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Food Preparation Managers Job Overview

Food preparation managers supervise the preparation and serving of food. They work in restaurants, hotels and institutions and supervise tasks under the direction of chefs and cooks. They are helped by food preparation assistants who peel and cut vegetables, prepare poultry, trim meat and perform other duties, such as keeping work areas clean and monitoring temperatures of ovens and stovetops. They may also order, store and distribute food supplies, equipment and utensils. Food preparation managers also keep record of how much food was used. The specific duties of food preparation managers are often determined by the restaurant in which they work.

Food Preparation Managers Schools and Degrees

Food service management companies and hotel and restaurant chains offer paid internships and summer jobs to those starting out in the field. They learn proper use and care of kitchen equipment. Training programs also include courses in nutrition, menu planning, portion control, purchasing and inventory methods, proper food storage procedures and use of leftover food to minimize waste.

Professional culinary institutes, industry associations and trade unions sponsor formal apprenticeship programs in coordination with the U.S. Department of Labor. The American Culinary Federation accredits more than 200 formal academic training programs and sponsors apprenticeship programs around the country. Typical apprenticeships last for 2 years and combine classroom training and work experience. Accreditation is an indication that a culinary program meets recognized standards regarding course content, facilities and quality of instruction.

Job Requirements

Certification is mainly based on experience and formal training. Although certification is not required, it can help to prove accomplishment and lead to advancement and higher-paying positions.

Food preparation managers should be efficient, quick and work well in a team. They require creativity and an intense sense of taste and smell. Personal cleanliness is essential because most states require health certificates indicating that workers are free from communicable diseases.

Nature of Work

Food preparation managers work in diverse environments depending on the type and quantity of food prepared and also on the local laws governing food service operations. They are required to stand for hours at a time and work near hot ovens and grills. Work hours can be in early mornings, late evenings, holidays and weekends.

Food Preparation Managers Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, food preparation managers held about 817,000 jobs in the US. That number is expected to grow by 11% in the next ten years. Employment is the highest in the following industries:

• Elementary and Secondary Schools
• Full-Service Restaurants
• Grocery Stores
• Limited-Service Eating Places
• Nursing Care Facilities
• Traveler Accommodation

The mean hourly wage for food preparation managers in the US is about $9.30, while the mean annual wages are around $19,350.

Job Numbers and Growth

Nationally, there are 817,000 food preparation managers. The occupation is characterized by a low joblessness level. The unemployment rate for employees was 4% in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Looking at food preparation managers per capita, Lubbock (Texas), Lawrence (Kansas), and Jacksonville (North Carolina) rise to the top of the list. Anchorage (Alaska), Sheboygan (Wisconsin), and Bridgeport (Connecticut) have the fewest per capita.

The highest salaries for workers are in and around Trenton (New Jersey), Tacoma (Washington), and Bridgeport (Connecticut). The lowest-paying areas are Pocatello (Idaho), Dothan (Alabama), and Morgantown (West Virginia).

Training and Education

Successful employees find it useful to have work experience in a related occupation. According to recent surveys, 14% of food preparation managers had received a degree. Workers with some schooling beyond high school, but not a college degree, total about 35%. A high school degree was all that was needed for 51% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Food preparation managers working less than full time, whether by design or chance, were 15% of the total. If you have this occupation and work on your own rather than for another company, you are part of the 4% of workers who do so.

Food Preparation Managers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anniston	$28,000	450	+94%
Auburn	$28,000	440	+97%
Birmingham	$30,000	3,680	+28%
Decatur	$25,000	420	+52%
Dothan	$29,000	590	+95%
Florence	$26,000	450	+68%
Gadsden	$30,000	270	+57%
Huntsville	$32,000	1,400	+19%
Mobile	$29,000	1,150	+16%
Montgomery	$32,000	1,060	+16%
Tuscaloosa	$28,000	750	+54%

