Grocery and Retail Store Cooking Jobs:

If you are looking for something a little different in the cooking industry, what about a career in retail? There are tons of retail chef jobs available in supermarkets and other stores that would be perfect for a new chef.

Dealing with food in retail is slightly different to that in a restaurant, as you have now moved from hospitality to retail. More business comes into play here. You can get various jobs in retail food including chef, section manager, assistant manager, baker, and production supervisor. The industry is more focused on preparation and quantity, rather than plating and technique. You have to produce a lot of meal in very little time and still maintain the excellent taste and quality. Usually the food manager will select a recipe from a book of set ones, and you will have to make it using ingredients from the deli, butchery and bakery. In retail food you have various job descriptions besides those of the different retail chef positions.

Section Manager: The section manager is in charge of the operations for each section of the food preparations in the retail environment. You can be the section manager for the bakery, the deli or the butchery and involve yourself in the cutting, food preparation and making of the food that are sold at a supermarket or store to the customers. These foods can either be pre packaged and made available from the refrigerators in the store for customers to buy, or you can have these lovely cooked meals for people to buy hot and ready to eat as a sort of take away. As a section manager you will be responsible for your section and making sure that it is clean, enforcing wastage regulations, and maintaining health and safety standards, as well as checking the food preparation. You can also assist the retail chef or baker when needed, so a background and some training in food management, and cooking is generally a requirement.

Baker Jobs: The baker in retail food is responsible for the baking of fresh breads and baked goods for the day before the store opens. This will usually mean very early hours to prepare before the store opens and baking the entire day with a team of assistant bakers and chefs to create cakes, tarts, pastries, and breads to sell. In retail foods the baker will have to be in charge of all the ingredients, products and stock taking, as well as temperature control, hygiene and cleanliness, along with the assistant bakers.