Food Consulting 101: How To Enter The Food Consulting Industry

WWhat exactly is a food consultant? What do they specialize in and how can they help your restaurant business? Whether you are a food related company looking to hire a food consultant or someone looking to become one, here is everything you need to know about food consulting and how they can improve the operations of any food establishment. restoration.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article. Don’t hesitate to go ahead if necessary.

What is food advice?

Food consultants are experts in gastronomy, food safety and food quality which advise companies and professionals in the food industry in the development and improvement of their restaurant operations. A food consultant can work with restaurants, food producers, schools or any other catering establishment.

There is a plethora of food consulting related jobs and a consultant’s career path is based on their specialty. The jobs available for food counselors are:

• Food and facility inspectors
• Food service quality advisor
• Food safety auditor
• Menu engineer and designer
• Menu Developer
• Environmental safety regulator
• Agribusiness engineer

Food consultants who work in restaurants typically work with engineering, design and cost of food. Food consultants are often hired when a restaurant is trying to cater to specific customers, offer healthier options, get creative input, ensure food safety and quality, and may even do business. other recommendations to their customers, like which restaurant point of sale systemis the best choice.

Food advisors will specialize in different types of cooking or eating styles. For example, a restaurant looking to offer more vegan options will look for a food consultant who specializes in creating plant-based dishes. Food consultants can also be hired by restaurant chains to create quality assurance systems, operational systems, and food handling and safety systems at all locations.

Food consultants often have a background in culinary arts and / or nutrition, providing industry professionals with the tools to:

• Create and maintain food safety procedures.
• Help with culinary development and menu design.
• Help with income generation, food costs and menu engineering.
• Develop code-compliant food production facilities and kitchens.
• Create products and dishes that are nutritionally viable and tasty.
• Provide consultations for specific types of food production, such as gluten-free baked goods.

What qualifications do you need to be a food consultant?

• A diploma in food management, hospitality, nutrition and / or culinary arts
• Food handler’s license
• Knowledge of the requirements of the law on health, fire safety and people with disabilities
• Leadership, management, organizational and problem-solving skills
• Food Service Consultants Society International(FCSI) to provide:
  • Networks of catering professionals
  • Professional recognition
  • Events, workshops and tools to help you stay up to date with industry advancements
• If you are working as a food safety consultant, you must have a full understanding of HACCP certificationand the type of certification that the institution you work with is trying to receive.

Building Your Food Consulting Business

If you are considering becoming a food consultant, you can grow your business through a process that will provide you with the experience, skills, and know-how necessary to be successful in the industry. Your education and professional experience will allow you to become a thought leader in your field and open up a variety of opportunities for you. Here are the steps to become a food consultant and tips for writing your CV:

1. Obtain a bachelor’s degree: Depending on the type of food consultant you wish to be, you will need a bachelor’s degree in that food-related field. Your best bet is get your food science degree, management and / or nutrition. The more diverse and solid your food education, the more opportunities you will have at your disposal.
2. Gain experience in the food industry:Whether you have experience working in a hospital cafeteria or a restaurant kitchen, first-hand experience will allow you to familiarize yourself with the sanitary inspection process, management issues, facility development and management. , menu design and more.
3. Find a job at a prestigious food consulting firm: There are thousands of food consulting companies around the world and many of them specialize in different fields. Find companies that work in the specialty that interests you and apply to work there. The right company will provide you with the experience you need, put you in touch with the right network, and give you ideas on how to become a professional in your field.
4. Become a member of the Food Consultants group: The FCGis the largest and most diverse directory of food consultants in the United States. Become a member of the FCG to increase your visibility and reach potential customers.

How Much Money Does a Food Consultant Make?

Some food consultants will work as salaried employees in food production companies, advising on product development and consumer satisfaction. According to Payscale, food consultants earn an average of about $ 50,000 per year. Based on demographics on their platform, the top ten companies employing food consultants are:

• FAO
• World Food Program
• Amazon
• EY
• Unilever
• Nestle
• Marriott International
• Starbucks
• Oracle
• Google

If you are working as a freelance food consultant, you can determine your hourly, daily, or weekly rate depending on how much salary you want to earn. For example, if you want to make $ 60,000 a year, you would divide that number by the number of weeks you work, and then by the number of hours in a week you work. You can take the number you get and mark it up to add income for business expenses like insurance, transportation, and taxes.

The costs of the services will vary depending on your expertise, the level of difficulty of a particular project and what the company or institution you work for can afford. As an independent food consultant, you will need to determine your rate for each individual project.

You are a food consultant. Now what?

Once you have defined an academic and professional path to becoming a consultant, there are a few things you can do to continue to grow your business, brand, visibility and expertise:

• Become a professional member of the Food Consultants Society International. To become a professional member, you must:
  • Be employed for three years as a project manager in an agri-food consulting firm
  • Has been established as a Senior Associate Member of the FCSI
  • Pass two exams administered by the FCSI
  • Subscribe to the FCSI Code of Ethics
  • Present three reference checks
• Before becoming a professional member of the FCSI, you can become a Senior Associate Member, which gives you access to professional journals and publications, allows you to attend seminars and network with other restaurant professionals.
• Get published. If you are an expert in a particular food-related field, such as food safety, you can enhance your status by becoming published in a food journal such as The international journal of food science and technologyand the Journal of Food Nutrition and Food Science.
• Create your own website that illustrates your restoration mission, values, qualifications and work experience.
• Regularly attend workshops and seminars related to food science, nutrition and safety.

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