Alaska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anchorage	$34,000	680	-28%
Fairbanks	$30,000	170	+8%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Flagstaff	$31,000	560	+92%
Kingman	$25,000	420	+75%
Phoenix	$35,000	9,460	-9%
Prescott	$28,000	410	+47%
Tucson	$32,000	2,550	+29%
Yuma	$28,000	250	-13%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fayetteville	$28,000	1,260	+9%
Fort Smith	$25,000	850	+25%
Hot Springs	$27,000	410	+129%
Jonesboro	$27,000	340	+43%
Little Rock	$28,000	2,330	+17%
Pine Bluff	$27,000	250	+70%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$28,000	1,270	-15%
Chico	$27,000	450	+23%
El Centro	$29,000	280	+10%
Fresno	$29,000	1,880	+2%
Hanford	$25,000	290	+73%
Los Angeles	$30,000	22,010	-8%
Madera	$30,000	250	+60%
Merced	$27,000	410	+39%
Modesto	$29,000	1,010	+16%
Napa	$37,000	340	+4%
Oakland	$32,000	5,040	-14%
Oxnard	$31,000	1,520	-11%
Redding	$28,000	350	+12%
Riverside	$30,000	8,440	+19%
Sacramento	$31,000	5,380	+6%
Salinas	$31,000	900	+0%
San Diego	$32,000	8,220	+7%
San Francisco	$36,000	5,820	0%
San Jose	$33,000	3,850	-27%
San Luis Obispo	$29,000	710	+42%
Santa Ana	$31,000	9,060	+6%
Santa Barbara	$30,000	1,130	+20%
Santa Cruz	$31,000	550	+17%
Santa Rosa	$32,000	1,310	+34%
Stockton	$29,000	1,060	-11%
Vallejo	$31,000	910	+38%
Visalia	$26,000	890	+19%
Yuba City	$27,000	260	+37%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boulder	$40,000	840	-2%
Colorado Springs	$31,000	1,460	+1%
Denver	$34,000	7,750	+6%
Fort Collins	$31,000	860	+24%
Grand Junction	$34,000	350	+19%
Greeley	$30,000	590	+53%
Pueblo	$32,000	300	+2%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport		1,630	-34%
Danbury	$34,000	480	+34%
Hartford	$34,000	2,400	-28%
New Haven	$35,000	1,350	-14%
Norwich	$42,000	1,010	+49%
Waterbury	$31,000	210	-41%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Dover	$35,000	460	+74%
Wilmington	$37,000	1,800	-4%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$38,000	12,670	-12%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$31,000	1,740	+59%
Deltona	$32,000	1,550	+81%
Fort Lauderdale	$38,000	3,630	-11%
Fort Walton Beach	$29,000	680	+67%
Gainesville	$33,000	720	+7%
Jacksonville	$32,000	3,140	-11%
Lakeland	$29,000	990	-7%
Miami	$36,000	4,940	-14%
Naples	$39,000	820	+34%
Ocala	$28,000	510	+8%
Orlando	$35,000	6,470	+9%
Palm Bay	$33,000	1,110	-1%
Palm Coast	$27,000	140	+92%
Panama City	$30,000	480	+32%
Pensacola	$32,000	930	+12%
Port St Lucie	$36,000	740	+13%
Punta Gorda	$31,000	300	+54%
Sarasota	$32,000	1,740	+24%
Sebastian	$34,000	260	+8%
Tallahassee	$31,000	900	0%
Tampa	$32,000	6,110	-9%
West Palm Beach	$39,000	2,850	-6%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$28,000	390	+21%
Athens	$28,000	630	+68%
Atlanta	$36,000	12,080	-11%
Augusta	$31,000	1,390	+19%
Brunswick	$30,000	390	+90%
Columbus	$32,000	930	+54%
Dalton	$33,000	280	-22%
Gainesville	$30,000	320	-13%
Hinesville	$32,000	70	+16%
Macon	$28,000	490	+0%
Rome	$29,000	250	+45%
Savannah	$31,000	1,080	+30%
Valdosta	$31,000	480	+89%
Warner Robins	$31,000	320	+16%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$34,000	2,900	+14%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$27,000	900	-40%
Coeur Dalene	$25,000	240	-7%
Idaho Falls	$28,000	280	+18%
Lewiston	$27,000	110	+0%
Pocatello	$24,000	180	+23%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bloomington	$35,000	570	+53%
Champaign	$30,000	720	+29%
Chicago	$34,000	16,550	-25%
Danville	$34,000	150	+14%
Decatur	$35,000	230	0%
Kankakee	$30,000	220	+7%
Peoria	$30,000	850	-11%
Rockford	$30,000	930	+19%
Springfield	$33,000	360	-39%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$33,000	350	+85%
Bloomington	$30,000	620	+68%
Columbus	$30,000	250	+32%
Elkhart	$31,000	510	-14%
Evansville	$29,000	1,090	+13%
Fort Wayne	$31,000	1,170	+1%
Gary	$30,000	1,850	+20%
Indianapolis	$33,000	5,900	+12%
Kokomo	$26,000	310	+60%
Lafayette	$28,000	630	+57%
Michigan City	$33,000	270	+31%
Muncie	$29,000	400	+73%
South Bend	$34,000	720	+1%
Terre Haute	$29,000	490	+36%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ames	$30,000	230	+24%
Cedar Rapids	$30,000	750	-3%
Davenport	$30,000	1,060	+1%
Des Moines	$30,000	1,760	-7%
Dubuque	$26,000	310	+13%
Iowa City	$29,000	650	+74%
Sioux City	$28,000	350	-9%
Waterloo	$26,000	560	+21%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawrence	$25,000	600	+174%
Manhattan	$25,000	520	+94%
Topeka	$25,000	680	+12%
Wichita	$27,000	2,270	+37%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bowling Green	$27,000	450	+56%
Elizabethtown	$30,000	380	+69%
Lexington	$29,000	1,880	+37%
Louisville	$30,000	4,460	+26%
Owensboro	$32,000	300	+24%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$26,000	440	+31%
Baton Rouge	$28,000	2,420	+12%
Houma	$28,000	570	+11%
Lafayette	$30,000	1,020	+28%
Lake Charles	$28,000	700	+47%
Monroe	$30,000	500	+23%
New Orleans	$32,000	3,320	+8%
Shreveport	$27,000	1,380	+36%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bangor	$32,000	370	+16%
Lewiston	$27,000	370	+43%
Portland	$32,000	1,140	+0%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$36,000	6,730	-13%
Bethesda	$40,000	2,660	-21%
Cumberland	$27,000	240	+31%
Hagerstown	$30,000	660	+25%
Salisbury	$30,000	390	+41%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Barnstable Town	$37,000	940	+74%
Boston	$41,000	8,510	-17%
Brockton	$37,000	460	-6%
Framingham	$37,000	640	-30%
Haverhill	$36,000	540	+23%
Lawrence	$38,000	330	+6%
Leominster	$40,000	280	+11%
Lowell	$36,000	580	-13%
New Bedford	$32,000	480	+41%
Peabody	$37,000	480	-14%
Pittsfield	$33,000	150	-5%
Springfield	$35,000	1,820	+6%
Taunton	$41,000	310	+36%
Worcester	$34,000	1,270	-12%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor	$34,000	1,020	+8%
Battle Creek	$27,000	410	+54%
Bay City	$26,000	230	+44%
Detroit	$32,000	4,160	+6%
Flint	$31,000	910	+26%
Grand Rapids	$29,000	1,690	-23%
Holland	$25,000	650	+24%
Jackson	$32,000	340	+37%
Kalamazoo	$31,000	790	+5%
Lansing	$28,000	1,240	+10%
Monroe	$32,000	310	+71%
Muskegon	$32,000	370	+28%
Niles	$31,000	470	+56%
Saginaw	$27,000	510	+16%
Warren	$33,000	6,760	+7%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Duluth	$26,000	1,000	+39%
Mankato	$27,000	360	+23%
Minneapolis	$30,000	9,620	-8%
Rochester	$30,000	550	-2%
St Cloud	$29,000	520	+0%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Gulfport	$27,000	1,010	+72%
Hattiesburg	$29,000	530	+78%
Jackson	$28,000	1,650	+14%
Pascagoula	$30,000	390	+66%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$29,000	310	+37%
Columbia	$30,000	610	+42%
Jefferson City	$27,000	340	-14%
Joplin	$28,000	490	+16%
Kansas City	$32,000	6,790	+14%
Springfield	$30,000	1,420	+31%
St Joseph	$27,000	310	+19%
St Louis	$31,000	7,510	-4%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$29,000	460	+2%
Great Falls	$27,000	190	+4%
Missoula	$27,000	290	+8%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$33,000	970	+8%
Omaha	$35,000	2,500	-9%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Carson City	$35,000	160	+29%
Las Vegas	$37,000	6,060	+22%
Reno	$34,000	1,240	+15%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$33,000	450	-21%
Nashua	$33,000	710	-7%
Portsmouth	$34,000	480	+60%
Rochester	$36,000	470	+70%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlantic City	$38,000	1,270	+57%
Camden	$35,000	2,720	-11%
Edison	$41,000	5,430	-10%
Newark	$38,000	4,710	-20%
Ocean City	$30,000	370	+79%
Trenton	$42,000	840	-35%
Vineland	$39,000	300	-4%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$28,000	3,070	+37%
Farmington	$29,000	380	+50%
Las Cruces	$25,000	570	+69%
Santa Fe	$33,000	400	+23%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$30,000	2,360	-10%
Binghamton	$30,000	500	-19%
Buffalo	$29,000	3,260	+1%
Elmira	$30,000	210	+10%
Glens Falls	$31,000	290	+8%
Ithaca	$33,000	360	+75%
Kingston	$38,000	420	+33%
Nassau	$36,000	5,090	-32%
New York	$37,000	24,390	-20%
Poughkeepsie	$33,000	1,420	+0%
Rochester	$31,000	2,770	-6%
Syracuse	$31,000	1,940	+7%
Utica	$31,000	830	+20%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$35,000	1,100	+10%
Burlington	$32,000	550	+87%
Charlotte	$32,000	5,460	+9%
Durham	$32,000	1,680	+6%
Fayetteville	$29,000	1,140	+63%
Goldsboro	$30,000	440	+117%
Greensboro	$31,000	2,160	+5%
Greenville	$32,000	660	+85%
Hickory	$28,000	930	+13%
Jacksonville	$29,000	450	+110%
Raleigh	$31,000	3,140	+4%
Rocky Mount	$24,000	580	+93%
Wilmington	$30,000	1,190	+57%
Winston Salem	$29,000	1,870	+56%

North Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bismarck	$29,000	400	+16%
Fargo	$29,000	750	+11%
Grand Forks	$26,000	380	+54%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$30,000	1,950	+5%
Canton	$30,000	1,130	+20%
Cincinnati	$32,000	5,790	-3%
Cleveland	$31,000	4,900	-18%
Columbus	$33,000	5,150	-5%
Dayton	$31,000	2,460	+11%
Lima	$26,000	330	+23%
Mansfield	$27,000	290	+9%
Sandusky	$27,000	230	+34%
Springfield	$28,000	390	+59%
Steubenville	$26,000	240	+15%
Toledo	$29,000	1,960	+16%
Youngstown	$27,000	1,570	+21%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$27,000	410	+100%
Oklahoma City	$28,000	3,660	+8%
Tulsa	$30,000	2,070	-17%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$31,000	470	+42%
Corvallis	$32,000	200	+54%
Eugene	$30,000	800	+2%
Medford	$32,000	530	+28%
Portland	$32,000	5,380	-10%
Salem	$35,000	780	-7%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Allentown	$35,000	1,720	-14%
Altoona	$33,000	260	-18%
Erie	$29,000	900	+26%
Harrisburg	$33,000	1,480	-20%
Johnstown	$31,000	320	+10%
Lancaster	$33,000	1,090	-19%
Lebanon	$29,000	250	+8%
Philadelphia	$39,000	7,330	-35%
Pittsburgh	$39,000	5,720	-15%
Reading	$32,000	770	-18%
Scranton	$32,000	1,030	-31%
State College	$31,000	530	+61%
Williamsport	$32,000	350	+32%
York	$33,000	860	-14%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$35,000	3,010	-8%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Anderson	$29,000	450	+54%
Charleston	$35,000	2,160	+30%
Columbia	$30,000	2,020	0%
Florence	$26,000	370	-13%
Greenville	$29,000	1,920	+11%
Myrtle Beach	$34,000	1,270	+112%
Spartanburg	$34,000	640	+1%
Sumter	$29,000	180	+12%

