Making the Most of My Food Service Management Experience

As I write this, I'm nearly done with my rotations. It’s wild to think back to August when it all just began! I have very conflicted feelings about this experience coming to an end. On one hand I can’t WAIT to start my career as a dietitian; on the other I am sad to see it go. One thing is for sure though, life on the Central Coast is a dream come true. I don’t think I’ll be leaving here anytime soon.

Dietetic Internships in general sound very intimidating in the beginning. Putting all of that education into actual practice sounded hard-- and ten whole months of that! At this point, though, I’m more grateful than ever for the experiences I’ve had. I’ve had the opportunity to explore just about every area in dietetics. I was very set on a specific career initially, but now I’m open to exploring other options. Although my heart is still set on working in foodservice, and I know I’ll get there eventually.

I’m going to share with you my experience in foodservice management, what I love about it, and takeaways for future interns.

There’s always more to learn.

All fields of dietetics require you to use your noggin. In foodservice you need to keep up with the current laws and regulations, as well as know how to make necessary changes! It’s also important to keep up with the current trends to meet the needs of patients as well as visitors and employees. Let’s not forget about safety and sanitation. As an intern you’re not expected to be an expert on this stuff, but it sure is helpful to brush up on this information prior to starting your rotation. You’ll most likely be doing plenty of audits, and it’s important to be able to correct and address issues as soon as possible. I found getting the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification before delving into the internship to be a big help!

There’s much less computer time than you’d expect.

As much as I love binging on a good computer game, I also need to move around. Foodservice is full of surprises. The odds of being short staffed is quite high. This seems like a negative thing, but I personally enjoyed having the opportunity to learn the different kitchen positions and helping out as needed. This is a great experience from a management standpoint. How can you do a good job from the office if you have no idea what your staff does? Your ability to multitask will be put to the test. Don’t even think about leaving your projects for the last minute; you never know what the next day will bring.

Learning what makes a good boss.

Management is very tricky. You have to find that sweet spot between earning your employees' trust, and still being able to delegate effectively. When I returned to the foodservice management world to perform staff relief, I had one goal in mind: increase employee morale. I learned that the littlest things can have the biggest impact. I had the opportunity to lead the afternoon staff huddles. These are quick meetings held with all staff to debrief, solve issues, or address upcoming changes/events. In the past I had observed these huddles being a bit one-sided, where staff would rarely participate. I wanted to create a safe space where each employee could be heard. By simply asking each different group (cooks, dish room, diet aides) how the day had been, suddenly the whole room was sharing their thoughts. It was like a harmonious symphony. I was taught by my preceptor that a huddle should be filled with positive and effective feedback, where issues are solved immediately or as soon as possible.

I also took the initiative to organize a group hiking day with the employees. This took place on the weekend after my rotation wrapped up. We all had so much fun, and even decided to go another hike the following weekend. I took this time to get to know them on a personal level. I found that treating staff like real people, not just employees, is one of the most effective ways to earn respect and develop a sense of comradery.

I’ll be finishing up the internship with an elective rotation at Atascadero State Hospital focusing in foodservice management. I hope to bring all that I’ve learned from French Hospital, and all of my other rotation sites with me. I look back on all of the experiences I’ve had and the amazing preceptors who have helped shaped me as an intern and a professional. I’m more excited, confident, and determined than ever to begin my career as a Registered Dietitian.