Restaurant and events catering specialist (Restaurants und Veranstaltungsgastronomie)
You advise guests at their table, serve food and drinks, work the bar and organise banquets and parties: a paid 3-year training in restaurants and events catering.
What a restaurant and events catering specialist does
They link the kitchen and the guest: they present dishes and wines, serve with care, prepare events, conferences and banquets, and guide the team.
Advise and serve
Welcome guests, advise them on dishes, menus and drinks, then serve at their table.
Bar and drinks
Prepare coffees, cocktails and mixed drinks, and run the bar or the drinks buffet.
Organise events
Design, organise and run receptions, conferences and banquets, including staff planning.
This occupation is for you if…
- you enjoy welcoming, advising and serving guests
- you stay organised and calm under pressure
- you want to learn how to guide a small team
- you happily speak several languages with guests
Less suitable if…
- you refuse to work evenings, weekends and public holidays
- you cannot stand or walk for long periods
- you dislike noise and the crowds of full dining rooms
A typical day in the workshop
What you will learn, what is expected of you
Technical skills
Advising and selling at tableTable and banquet serviceBar and mixed drinksEvent planningReservations and tillTeam guidancePersonal qualities
People skillsOrganisationStress resistanceTeamworkCommercial senseHow the Ausbildung works
In Germany you learn by working: this is the “dual system”. You are an employee of a company and a student at a vocational school (Berufsschule) at the same time.
The basics
- Welcome, kitchen, service
- Goods and storage
- Care of dining areas
Service and sales
- Service and sales promotion
- First part of the exam
- Bar and till
Events and team
- Table service and coordination
- Banquets and events
- Guiding colleagues
Exams and qualification
The final exam is split into two parts (gestreckte Abschlussprüfung). The first part (production and service) takes place in the 4th half-year and counts for 25 % of the mark. The second ends the training: guest experience, events and service, communication, economics and society. Qualification: IHK certificate (Abschlusszeugnis).
You are paid during the training
Gross monthly pay during the training. These amounts are averages: they vary by region, sector and collective agreement.
What you need to apply
Education level
German level
Physical fitness
Documents to prepare
- CV and cover letter in German
- Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
- German B2 level certificate
Advantages and difficulties
Advantages
- Paid training from the first year
- Varied job: dining room, bar, events, team
- Openings in restaurants, hotels and catering firms
- Possibility of setting up your own restaurant
Difficulties
- Work on your feet and on the move, often carrying trays
- Evenings, weekends and public holidays worked
- Noisy rooms and an intense pace at peak hours
- Advising guests in German calls for confidence
Where it can lead
Qualified specialist
Work in a restaurant, hotel, inn, guesthouse or for a catering firm.
Restaurant or banquet lead
Run a department, plan staff rotas and organise events.
Betriebsleiter or studies
Take the hotel and restaurant operations manager training or study hotel management.
Other trainings: Hospitality, catering and tourism
Not quite convinced by this occupation? Here are related trainings in the same field.
We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany
Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.
Take the test online or at the office
The eligibility test is done online on our website, or by visiting our Douala office directly.
Take the testTalk to our team
Germany: +49 (0) 7033 694 18 80
Cameroon: +237 622 20 81 64
DZK, our language centre
Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK) is our own language centre in Douala. Outside Douala: partner language centres, call us to find the nearest one.
AZUFA is always us
AZUFA is our platform: it connects you with German companies that recruit apprentices and follows your application through to the training contract.
Go to AZUFAFrom German A1 to the first day of training in Germany
Each step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.
- 1
Check my eligibility
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
Run by Campus Germany
- 2
Talk to an advisor
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
- 3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
Run by DZK
- 4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
- 5
Find the company and sign the training contract
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
Run by AZUFA
- 6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
- 7
Prepare your departure and settling in
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
Run by KAGEDEV e.V.
- 8
First day of training in Germany
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.
Stay informed
Join our channels to receive new offers, session dates and advice. These are announcement channels: no private conversations.
Our structures for this occupation
Our platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.
Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.
Training offers for this occupation
No offer is open here at the moment. Browse apprenticeship offers on AZUFA, or receive an e-mail as soon as a partner company recruits.
See offers on AZUFA →Take this sheet with you
A 5-page document to read offline or show your family: the occupation, the training, the pay and the whole pathway, from German A1 to the first day of training.
Download the brochure (PDF)You may be wondering…
What German level is required?
How long does the training last?
Am I paid during the training?
Where can I take the eligibility test?
Where can I learn German?
What if I fail the final exam?
How does it differ from system catering?
Ready to find out whether this occupation is for you?
Take the test online or come and see us at the office. We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany.