Self-test: Is the course "Catering manager with federal certificate" the right one for me?
Find out here whether the job profile "Catering operations manager with a federal certificate of proficiency" suits you and whether a part-time preparatory course for the professional examination (BP) is the right path for you.
What are the activities of a catering operations manager?
A catering operations manager manages a small to medium-sized catering business. This includes analyzing the market situation and integrating the findings into the portfolio. Guest care, process organization and offer and sales pricing are important. Catering operations managers are able to lead a team and manage the finances of the business. In this role as a manager or managing director of a restaurant, you must be familiar with business management, be able to take responsibility and reflect on your own activities.
The following activities are common in restaurant manager jobs:
- Operational management as a catering manager:
- Planning of drinks and menu offers
- Incorporating current nutritional trends into the range
- Evaluate and continuously adapt offer where necessary
- Organize and control the entire operational process
- Goods purchasing and warehousing
- Providing the products
- Dealing with feedback from guests
- Check quality and hygiene standards
- Implementing legal regulations
- Business management tasks in restaurant manager jobs:
- Design advertising and communication measures
- Calculate sales prices
- Keeping accounts
- Payroll and social security accounting
- Correspondence with authorities, suppliers and business partners
- Monitor productivity
- Monitor restaurant scene trends
- Regularly adapt and further develop the operating concept
- Employee management as a catering manager in a restaurant or hotel:
- Personnel management
- Promotion of employee development
Question 1:
Do the activities in catering manager jobs meet your expectations? Can you imagine working in this job?
If you like the actual activities of catering operations manager jobs, you are on the right track. The next question is what type of training (level of education, learning content, duration, examinations, etc.) is the right one for you to acquire the relevant skills.
Even if you don't like all of the activities involved in restaurant manager jobs, it could still be the right career for you. In almost every job, there are also tasks that are less interesting. However, the tasks of a catering operations manager should arouse your interest and appeal to you in principle.
Alternatively, you can look at descriptions of similar job profiles, as another degree may suit you better:
- Gastronomy tour (cert.)
- Host certificate (cert.)
- Head of Restoration (BP) (formerly Head of Restoration (BP))
- Chef de Réception (BP) (formerly Hotel Reception and Administration Manager / Administration Manager (BP))
- Hotelier-Gastronomer / Hoteliere-Gastronomin (HF) (formerly Hôtelier-Restaurateur / Hôtelière-Restauratrice (HF))
If you don't like the activities in restaurant manager jobs, you should find out which parts of the restaurant manager tasks you don't like so much. Is it the organizational tasks? Or the employee management or business management tasks as a restaurant manager?
Depending on your answer, you could look in job advertisements to see if there are jobs with a different distribution of tasks. Or you can take inspiration from other similar jobs. If you are generally unsure about your desired job, we can help you with ourAdvisorhelp you find your own calling.
Target group and skills: Who is the catering manager training course with professional examination suitable for? What qualities and skills are required?
The catering manager training course with subsequent professional examination is aimed at:
- Managers in the catering industry
- Operations managers from system and brand catering
- Managers from the small and medium-sized hotel industry
- Operations manager from the bar and club scene
- Business managers from the event scene and individual gastronomy
The following skills and characteristics are required for a successful job as a catering operations manager:
- Leadership qualities
- Interest in gastronomy and the hotel industry
- Communication skills, customer orientation
- Organizational talent
- Load capacity
- Foreign language skills
- Commercial skills, sense for numbers
- Willingness to work irregular hours
- Decision-making ability, solution orientation
- Flexibility, creativity
Question 2:
Do you belong to one of the target groups of the restaurant manager training?
If you belong to the target group and you have the necessary skills and qualities, then the gastronomy operations manager training is still an option for you. The federal certificate still seems to meet your expectations.
- If you do not belong to any of the above-mentioned groups, you cannot directly apply for the federal certificate as a catering manager. The further development opportunities in the area ofGastronomyare numerous and offer alternative educational opportunities that may interest you even more or suit you better.
- If you do not have the necessary skills and qualities for the job of catering manager, you will probably not be the best and most satisfied in such a position. Look for alternative training in the area ofGastronomy.
