Food and beverage management

Abstract

PurposeThe paper is a reflection on the changes that have taken place in the area of food and beverage and serves as a reminder that it is still one of the most complex activities within the area of hospitality.Design/methodology/approachThe paper highlights major changes, with particular emphasis on marketing and the rising influence of design. However, the basic argument is that the changes that have taken place during the last two decades are essentially add‐ons to the basic activities of the function: very little has fallen away. In other words, although technological advances, particularly in the kitchen, and the invasion of modern business techniques, such as branding and business process engineering, have brought new activities, the need for the traditional knowledge and skills remains. This makes modern food and beverage management an even more complex activity but an exciting one.FindingsThe paper acknowledges the changing career patterns of those with food and beverage backgrounds but suspects that it is skill the bedrock of hotel management.Practical implicationsThe paper defends the case for food and beverage training within hospitality management courses but acknowledges the problems associated with this.Originality/valueThe conclusion drawn is that educational decisions need a full appraisal of the functions of modern food and beverage management: which is the purpose of this paper.