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Vocational training in Germany (Ausbildung)

Restaurant and events catering specialist (Restaurants und Veranstaltungsgastronomie)

Fachmann für Restaurants und Veranstaltungsgastronomie / Fachfrau für 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.

Check my eligibility →I already have B2

LevelBaccalaureaterequired

Duration3 years36 months

GermanB2required level

Pay during training€1,099 to €1,332gross / month, during the training

The occupation in 30 seconds

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.

Is this occupation for you?Advantages and difficulties

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

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

Day to day

A typical day and the key skills

A typical daySkills and qualities

10:00

Setting up the dining roomLay the tables, prepare the service and check the day's reservations.

11:30

Advising guests at the tablePresent the menu, explain where the dishes come from, recommend a wine or a drink.

14:30

Preparing a banquetDraw up the running order of a reception and prepare the service in the room.

17:00

Working at the barPrepare a speciality coffee and mixed drinks from the recipe.

19:00

Evening serviceServe at the table, coordinate the service with the kitchen and handle a complaint.

22:00

Till and evening reviewTake payment, draw up bills and pass instructions to the next team.

Technical skills

Advising and selling at tableTable and banquet serviceBar and mixed drinksEvent planningReservations and tillTeam guidance

Personal qualities

People skillsOrganisationStress resistanceTeamworkCommercial sense

The training

How the Ausbildung works, year by year

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.

3 to 4 days a week at the company

1–2 days school

Year 1

The basics

≈ €1,099gross / month

Welcome, kitchen, service
Goods and storage
Care of dining areas

Year 2

Service and sales

≈ €1,220gross / month

Service and sales promotion
First part of the exam
Bar and till

Year 3

Events and team

≈ €1,332gross / month

Table service and coordination
Banquets and events
Guiding colleagues

Gross monthly pay during the training. Source: BIBB 2025, moyenne nationale. These are averages: they vary by region, sector and collective agreement.

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).

Requirements and prospects

Applying, then moving on

What you need to apply

Education levelBaccalaureate level is required.

German levelThe required level is B2. Good technical vocabulary for the trade is a real plus.

Physical fitnessAccording to BERUFENET, good physical fitness is expected: the work is done on foot and standing. At peak times dining rooms are noisy and cramped; work also takes place at weekends, on public holidays and at night.

Documents to prepare

CV and cover letter in German
Translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts
German B2 level certificate

Where it can lead

Straight awayQualified specialistWork in a restaurant, hotel, inn, guesthouse or for a catering firm.

With experienceRestaurant or banquet leadRun a department, plan staff rotas and organise events.

Longer termBetriebsleiter or studiesTake the hotel and restaurant operations manager training or study hotel management.

Already B2? Take action

Already have German level B2 and looking for a training contract?

Employers in the “Hospitality, catering and tourism” sector are currently looking for candidates in Africa on AZUFA.

Create your candidate profile, state your German level and the “Restaurant and events catering specialist (Restaurants und Veranstaltungsgastronomie)” occupation: companies recruiting apprentices can find you, and we follow your application step by step.

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Free registration on AZUFA.

Your pathway with Campus Germany

We are by your side from day one until you arrive in Germany

Four steps to move forward, all run by our own structures.

Check my eligibility

Take the test

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Talk to an advisor

Talk to our team

Call us, an advisor will answer.

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80 Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Need assistance

Prepare your German

DZK, our language centre

Our own language centre, in Douala. Elsewhere: partner centres, call us.

See the courses

Get the contract

AZUFA is always us

Our platform connects you with German companies recruiting apprentices.

From German A1 to the first day of training in Germany

A pathway in a loopEach step is run by one of our structures. You keep the same contact from start to finish.

