Guest Blog: Best jobs to get into if you think about food all day!

It doesn’t matter if you eat to live or live to eat, food is an undeniably important part of our lives. Most people now have a stable nine to five job where you walk in and meet the same people every day and get into a routine, being jaded is only a matter of time .For most cooking is a form of therapy, something that takes our mind off things after a long day of work. But what if you could be around food all day, here are some professions perfect for foodies!

What you will need before getting started:

Before starting on your foodie dream I would recommend getting some experience in either a hotel or a restaurant so that you have a fair idea of how the business is run, better yet find a chance to do it overseas so that you can bring a new and exotic flavour to your cuisine .Check out some great job offers at Neuvoo. I personally did my internship at a Mövenpick hotel but it depends completely on your goal .

Food truck chef: 

This one has been a bit overdone in the past few years the number of food trucks went up exponentially, but there is a reason behind why the food truck is so popular .It’s because there are very little start-up costs, typically just a van and maybe a backup generator both of which are pretty much onetime costs. The second advantage of a food truck is mobility, you can test different parts of the city and evaluate how big the market is, and even play with prices to experiment and find out which is most profitable .The prices and market can then be compared with rent levels if you would like to start a restaurant in the future .This is something that many food truck owners often miss out on!

Take a look at Brothers Maine lobster and their success story, after getting an investment this small company is now franchising and has really grown from when it first started.

Image source: www.tes.com

Personal Chef: 

This trend is really gaining momentum, the concept is cooking for a small group of people for a special occasion, most personal chefs often work on a free-lance basis but there are a few companies that offer the service and signing up with them could be looked into. The reason this is becoming so popular is the customer’s desire for personalisation and to get away from crowded restaurants. The biggest advantage about this job is probably getting to meet and cook for some VIP clients if you are really good!

Writing a cook book: 

The amount of paperback books being bought is definitely on the decline with more and more people become more conscious about the environment and fewer people having time to read .However social media has given us a way to put our recipes out there without having to find a publisher .Starting a you tube channel or a Facebook page could be an outlet that you could explore .I would also recommend looking into the Paleo diet (which is pretty much eating like a caveman) this age old way of eating has now become a major trend !

Food production and retail: 

Okay this one come with its large number of challenges ,but if you have the perfect recipe to make something that tastes great and you think you can make money on it then go for it .However bringing production costs down can be a big issue as finding a big kitchen to make your wonderful recipe would be expensive .Then when that is done having it in retail will eat into your margins (pun intended) .Online selling is a good option but shipping costs could make your product less competitive .

Take a look at a start-up that makes customized granola bars called element bars!

Food critic and columnist: 

This one takes a bit of writing talent, however could be a great way to try a different restaurant every day, it also means having a stable job with a newspaper or magazine.

Opening a beach shack: 

Okay so I saved the best for last .The lifestyle of having a shack is unbelievable not to mention your office will probably have a great view of the sea .The biggest difference about working in a restaurant that caters to leisure travellers as opposed to business travellers is the mind-set that your customers would have ,having a beach shack would mean your service time could be longer and you would probably have to deal with fewer complaints as most of your customers are in a holiday mood, paradise often comes with its dangers, competition can be stiff and business can be seasonal not to mention the licences that you would have to pay for in advance.

Image Source: www.holidify.com

Thank you for reading and let me know if I have missed out on any great foodie professions .Let me know what you think and do share your experiences if you have been involved in any of these professions yourself .

By: Manvendra Kikkeri

A student and part time writer, Manvendra's current obsessions are food and travel. He is currently studying hospitality and hotel management.

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