South Carolina Culinary Adventure: Food in the Sun

South Carolina's traditions of Southern hospitality give the local food service industry a boost. Larger cities like Columbia and Charleston offer the highest number of opportunities in hospitality and food service in the state, but coastal and mountain towns offer restaurant and hotel positions as well. Year-round food festivals pepper the state, celebrating such diverse foods as okra, barbecue, shrimp and grits, and bread pudding.

Attending culinary school gives you the chance to develop your skills in the culinary arts, as well as your understanding of the business elements of hospitality. Running a restaurant requires not only culinary expertise, but also skills in personnel management, sales, community involvement, government regulations, and more. Working as a hotel manager requires knowledge of facility planning, amenity and guest accommodation offerings, some restaurant and food service management, and other hotel specialties

Working in Hotel and Restaurant Management

The tourism industry in South Carolina is strong, as both the mountains and the beach draw seasonal visitors throughout the year. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the best jobs in hospitality management will be filled by professionals with degrees in restaurant and hotel management. It is a very competitive industry, as managers compete for the best jobs at the best locations.

Those in restaurant management earned an average salary of $57,080 in 2007, according to the BLS. South Carolina chefs and head cooks earned an average of $37,160, during 2007. The best way to earn more as a hotel or restaurant manager is to go to culinary school and gain several years of experience. Having both of these career builders will help you compete with the growing number professionals in this industry.

Featured Schools

The Art Institutes

Develop your portfolio at The Art Institutes, and get a competitive advantage.

Campus Locations:

Charlotte
Atlanta
Charleston

Programs:

Culinary Arts (D)
Culinary Arts (AA)

Le Cordon Bleu Schools of North America

Bring Your Fire to the Plate. Le Cordon Bleu. Learn the Way.

Campus Locations:

Las Vegas
Scottsdale
Hollywood
Saint Paul
Orlando
Portland

Programs:

Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Portland - 12 Month Certificate in Culinary Arts
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale - Certificate in Culinary Arts