- If you are still unsure about your professional development, contact experienced people such as career advisors for targeted advice or coaching:
Prerequisites for admission to the professional examination for restaurant managers:
The following prerequisites are required for admission to the final examination "Federal Professional Examination for Catering Operations Managers" at the start of the examination:
- a federal certificate of proficiency (EFZ), a qualification at upper secondary level or an equivalent certificate or qualification and
- at least 2 years of professional experience in a managerial position in the hospitality industry
and
- the required module qualifications or certificates of equivalence
The following module qualifications must be demonstrated for admission to the examination and award of the federal certificate as a catering manager:
- Basic modules
- Hospitality law module
- Operations management module
- Accounting module
- Law module
- Service/Sales module
- Kitchen module
- Knowledge building
- Personality
- Learning and working techniques
- Presentation technology
- Creativity and innovation
- Business etiquette
- Guidance
- Occupational psychology
- Leadership and communication
- Intercultural communication
- Employee concept
- Company organization
- Structural and process organization
- Quality management
- Environmental management
- Marketing
- Trends
- Marketing concept
- Marketing mix
- Finances
- Financial accounting
- Cost accounting
- Budgeting
- Administration and law
- Labor law / L-GAV
- Payroll
- Personnel administration
- Correspondence
- Laws and regulations
- Personality
- Compulsory elective modules for catering managers
- In addition, one of the following module qualifications must be available:
- Gastronomy module, or
- Accommodation module, or
- System catering module
- In addition, one of the following module qualifications must be available:
The individual modules are completed as compulsory modules or elective modules in the preparatory courses for the professional examination. The module certificates for the basic modules are valid for 7 years, the module certificates for the advanced and compulsory elective modules are valid for 4 years. You will be informed in writing at least three months before the start of the examination whether you meet the requirements for the professional examination for restaurant managers - in the event of rejection, including reasons and information on legal remedies.
Question 3:
Do you have the required apprenticeship qualification and the necessary professional experience for the professional examination for restaurant managers?
If you meet the requirements, you can start the catering manager training course at the earliest possible date. You will then be admitted to the professional examination.
If you are not sure whether your professional experience is sufficient, clarify your chances directly with the sponsor of the professional examination, theGastroSuisse.
If you have too little or no professional experience for the restaurant manager training with professional examination, you have the following options:
- Search with the help of professional job boardsas followsfor suitable jobs.
- If you have someone with employment in theGastronomy-industry, ask this person for help with your job search.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible for admission to the professional examination following further training as a catering manager by means of an equivalence test, please contact theExamination secretariator theSERIfor foreign degrees.
If you have not completed your basic vocational training, you can make up for it. How can you do this in ourAdvisor"The Swiss education system at a glance".
If you are unsure whether your qualifications and professional experience are sufficient, clarify your chances directly with the sponsor of the professional examination, theGastroSuisse.
If you have too little or no professional experience for the professional examination for restaurant managers, you have the following options:
- Search with the help of professional job boardsas followsfor suitable jobs.
- If you have someone with employment in theGastronomy-industry, ask this person for help with your job search.
If you are not sure whether you are eligible for admission to the professional examination following further training as a catering manager by means of an equivalence test, please contact theExamination secretariator theSERIfor foreign degrees.
If you have not completed your basic vocational training, you can make up for it. How can you do this in ourAdvisor"The Swiss education system at a glance".
Subject matter and content of the catering management training course:
The subject matter of the preparatory courses for the professional examination for the professional certificate as a restaurant manager is based on the specifications of the sponsor of the federal examination, the Swiss Hotel and Restaurant Association (GastroSuisse).
