Guest Post: Interesting Careers in the Food Industry

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3 Interesting Careers in the Food Industry

There is no doubt that many working individuals have experienced their fair share of employment time in the food industry, whether it was through working as a dishwasher, line cook, server, or host. Yet, the food industry does not have to only be a place for people to get their first jobs; it can also be a place to launch a challenging, fascinating and rewarding career. For those who are attracted to the idea of working with food, but are looking for something different, consider some of these interesting careers in the food industry that let you think outside the professional chef or restaurateur box.

1. Sommelier. At any fine dining establishment, you will find an extensive list of wines to choose from, representing the fruits of a sommelier's labor. Sommeliers are wine experts, and most fine dining restaurants employ at least one in-house sommelier whose primary responsibilities are to pick the best wines to compliment the restaurant's general atmosphere and flavors, and to help diners choose the best wines for their meals. Many are also highly knowledgeable when it comes to beers, ales, ciders, and cigars, so even non-wine drinkers can enlist their help when it comes to choosing that perfect dinner drink. After taking a diner's order, sommeliers will order the wine from the restaurant's cellar and prepare it for the customer, which sometimes includes decanting it to best showcase the wine's subtle and bold flavor notes.

2. Food Critic. Though the widespread use and popularity of review sites like Yelp.com and UrbanSpoon.com can turn just about anybody into a food critic, professional critics are still highly respected when it comes to evaluating a restaurant's dining experience due to their expertise in the field. Food critics typically work for newspapers, magazines, or Internet-based publications. They visit a variety of eating establishments, from local diners to high-end restaurants, taking note of the atmosphere, service, clientele, and of course, the food. Many will visit a restaurant multiple times in order to gain a true sense of the restaurant's individual personality and consistency. A food critic's goal is to give readers an unbiased and comprehensive assessment of the eatery's positive and negative notes, including comments about the taste and presentation of the dishes, the décor, and the quality of the serving staff.

3. Food Photographer. Think only models get teams of make-up artists, wardrobe designers, and expert direction from photographers? Think again. In food photography, food receives this star treatment as well, except that the make-up artists are actually in charge of scooping, plating, and arranging the food just so, whereas the wardrobe department is in charge of dressing the surface where the food will be placed, as well as picking out the bowls and plates for the shot. Food photographers work with these food dressers to photograph foods for advertisements, magazines, newspapers, and Internet publications. Some work in designated studios, while others may lug around their equipment and light boxes as they travel from destination to destination to photograph tasty treats. Food photographers must work hard to compose beautiful and interesting shots that also showcase the food's best (or worse) qualities, making sure to bring the food's unique colors and textures to life in still photography.

These three careers are only a small sample of all the different occupations that you could pursue in the food industry. Whether you are interested in seeking out these professions for yourself or are just fascinated by learning about them, you can be sure that the food industry is chock full of intriguing careers. 

This guest post is contributed by Alisa Gilbert, who writes on the topics of bachelors degree.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: alisagilbert599@gmail.com.