YOU just enjoyed a scrumptious meal at one of the many restaurants at a resort. You are so pleased that you call the server and ask for the chef so you may thank him or her personally. While the chef, no doubt played a significant role in satiating your palates, there is someone else whose function was equally important. That person acts from behind the scenes, overseeing the food and beverage employees, coordinating menus and ensuring that the single most potentially expensive area in the hotel industry remains in budget. Enter the Food and Beverage Director, and in today’s ID Your Career, we feature 31- year-old Craig Leslie from Beaches Negril Resort and Spa, who tells us more about this important role in the tourism field.

Who is a Food and Beverage Director?

A Food and Beverage Director is the person responsible for managing the operations of the resort’s food and beverage outlets to deliver an excellent guest experience. In addition to overseeing, training, and developing team members, the Food and Beverage Director is also responsible for ensuring that all services executed are within the budgeted guidelines. This person also coordinates the management of large banquets, weddings, conferences and restaurant activities and is charged with maintaining high standards of quality, service and merchandising to maximise profits.

What are your responsibilities?

The responsibilities are varied and include:

* Managing all food and beverage outlet operations and maintaining exceptional levels of guest service;

* Recruiting, managing, training and developing the food and beverage team as well as providing incentives for team members to maximise sales and revenue;

* Managing guest queries in a timely and efficient manner and evaluating guest satisfaction levels with a focus on continuous improvement;

* Working within budgeted guidelines in relation to food cost, beverage cost and payroll as well as monitoring monthly inventory processes, purchasing and stock control. Also, assisting the area managers in establishing and achieving predetermined profit objectives and desired standards of quality food, service, cleanliness, merchandising and promotion; and

* Developing and costing menus with other members of the food and beverage team.

What is the value of the work that you do?

My job is very critical to the success of the hotel as the Food and Beverage Department accounts for a significant portion of the company’s profit and also directly impacts customer satisfaction, which is the driving factor for any company’s success. If there is a measurable swing or change in demand or customer dissatisfaction this means recommending to senior management possible options to meet these changes including new operating and/or marketing practices.

What prompted your entry into the field?

I developed an interest in the food and beverage field while working as a server at a restaurant for two years as I attended college in Florida. I gained a new appreciation for the creative process involved in the food industry — from conceptualisation to delivery — that starting point fuelled my desire to grow and succeed and set me on a journey to where I am today.

What are the academic/certification requirements for getting into the field?

A Food and Beverage Director should possess a college or university degree in Hospitality Management or a related field and/or equivalent experience in Food and Beverage Management. The director should also understand basic hotel and restaurant management.

What other skills/competencies are required for entry into and performance in the field?

It is necessary to have a good understanding of inventory management systems and thorough knowledge of food and beverage operations including supervisory aspects, service techniques, and guest interaction. A Food and Beverage Director should also have excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as excellent forecasting and budgeting skills. The individual should also be proactive, good with problem-solving and should work well with colleagues. Due to the intensive nature of the job, working under pressure and willingness to adapt to long hours is a plus.

What is your academic background?

I am a past student of Petersfield Comprehensive High and the Mannings School. I earned an Associate Arts Degree from Palm Beach Community College Boca Raton Florida and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies (Mona).

How much can one earn as a Food and Beverage Director on an annual basis?

It depends on the level of experience and certification that one has. However, based on research, Food and Beverage Directors can earn millions per year.

With the requisite training in your field, what sorts of employment options are available to you?

A Food and Beverage Director has the potential of becoming an Operations Manager, Hotel Manager or a General Manager.

What do you most enjoy about the work that you do?

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my job is the people I work with on a daily basis. I believe I am surrounded by some of the best professionals in the industry. The opportunity to play a part in developing people’s careers, helping them to be successful and grow into better individuals personally and professionally is rather rewarding for me. I also enjoy this field of work because I am able to be flexible and creative and when that results in an appeased guest and there’s that spark in their eye, it gives me a great sense of pride to know that I have met or exceeded someone’s expectation.

What are the challenges you face on the job?

The unpredictability of restaurant operations and staffing for unexpected demands is one of the main challenges because excessive staffing adds to operating costs while insufficient staffing limits your ability to meet customer demand.

Why would you advise anyone to enter the field?

It is a very fulfiling experience which allows you to learn a lot while also contributing to the development of the hospitality industry. As a Food and Beverage Director, you have the opportunity to truly make a difference in a guest’s entire vacation experience.

What’s your work history?

My career started out at Beaches Negril where I was hired as a tour desk agent with the sales office. I worked within that department from January 2004 to June 2006 after which I was given the opportunity to join the food and beverage team at the same resort as a Food and Beverage Trainee Manager. After spending two years working and training in all the departments of that division, I chose to take on a different venture as Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager at Sandals Montego Bay and later at Beaches Negril. At that time I wanted to explore other opportunities within the sector in an effort to be a more rounded hospitality professional. At Beaches, I was promoted to Assistant Director of Food and Beverage and served in that capacity from April 2010 to October 2011 before being transferred to Beaches Sandy Bay as Food and Beverage Manager. After spending nine months there, I was recalled to Beaches Negril in July 2012 in the capacity of Food and Beverage Director, a position which I still hold.