The food service industry is known for being fun, creative, and collaborative – but it’s also known for being high-pressured, busy and often stressful.
Working in this type of environment can be challenging. While education around the food service industry will equip you with a core set of skills and capabilities, it’s your attitude that can help to make a significant difference in how successful you are in your career.
Alongside a strong understanding of the basics of food handling and food safety, the professional behaviours you bring into the kitchen are what will set you apart.
So, what are some vital attitudes and professional behaviours you should be demonstrating in the kitchen and across the food service industry?
Let’s take a look.
1. A positive view of the job
No one wants to work with people who continuously complain, moan or belittle the industry they work within. When times are stressful, people want to know that the team around them can help them push through the challenges together and come out the other side feeling accomplished.
A positive perspective and high regard for your profession, job and industry will make you someone others want to work with. Having a positive view overall can also help you remember why you got into the industry in the first place, so when challenges do arise, you’ll feel more capable of overcoming them.
2. Commitment and stamina
Working in the food service industry often involves long hours and lots of physical exertion. Kitchen environments can get hot and crowded, and they’re not always pleasant to work in.
To be successful, you’ll need to demonstrate a high level of stamina and commitment to stick with things, despite how tough they might get. Your team wants to know you’re someone they can rely on and keep relying on.
3. Strong teamwork skills
Food service is all about working as a team, relying on each other, and ensuring that you deliver a consistently high-quality service.
Teamwork can involve all kinds of things, including communication, managing deadlines, showing up when needed, putting in the extra work when needed, helping out and offering support when others have a hard time.
A team within food service isn’t just the kitchen staff – it’s also the cleaners, the servers, wait staff and hosts. Everyone plays an important role and should be treated respectfully as equals.
4. Eager to learn
No one wants to work with someone who thinks they know everything there is to know and fails to show curiosity about what skills others might be able to share with them.
This is especially important when it comes to things like food handling and food safety. Never become complacent about the core basics that set you up as a professional in the food service industry. Some kitchens may have different rules, so never assume you know how to do things and be sure to ask questions when you need.
Everyone has something to offer, and there is no such thing as ‘knowing it all’ – especially in food service! Stay open and positive to the new learning experiences around you.
5. Dedication
It’s okay if you try a role and decide it isn’t for you, but within the food service industry, you should be prepared to make a complete dedication to the role and your team. Future employers won’t look favourably at individuals who appear to have jumped from one job to another every few months.
Dedication to working through challenges and building the skills and experience needed for a long-term, successful career in the industry will be viewed well by employers.
6. Creativity and desire to share
A willingness to share ideas and add to the work environment is a fantastic attitude in any workplace, especially in food services!
It could be something as simple as rearranging equipment to streamline and speed up a cooking or cleaning process or setting up a fun ‘quotes’ board in the break-room where others can get some light relief. Anything goes!
If you have an idea that could make everyone’s lives a little bit easier, then be sure to share it!
Got the right attitude?
If you’ve read the above and it’s left you feeling geared up and confident that a role in food services is the place for you, you can put your best foot forward on your career journey with a food safety certificate.
If you want to learn more about food safety, food handling, and preparation, choose the Australian Institute of Accreditation.
We’re the nation’s leading provider of accredited online certificate courses and pride ourselves on the satisfaction and positive feedback of our valued customers. Contact us today on 1300 662 750.