Hospitality & Catering

There's something special about a great meal out or a perfectly run event. Hospitality is one of the UK's most sociable and fast-paced industries, and if you want to be part of creating those experiences for people, it offers a genuinely varied and rewarding career path.

The sector is also facing one of its most acute staffing challenges in years. According to UKHospitality, there are around 132,000 vacancies across the industry, with chef shortages running at 10% for head chefs and 21% for production chefs. Skilled, qualified people are in real demand, and that demand is being felt across Manchester's thriving food and drinks scene.

Whether you're front of house or behind the scenes, you could work your way from a first role in a kitchen or on the restaurant floor to head chef, restaurant manager, event director, or even running your own venue. Manchester's food and hospitality scene is one of the most vibrant outside London, making it a great city to build a career in.

How TMC can help

At The Manchester College, our hospitality and catering courses run from Level 1 through to Level 3 across our City Campus Manchester, Harpurhey, and Wythenshawe campuses. Courses are co-delivered with industry partner The Chefs' Forum, giving you access to some of the most respected chefs in the North of England.

You'll train in industry-standard kitchens and serve real guests in our student-run restaurants, including Restaurant 1853 at City Campus Manchester and Restaurant 1931 at Wythenshawe. Work placements with partners including the Hilton Manchester Deansgate and Manchester City FC give you real employer experience before you graduate.

Whether your interest is in professional cookery, food and beverage service, or patisserie and confectionery, there is a course for you. Our careers team can also help you map out your next steps and find the right pathway into the industry. Explore our full range of hospitality and catering courses or find out about fees and funding.