F&B (Food and Beverage)

Term from Event Management industry explained for recruiters

F&B (Food and Beverage) refers to all activities related to food service and beverage operations. In event management, it involves planning, organizing, and managing food and drink services for various occasions. This can include everything from menu planning and catering coordination to managing service staff and ensuring food safety standards. It's a critical part of events, hotels, restaurants, and venues where food service plays a key role. When you see F&B on a resume, it typically indicates experience with food service operations, whether in restaurants, hotels, event venues, or catering services.

Examples in Resumes

Managed F&B operations for corporate events serving 500+ guests

Coordinated Food and Beverage services across 3 hotel restaurants

Oversaw F&B budget of $1M annually for large-scale events

Typical job title: "F&B Managers"

Also try searching for:

Food and Beverage Manager F&B Director Restaurant Manager Catering Manager Banquet Manager Food Service Director Dining Services Manager

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you handle a situation where you need to cut F&B costs while maintaining quality?

Expected Answer: A senior manager should discuss strategies like menu engineering, vendor negotiations, portion control, reducing waste, and staff scheduling optimization, while emphasizing the importance of not compromising guest experience.

Q: Describe how you would develop and implement a new F&B concept for a hotel.

Expected Answer: Should explain market research, budget planning, menu development, staff training, marketing strategy, and execution timeline, showing understanding of both business and operational aspects.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you ensure food safety standards are maintained during large events?

Expected Answer: Should discuss temperature monitoring, proper food storage, staff training on hygiene protocols, allergen management, and documentation procedures.

Q: What systems do you use to track inventory and manage costs?

Expected Answer: Should explain inventory management methods, par levels, waste tracking, cost calculations, and how they use this information to make business decisions.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What are the basic components of F&B service?

Expected Answer: Should mention menu planning, food preparation, service standards, customer service, basic cost control, and health and safety regulations.

Q: How do you handle customer complaints about food or service?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of customer service principles, complaint resolution steps, and when to escalate issues to management.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic food service operations
  • Customer service
  • Health and safety compliance
  • Basic cost tracking

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Staff supervision
  • Inventory management
  • Budget control
  • Event coordination

Senior (5+ years)

  • Strategic planning
  • P&L responsibility
  • Concept development
  • Team leadership

Red Flags to Watch For

  • No knowledge of food safety regulations
  • Lack of customer service experience
  • No experience with budgeting or cost control
  • Poor understanding of inventory management