1
Check my eligibility
Campus Germany
2
Talk to an advisor
Campus Germany
3
Learn German, from A1 to B2
DZK
Douala: DZK centre. Elsewhere: partners
4
Prepare the application file
Campus Germany
5
Find the company and sign the training contract
AZUFA
It is always us
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Campus Germany
7
Prepare your departure and settling in
KAGEDEV e.V.
8
First day of training in Germany
AZUFA
It is always us

See the detail of the 8 steps

1. Check my eligibility (Campus Germany)
The test is done online on our website or at our Douala office.
2. Talk to an advisor (Campus Germany)
Review your profile, your wishes and the chosen occupation.
3. Learn German, from A1 to B2 (DZK)
Courses adapted to your starting level, up to the required B2 level. In Douala at our own language centre; elsewhere, with our partner centres.
4. Prepare the application file (Campus Germany)
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
5. Find the company and sign the training contract (AZUFA)
We connect you with German companies that recruit apprentices, and follow your application through to the contract.
6. Prepare the visa and paperwork (Campus Germany)
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
7. Prepare your departure and settling in (KAGEDEV e.V.)
Travel, housing and first steps in Germany: we prepare you before you leave.
8. First day of training in Germany (AZUFA)
You arrive prepared and supported, with a team that has known you since day one.

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.
Run by Campus Germany
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 · Douala: DZK centre. Elsewhere: partners
4
Prepare the application file
CV and cover letter in German, translated baccalaureate diplomas and transcripts, B2 level certificate.
Run by Campus Germany
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 · It is always us
6
Prepare the visa and paperwork
Support to gather the documents and complete the administrative steps.
Run by Campus Germany
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.
Run by AZUFA · It is always us

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Our structures for this occupation

AZUFAOur platform for recruiting apprentices and skilled staff from Africa: matching with German companies through to the training contract.

Deutschzentrum KAGEDEV (DZK)Our own German language centre, in Douala. Outside Douala: partner centres.

Occupation brochure

Take this sheet with you

Two documents to read offline or show your family: the 5-page brochure (occupation, training, pay, pathway) and the one-page flyer with the essentials.

Occupation brochure

Occupation brochurePDF, 5 pagesDownload the brochure

Flyer

FlyerPDF, 1 A4 pageDownload the flyer

Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

What German level is required?

Level B2 is required. You do not need perfect German, but you must be able to follow lessons and understand safety instructions.

How long does the training last?

36 months, i.e. 3 years.

Am I paid during the training?

Yes. You receive a monthly pay throughout the training, and it generally increases each year.

Where can I take the eligibility test?

Online on our website, or directly at our Douala office.

Where can I learn German?

In Douala, at our language centre DZK. Elsewhere, at our partner language centres: call us to find the nearest one.

What if I fail the final exam?

Under certain conditions, the 2-year Fachkraft für Gastronomie (hospitality service specialist) qualification can be awarded if the exam of the 3-year occupation is not passed.

How does it differ from system catering?

Here table service, the bar and events dominate; system catering targets chains with a standardised concept, with more management.

In the same category

Other trainings: Hospitality, catering and tourism

All trainings →

Fachkraft für GastronomieAgent / Agente qualifié(e) de gastronomie24 months Fachmann für Systemgastronomie/Fachfrau für SystemgastronomieSpécialiste en restauration collective/système (restauration rapide organisée)36 monthsHotelfachmann/HotelfachfrauEmployé(e) d'hôtellerie36 months Koch/KöchinCuisinier / Cuisinière36 months Kaufmann für Tourismus und Freizeit/Kauffrau für Tourismus und FreizeitEmployé(e) de commerce en tourisme et loisirs36 months Veranstaltungskaufmann/VeranstaltungskauffrauEmployé(e) de commerce en événementiel36 months

Ready to find out whether this training 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.

Check my eligibility →Need assistance Write on WhatsApp

Germany+49 (0) 7033 694 18 80Cameroon+237 622 20 81 64

Douala office : Rond-point Maetur Bonamoussadi – Nice Cream building (4th floor), opposite the COGENI hardware store, Douala, Cameroon

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