The learning content of the further training to become a restaurant manager is divided into the following topics and areas of competence:
- Basic knowledge
- Hygiene/hospitality law
- Operational management
- Accounting
- Law
- Service/Sales
- Kitchen
- Knowledge building
- Personality
- Learning and working techniques
- Presentation technology
- Creativity and innovation
- Business etiquette
- Guidance
- Occupational psychology
- Leadership and communication
- Intercultural communication
- Employee concept
- Company organization
- Structural and process organization
- Quality management
- Environmental management
- Marketing
- Trends
- Web marketing
- Marketing concept
- Marketing mix
- Finances
- Financial accounting
- Cost accounting
- Budgeting
- Administration and law
- Labor law / L-GAV
- Payroll
- Personnel administration
- Correspondence (written communication)
- Laws and regulations (company law, debt enforcement and bankruptcy law)
- Personality
- Optional knowledge as a catering manager (one of four compulsory, several optional)
- Gastronomy
- Culinary / food expertise
- Foodmoduling
- Production planning
- Sales / Events
- F&B Management and Controlling
- System catering
- Basics of the system
- Systemics, process management
- Man in the system
- Systemic leadership
- Comparison of concepts
- Hotel industry
- Front Office
- Distribution, cooperation
- Hotel marketing
- Hotel business
- Housekeeping
- Hotel controlling, yield management
- Event management
- Event concept
- Sponsoring
- Experience staging
- Event marketing
- Event management
- Practical planning
- Legal basis
- Safety-relevant aspects
- Gastronomy
Question 4:
Are you interested in the content of the catering management training and would you like to acquire knowledge in this subject area?
Perfect, the content of the further training course to become a catering manager with a federal certificate is perfect for you. With the skills you have learned, you can score points on the job market and increase your salary prospects. You can now find out more about the structure and concept of the further training course from the training institutes.
If you are only partially interested in the content of the further training course to become a restaurant manager, then this course is probably not the right one for you. Then take a look at other training and further education opportunities in the field ofGastronomythat suit you better due to the content taught.
Obviously, the typical course content for further training to become a restaurant manager is not for you. Take a look at other further training courses instead. OnEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a wide range of options.
Operations Manager Gastro course - costs and financing:
Depending on the provider and duration, the costs for the catering manager training vary. On average, the following amounts are to be expected for the training costs:
- Course fees:about CHF 5'900.- to CHF 7'930.-
After taking the exam, you will receive around 50% of this back from the federal government on application (regardless of the result).* Participants from companies that are subject to the L-GAV receive subsidies for training costs (training offensive and support for professional exams) and compensation for loss of working hours for seminar and exam days. Be sure to check these generous financial benefits in detail. - Examination fees:CHF 1,200 (as of 2023 incl. module examinations)
The examination fee is set by the body responsible for the professional examination. It shall be paid by the candidate after confirmation of admission to the examination for training as a catering manager. - Extra costs:At some schools, the costs for enrolment fees, teaching materials, training documents, books, intensive exam training, simulation exams, school diplomas and interim qualifications, for example, are not included in the course fees. Please contact the provider of your choice directly to find out what additional costs you can expect for the course.
*Since 1.1.2018, preparatory courses for federal professional examinations such as the Gastronomy Operations Manager training course have been financially supported by the federal government. Graduates of these courses can therefore be reimbursed up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course costs paid after taking the federal examination. In cases of hardship, the federal contributions are also pre-financed in exceptional cases.
Question 5:
Are you in a position to pre-finance around CHF 7,100 to CHF 9,130 in costs for the restaurant manager courses and the federal examination?
Best of all. Here's another tip: If you are able to pay the entire cost of the catering manager course in advance, many schools will give you a discount.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
First ask the schools about the actual costs you can expect to pay for the real estate developer courses. Then ask your employer whether they will contribute to the cost of the real estate developer training. Or ask your school about the possibility of paying in installments. Perhaps there is someone in your private circle who will support your further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
First ask the schools about the actual costs you would have to expect for training as a real estate developer. Then ask your employer whether they will contribute to the costs. Ask your school about the possibility of paying the costs of your real estate developer training in installments. Perhaps there is someone in your private circle who will support your further education project with a loan. There are also banks and credit institutions that grant educational loans.
- Information on financial support options from the employer, federal government, canton, foundations or through loans from the Education Promotion FoundationEducaSwissyou will receive in ourAdvisor"How to finance your further training properly".
- Information on financial support for temporary workers through "temptraining", the further training fund of the temporary employment sector, is available athere.
- Information and help on budget planning and budget preparation can be foundhere.
