What do dietitians do in Food Service Management?

Dietitians working in Food Service Management apply their knowledge and skills to:

• Assess the strengths and needs of services, programs, and projects related to food services. They identify, obtain, and interpret information (e.g. demographic, financial or human resources information) relevant to clients (e.g. patients, residents, customers) for the purpose of meeting the goals of an organization, and improving client satisfaction.
• Manage food services, programs, and projects. They identify goals, and develop strategies and action plans (e.g. coordinating the implementation of a food safety training program for new employees).
• Develop, implement and modify menus for diverse settings in accordance with Canada’s Food Guide and provincial standards. Key responsibilities include: recipe standardization, food production, materials management, conducting audits and surveys, monitoring client satisfaction, and more.
• Incorporate a continuous quality improvement (CQI) approach to improve food services, programs, and projects (e.g. re-designing cafeteria food stations to improve customer traffic flow and customer satisfaction). They ensure compliance to relevant food safety and workplace standards, risk management, introducing program innovation, and supporting human resource training and development.
• Develop budgets and financial plans to meet the goals of an organization’s food services, programs, and projects.
• Collaborate, plan, coordinate, and evaluate activities to meet an organization’s goals and objectives (e.g. developing a plan to implement a workplace harassment policy).
• Demonstrate effective human resource performance management and development (e.g. developing and implementing a customer service training program for dietary aides).

Learn more about dietitians working in Food Service Management by reading “Putting it all together.”

It is important to note that dietitians apply Management knowledge and skills in all areas of dietetic practice in Canada, including Nutrition Care, Population and Public Health, and Food Services.