South Dakota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Rapid City	$29,000	340	+2%
Sioux Falls	$31,000	550	-29%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$27,000	1,730	+33%
Clarksville	$27,000	630	+50%
Cleveland	$27,000	250	+48%
Jackson	$31,000	290	-5%
Johnson City	$25,000	610	+60%
Kingsport	$28,000	900	+34%
Knoxville	$27,000	2,490	+29%
Memphis	$27,000	3,560	-1%
Morristown	$22,000	290	+25%
Nashville	$29,000	3,920	-10%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Abilene	$29,000	500	+51%
Amarillo	$28,000	750	+28%
Austin	$32,000	4,770	+3%
Beaumont	$29,000	980	+8%
Brownsville	$27,000	730	+1%
College Station	$28,000	670	+34%
Corpus Christi	$26,000	1,430	+42%
Dallas	$31,000	11,590	-6%
El Paso	$28,000	2,160	+38%
Fort Worth	$29,000	5,260	+4%
Houston	$29,000	14,250	-8%
Killeen	$27,000	1,050	+47%
Laredo	$31,000	470	+12%
Longview	$25,000	600	+16%
Lubbock	$35,000	1,540	+121%
Mcallen	$27,000	1,530	+17%
Midland	$28,000	490	+48%
Odessa	$29,000	390	+33%
San Angelo	$29,000	250	+20%
San Antonio	$30,000	6,150	+20%
Sherman	$27,000	330	+59%
Texarkana	$29,000	450	+60%
Tyler	$28,000	680	+39%
Victoria	$28,000	300	+23%
Waco	$26,000	810	+49%
Wichita Falls	$26,000	470	+64%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Logan	$27,000	290	+20%
Ogden	$29,000	1,170	+3%
Provo	$28,000	970	+1%
Salt Lake City	$32,000	3,560	+0%
St George	$32,000	340	+46%

