A diploma in Food and Beverage Management is a course that will equip the trainee with knowledge, skills, and attitude that will enable him/her to perform managerial duties in the Food and Beverage industry.
In Kenya, Food and Beverage Management is offered at both universities and TVET institutions. Univeristy like Kenyatta University offer Food and Beverage and other hospitality-related course. However, TVET uses a common syllabus produced by KICD and examined by KNEC. In this article, we concentrate on Diploma in Food and Beverage Management for the KNEC syllabus.
With the F&B course, you can work as Food and Beverage Service Supervisor, waiter, nightclub manager, Chef, Bartender, Baker, and restaurant marketing manager among other roles.
Table of Contents
The objective of the Food and Beverage Management course
By the end of the Diploma in Food and Beverage Management, the trainee is expected to be able to do the following.
- Produce different types of foods and beverages to the required standards of food and beverage establishment.
- Develop knowledge and skills to serve food and beverage in different types of catering establishments to customer satisfaction.
- Appreciate hygiene and safety principles required in a catering establishment and apply them in his or her day-to-day work.
- Ensure regular maintenance of premises and equipment.
- Appreciate the role of science in food and nutrition.
- Appreciate the value of food and beverage control in order to minimize cost and maximize profit.
- Appreciate the need for good communication skills and the impact of Information Communication Technology in the catering industry.
- Apply entrepreneurship to start and run a food and beverage business.
Food and Beverage course requirements
Being a Diploma course those who wish to join the course in any TVET institution will require a minimum KCSE grade of C- and above.
Those who have done a Craft Certificate in Food and Beverage Management and passed can proceed to a diploma level. Depending on your performance at the craft level you can request KNEC to exempt you from doing some units. When exempted, you will be admitted to module 2 of the diploma instead of module 1.
Diploma in Food and Beverage course units per module
For the diploma KNEC program, the course is divided into 3 modules/levels which are supposed to take 3 years. The student does the unit in each module and sits for the KNEC exam for those specific units before proceeding to the next level.
If you fail 3 units among all your units per module, KNEC considers it as FAIL and you have to repeat all units in that module. When you fail 1 or 2 units you are allowed to proceed to the next level but you must repeat the failed unit and pass before you are certified by KNEC.
For the Diploma in Food and Beverage Management course, the following are the units that you are required to cover to be certified.
Module 1 units in Food and Beverage Management
This module equips the trainee with knowledge and skills to prepare, produce and serve meals as well as carry out other operations in a Food and Beverage business. Units offered in module 1 are:
- Food and Beverage Production (Practical and Theory)
- Food and Beverage Service (Practical and Theory)
- Catering Premises and Equipment
- Mathematics
- Information Communication Technology
- Communication skills
- Entrepreneurship Education
After modules 1 and 2 students are expected to go for an industrial attachment which is a requirement of the course. Students can be attached to any industry or area that deals with hospitality Management. This includes but is not limited to hotels, and other areas that prepare food, serve, and can accommodate clients.
Food and Beverage Module 2 units
This module equips the student with the knowledge, skills, and attitude required to perform supervisory duties in food and beverage production in the hospitality industry.
- Food and Beverage Production Management (Practical and Theory)
- Food Commodities
- Nutrition
- Diet Therapy and Home Nursing
- Catering Law
- Food and Beverage Control
- Hospitality Accounting
- Business plan
Module 3 units in Food and Beverage course
In Module 3 the trainee is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitude required to perform supervisory duties, food beverage service, and sales in the hospitality industry.
- Food and Beverage Sales and Service Management (Practical and Theory)
- Principles and Practices of Management
- Human Relations
- Sales and Marketing
- Research project
Career Progression in Food and Beverage Course
After completing a diploma in food and beverage, you can enroll as an undergraduate in the hospitality industry.
Some of the degrees are, Food and Beverage Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management (Hospitality Option), Meetings & Events Management, Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management, and Catering & Institutions management
Employment opportunities in the Food and Beverage field
With a Diploma in Food and Beverage Management, you can be employed hospitality and hotel industry. Some of the roles that you can take in the industry can include.
- Food and Beverage Service Supervisor
- Food and Beverage Server
- Nightclub Manager
- Chef
- Bartender
- Baker
- Restaurant marketing manager
For self-employment, you can start cake baking, or bread preparation among other food-related events. If you have enough capital you can establish a small hotel or start outside catering for small events as you progress. The Food and Beverage Management industry is huge and there are many opportunities that the graduate can exploit.
For employment opportunities, you can approach any company that deals with food and beverage preparation, organizing events, and food service, among other areas
Differences between food and beverage and catering and accommodation course
Both courses are in the hospitality industry. Food and beverage is a specialized course that trains the learner on food production and service and how to manage those 2 areas. The catering and accommodation still train on the food production and service but add more to have all-rounded hospitality personnel.
Qualified food and beverage personnel, are limited to working as a chef, waiter, or the manager of a food production and service establishment.
A qualified catering and accommodation graduate can work as a chef, waiter, manager, front office, laundry personnel, and housekeeper within a hospitality establishment.
Depending on the student’s preference they can choose either of the course. However, a catering and accommodation graduate has more job opportunities than specialized food and beverage.