Duration of study, teaching times and learning effort for the continuing education in catering management:
- The training and further training in catering management is modular in structure (i.e. some of the skills are assessed in module examinations prior to the professional examination and are only tested across modules in the final examination) and lasts one year. The training for the professional examination in catering management comprises around 32 teaching days.
- The teaching times vary depending on the provider of the further training course for restaurant managers. Classroom teaching takes place in compact blocks of 1 to 3 days and an additional 100 hours of self-study and reflection.
- Thanks to the extra-occupational concept of the catering manager training course, you can apply and consolidate the learning material in practice straight away. Nevertheless, you should allow sufficient time for lesson preparation and follow-up as well as for self-study. Depending on your previous knowledge, working style and learning speed, we recommend that you allow the same amount of time for the additional workload as the regular course duration.
Note: Some schools offer so-called "taster lessons", which provide an insight into the lessons and the learning atmosphere. A suitable learning environment is important on the way to successful completion of the further training in catering management.
Question 6:
Are you able to cope with the time and effort required for the face-to-face classes and the homework for the further training in catering management?
If you are confident that you can cope with the teaching time and the learning effort, you should start a further training course in catering management. At most, you can still consider whether you can achieve even better results, such as faster learning or better final grades, with suitable learning and working methods and a personal learning plan. Efficient learning methods also pay off in any case on the Gastronomy Management course.
If you don't have that much time for the restaurant manager training, check with the providers whether you can complete the training over more than two years. Or can you find another way to make room for yourself? Perhaps you can hand over certain tasks during the training period?
Degree, diploma and title:
The professional examination "Gastronomy Business Manager with Federal Certificate of Competence" takes place annually, provided that the minimum number of 12 candidates in German, 4 candidates in French and 2 candidates in Italian meet the admission requirements, otherwise every two years.
Candidates for the professional examination for restaurant managers will be notified at least four weeks before the start of the examination. The invitation includes the examination program (with details of the place and time of the examination as well as permitted aids) and the list of experts.
The professional examination for restaurant managers comprises the following four parts:
- Case study (written, 180 minutes, 4-fold weighting)
- The aim of this part of the examination is to understand a written practical situation, taking into account the skills acquired in the modules, to derive the resulting action strategies and to answer questions.
- Professional skills include the ability to organize, structure and adapt to a new situation.
- Technical discussions (oral, 30 minutes, double weighting)
- Based on a specific professional situation from practice, a technical discussion is held in accordance with the skills acquired in the modules. In particular, the ability to analyze and solve problems is tested. Candidates present alternative courses of action, justify their approach and answer questions.
- Professional competencies include the ability to solve problems and link content, the ability to justify and argue, creativity and independence.
- Learning reflection dossier (written, created during preparation, single weighting)
- The learning reflection is developed independently during the training period using the documents provided by the QA Commission. The workload is approx. 100 hours.
- The learning reflection dossier promotes a dialog between the knowledge taught and its concrete application in professional practice throughout the entire training period. The dossier encourages candidates to question their practical work in the workplace, identify improvements and review the implementation of what they have learned. The learning reflection dossier is kept individually and personally and must be submitted to the QA Commission at least 6 weeks before the final examination.
- The presentation, quantity and quality are assessed according to defined criteria (see guidelines for the learning reflection concept).
- Examination discussion on the learning reflection (oral, 20 minutes, single weighting)
- The discussion on learning reflection relates to the area of tension between training and professional practice. The experts start from the contents of the learning reflection dossier. The candidates demonstrate and reflect on their approach during the training period and the examination, their ability to learn, adapt and implement what they have learned and assess their own performance.
- Self-assessment, reasoning, learning, adaptation and thinking skills are assessed as part of the professional competencies.
Diploma and title
Graduates of the professional examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the federally recognized and protected title "Gastronomy Business Manager with Federal Certificate" or "Gastronomy Business Manager with Federal Certificate".