Vermont

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Burlington	$38,000	610	-1%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$31,000	520	+63%
Charlottesville	$33,000	660	+42%
Danville	$30,000	240	+41%
Harrisonburg	$34,000	350	+20%
Lynchburg	$30,000	490	-9%
Richmond	$32,000	3,880	+8%
Roanoke	$31,000	880	+1%
Virginia Beach	$30,000	5,800	+30%
Winchester	$34,000	360	+41%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$36,000	430	+10%
Bremerton	$36,000	520	+17%
Kennewick	$32,000	580	+6%
Longview	$33,000	270	+67%
Mount Vernon	$39,000	290	+29%
Olympia	$35,000	540	+0%
Seattle	$38,000	6,480	-22%
Spokane	$33,000	1,190	+2%
Tacoma	$39,000	1,240	-18%
Wenatchee	$35,000	320	+65%
Yakima	$40,000	490	+9%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$29,000	770	-5%
Huntington	$27,000	940	+50%
Morgantown	$28,000	450	+64%
Parkersburg	$25,000	490	+36%
Wheeling	$31,000	470	+37%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Appleton	$28,000	610	-4%
Eau Claire	$29,000	460	+17%
Fond	$28,000	210	-2%
Green Bay	$33,000	870	-8%
Janesville	$27,000	390	+18%
La Crosse	$30,000	430	+13%
Madison	$32,000	1,640	-16%
Milwaukee	$30,000	3,800	-22%
Oshkosh	$30,000	320	-33%
Racine	$37,000	330	-17%
Sheboygan	$32,000	260	-10%
Wausau	$33,000	330	-6%

Wyoming

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Casper	$26,000	300	+66%
Cheyenne	$28,000	390	+83%