cruise ships;
• retail outlets.

While many of these establishments organise their catering in-house and recruit their catering managers directly, an increasing number now take on contract caterers, of which the top four operating in the UK are currently (2009):

• Compass Group
• Aramark
• Sodexo
• Elior

Contract catering is currently expanding due to increased outsourcing of central services by schools, prisons and other major establishments. As well as providing catering services to institutional and business clients, these companies also have contracts to cater for entertainment events, sports venues and the health/fitness and travel sectors.

Some catering managers set up their own restaurants or contract catering businesses, focusing on a specific geographical area or niche market.

Sources of vacancies

Search graduate jobs on this site.

• Caterer & Hotelkeeper 
• regional and local press
• websites of individual contract catering firms 
• hotel groups.

The number of websites specialising in catering and hospitality vacancies is growing. These include:

• Caterer.com
• CateringJobs
• Caterer Search
• Hcareers
• Hospitality Recruitment
• Leisurejobs
• UK Skills Passport (UKSP)  
• VIP International  

See also job hunting tips and applications, CVs and interviews.

AGCAS

Written by Caren Nelson, Middlesex University

Last updated:

March 2009

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