Culinary Graduates ’ Career Decisions and Expectations

This study investigates the expectations of career opportunities and career decisions of prospective culinary graduates in the food service industry. The study analyzed data from a sample of 336 college students majoring in culinary arts from three different culinary schools located in the northeastern region of the United States. The results show that the availability of the new labor force for entry and mid-level positions appears to be lower than the growth of student enrollment. Research findings suggest that monetary factors, including salary and benefits, along with advancement opportunities are the major factors influencing culinary graduates ’ career decisions. The familiarity with career opportunities and willingness to accept job offers were also assessed. Recommendations are offered to bridge the gap between the expectations of culinary graduates and recruiters for improved recruitment results