One of the benefits of being an employee of a corporation is that you gain access to great health care benefits. One of the programs offered through the corporate group you work for is a medical expense account plan (HMO or PPO). If you’re fortunate enough to work for an organization that provides dental coverage, you’re in for a real treat. If not, you may have to pay for basic dental work yourself.
There’s another type of specialist that you may not be aware of that provides benefits to employees. If you happen to work in the food service industry, you may be eligible for a special discount on health care benefits when you officially become a food service specialist. What exactly is a food service specialist?
The Role Of A Food Service Specialist
A food service specialist ensures that food is prepared, packaged, and served in an efficient and quality manner. In other words, they are in charge of everything that has to do with the kitchen. This includes hiring and training cooks and dishwashers, as well as managing food inventory and ordering food items for the restaurant.
While some restaurants may only need an evening meal preparer or cook, some larger chains may require a full-time food service specialist. The responsibility of a food service specialist can range from preparing food items for customers, to stocking the kitchen with necessary equipment, to overseeing everything from the layout and design of the kitchen to making sure it runs smoothly.
Since restaurants operate on a tight budget, it’s important that food prepared in restaurants is of good quality. Therefore, it’s not surprising that restaurants try to keep their food costs low by using as much pre-made stock and shortcutting as possible. For instance, instead of making fresh pasta, some restaurants use store-bought shells or dried pasta. Instead of making fresh bread, some restaurants buy pre-made sandwich bread or buy individual pastries from a bakery and heat them up in the restaurant.
The role of a food service specialist can be somewhat similar to that of a personal chef. However, instead of preparing food for individual customers, a food service specialist usually works for a large corporation and ensures that a certain amount of food is served daily to meet the demands of the corporation’s customers.
Since restaurants operate on a tight budget, it’s important that food prepared in restaurants is of good quality. Therefore, it’s not surprising that restaurants try to keep their food costs low by using as much pre-made stock and shortcutting as possible. For instance, instead of making fresh pasta, some restaurants use store-bought shells or dried pasta. Instead of making fresh bread, some restaurants buy pre-made sandwich bread or buy individual pastries from a bakery and heat them up in the restaurant. The goal of using pre-made items is to save money, time, and effort, and ensure consistency from one location to another. Some people in the food service industry appreciate the fact that pre-made items can be standardized, which makes it easier to serve customers without food-related lawsuits from customers claiming that the food was actually harmful to them.
Becoming A Food Service Specialist At Speedway
If you’re interested in joining the food service industry and would like to know more about the role of a food service specialist, how to become one, and what exactly it entails, you’ve come to the right place. In this section, we will discuss everything you need to know about working in a restaurant, including how to become a food service specialist at Speedway and what salary you can expect.
What Is The Process At Speedway?
When you officially apply for a position at Speedway, you will have the option of becoming an exempt or nonexempt employee. If you choose the latter, you will be working under the table. However, if you decide to apply for an exempt position, you may be required to complete at least one year of service as an unpaid intern before you can begin to work for the company. This is because most restaurants are unable to accommodate unpaid interns; therefore, they have to be placed in an exempt position.
Regardless of whether you’re applying for a salaried or hourly position, there will be a process you need to follow. The first step is to apply through the appropriate channel. Upon submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email from Human Resources. Next, you will need to click on the link in the email to complete the online qualification exam. You must pass this exam with a score of at least 70% to be eligible for the position.
Salary And Benefits
Depending on your experience and training, you may be offered a starting salary that ranges from $16.00 to $24.00 per hour. In addition, you may be eligible to earn an additional bonus of up to $4,000.00 annually. Since food service benefits are only available to those who qualify under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, you must file a new tax form (UTA-1040EZ) each year in order to take advantage of these benefits. Filing this form is relatively straightforward and can be done online with the IRS’s website. Alternatively, you can call the IRS helpline at 1-800-829-1040 and request an electronic copy of the form to be mailed to you. Once you have the form, you need to determine your total income and then subtract the amount of Social Security and Medicare taxes you paid in the previous year. This amount will be your yearly benefit. Your employer will also contribute to a pension plan if you are eligible for one.
License And Registration
If you work for a chain restaurant, you will most likely need to get a food handler’s license and possibly a liquor license as well. In addition, depending on where you work, you may also need to get a permit to serve liquor. In most places, you will also need to register with the local health department. There are also certain federal regulations that you must follow, like the one that requires restaurants to post their inspection reports online. If you are unable to register or log into a health department’s website yourself, you can hire a private detective to do it for you. Once you have registered and logged into the site, you can view all of the restaurant inspection reports that have been posted by local inspectors. You can also print out a copy of these reports for future reference.
Other Specialties
While most restaurants only need someone to cook and serve food, there are other specialties within the food service industry that you may be asked to perform. If you are a culinary-arts major, you may choose to apply for a job in hospitality, where you can work your way up from the bottom and eventually become a sous chef or restaurant manager. If you’re more of a health-conscious individual and love to eat vegan, you may choose to work in a medical clinic or hospital for Physicians & Surgeons. Finally, if you have a love for travel and would like to explore the world, you may want to look into working as a concierge for a luxury hotel. In this position, you would be responsible for providing personalized services for hotel guests, including making restaurant recommendations, booking spa treatments, and ordering food items. Whatever path you choose, joining the food service industry is a great way to start your career.