- In French: "Chef d'établissement de l'hôtellerie et de la restauration avec brevet fédéral", "Cheffe d'établissement de l'hôtellerie et de la restauration avec brevet fédéral"
- In Italian: "Esercente albergatore con attestato professionale federale", "Esercente albergatrice con attestato professionale federale"
- In English: "Restaurant and Hotel Manager, Federal Diploma of Professional Education" (Attention: This is only a recommendation/translation and not a protected title)
Question 7:
Do you have the confidence to pass the professional examination for restaurant managers?
Good, you are confident that you will successfully complete the professional examination following your training as a restaurant manager. Think about where you can best ensure practical transfer. Which learning and working methods are most efficient for you?
If you are unsure about a successful degree as a catering manager, we recommend the following:
- oneInformation eventof the favored educational institute
- onepersonal consultation appointmentwith the school of your choice for the catering manager training program
- at theSchool managementAsk about support options
- oneInformationby the sponsor of the professional examination, theGastroSuisseto dispel your concerns
- itselfSupportfromLearning therapistorCoachthroughautogenicormental trainingor get help around theExam anxietyto reduce
You are very unsure whether you will be able to graduate after completing the further training course in catering management. You could take a look at which subjects you may have struggled with in the past. If these are subjects that will be repeated in the final examination after the catering manager training course, you should find out about possible preparatory courses, use tutors to fill in existing gaps in your knowledge or discuss with the school whether there is the possibility of internal tests or preparatory courses.
If you have intense exam anxiety, you could look for a different type of course that works more with learning achievements, mid-term exams or semester work. External help from learning therapists, kinesiologists, autogenic training providers or mental training providers can also be considered:
No, the catering manager apprenticeship does not suit you. What a pity? Maybe not, because there are so many other options for further training. One or the other will certainly suit you much better.
Check which other further training courses are suitable for you. OnEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a large selection of offers.
Catering operations manager with a federal certificate is probably not the right further training goal for you.
Are you surprised or disappointed? Perhaps you should take the test for the catering manager training course again and see where your ideas or possibilities deviate from the ideal job. Perhaps this will point you in the direction of more suitable further training.
Then see which other further training courses interest you. ToEducation-Further-Education.chyou will find a large selection of offers.
The further training course for restaurant managers is not ideal for you - or is it?
If you are unsure, it is best to attend the providers' information events. You will find out a lot more about further education there. You can also discuss your personal options and questions directly with the specialist representatives present.
Directly to the schools:
"Gastronomy operations manager with a federal certificate"
This training seems to suit you.
As a next step, we recommend that you attend an information event at suitable schools and obtain information about the exact costs and dates of the courses and check the financing.
Directly to the schools:
"Gastronomy operations manager with a federal certificate"
Which school is right for me?
Our guide will help you decide which school to choose when training to become a catering manager:
- "How to decide in favor of theright training provider"
At the back of the guide you will find a helpful checklist with the most important points to clarify, which will help you to keep an overview.
Please also take a look at our evaluation tool with numerousReviewsfrom former course participants.
Thanks to the numerous filter options, including the number of stars, region, year or school, you can display exactly the ratings that interest you.
This training seems to suit you.
As a next step, we recommend that you attend an information event at suitable schools and obtain details of the exact costs and dates.
Directly to the schools:
"Gastronomy operations manager with a federal certificate"
Which school is right for me?
Our guide will help you decide which school to choose for your further training as a catering manager:
- "How to decide in favor of theright training provider"
At the back of the guide you will find a helpful checklist with the most important points to clarify, which will help you to keep an overview.
Please also take a look at our evaluation tool with numerousReviewsfrom former course participants.
Thanks to the numerous filter options, including the number of stars, region, year or school, you can display exactly the ratings that interest you.
This course seems to be made for you!
The best thing to do now is to attend information events at the schools you are interested in and find out everything you need to know about the specific content, costs and dates.
Directly to the schools:
"Gastronomy operations manager with a federal certificate"
Which school is right for me?
Our guide will help you decide which school to choose for your further training as a catering manager:
- "How to decide in favor of theright training provider"
At the back of the guide you will find a helpful checklist with the most important points to clarify, which will help you to keep an overview.
Please also take a look at our evaluation tool with numerousReviewsfrom former course participants.
Thanks to the numerous filter options, including the number of stars, region, year or school, you can display exactly the ratings that interest you.