Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health

Food and Restaurant Management

(curriculum code: HONF-MGT)

This concentration is for students who want to focus on the management of operations, finances, and personnel involved in producing, serving, and marketing food and food products in a great variety of settings: retail, restaurants, catering, food and beverage operations.

Introduction

All of us must eat and drink, and do so daily to obtain the energy and nutrients we need for growth and health, as well as to enjoy the social and cultural experiences we so strongly associate with food. The study of nutrition and food provides solid academic education and practical training for a great variety of career opportunities. Through positions in health care, business, government service, private practice, the food and food service industries, and educational and community programs, nutritionists and food industry professionals help individuals and the public to make better informed food choices.
Students in the undergraduate program may specialize in any one of three closely related areas of concentration:

  • Nutrition and Dietetics for students who want a thorough understanding of human nutritional needs and of ways to help people maintain and improve their health through appropriate food choices. Our program, accredited by the American Dietetic Association (until 2011), provides all courses and training experiences needed to qualify students for dietetic internships that lead toward credentialing as a Registered Dietitian (RD);
  • Food and Restaurant Management for students who want to focus on the management of operations, finances, and personnel involved in food products, food services, and food marketing; and
  • Food Studies for students who want to explore the cultural, historical, and sociological aspects of food production and consumption.

The three areas of concentration share many liberal arts and core courses in common. This means that students can enroll in one of the areas, and take courses in each of them. Students are encouraged to take courses across all of the areas during their entire undergraduate career.

This page describes the concentration in Food and Restaurant Management. For information about the other two areas of concentration, consult the undergraduate programs page.

Admissions

Freshman applicants must present a high school degree and SAT scores. Transfer applicants from accredited colleges must also present official transcripts from all institutions attended; SAT scores are not required for transfer students. For more detailed information and to download materials, please visit the NYU Admissions website. Materials are also available by contacting:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
New York University • Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
22 Washington Square North, Room 440
New York, NY 10003
Telephone: (212) 998-4500

The current NYU Steinhardt Bulletin, available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, contains detailed information on criteria for admission of students with either US or international credentials; tuition and living costs; admission as a special (non-matriculated) student; housing; and financial aid.

Curriculum

Credit Requirements

The curriculum in Nutrition and Food Studies: Food and Restaurant Management requires completion of 128 credits. These are divided into five categories:

  • Liberal Arts Requirements 60
  • Nutrition & Food Studies Core 18
  • Food Studies Specialization 27
  • Electives by Advisement 11
  • Unrestricted Electives 12

New Student Seminar

Students must enroll in New Student Seminar E03.0001 (0 pts) during the first semester in residence, to review basic college-level skills and to obtain an introduction to NYU's academic and personal resources and services.

The full curriculum is outlined in this PDF.

Career Opportunities

Food is a multibillion dollar annual industry; half of all meals are eaten outside the home, and 30 percent of all new food products are designed to meet nutritional goals. Career opportunities in food-related professions are expanding rapidly. Employers increasingly seek university graduates with educational experience in liberal arts, food, nutrition, and management. You can use your education in Nutrition and Food Studies: Nutrition and Dietetics as a step to becoming a nutritionist or dietitian, food or restaurant manager, food and health reporter or editor, advertising or marketing specialist, catering manager, consultant, or teacher or professor in a great variety of institutional, corporate, academic, or other professional settings.

The need for university-prepared professionals in the rapidly expanding field of food and restaurant management continues to increase, as demonstrated by these observations:

  1. the restaurant and food service industries generate more than $800 billion in yearly sales, and employ more than 12 million people,
  2. half of all meals are consumed outside the home; one out of every four retail outlets serves food or drinks,
  3. the number of positions in the food industry is expected to increase by 25-30 percent within the next 10 years, and
  4. public interest in health and fitness is reflected in the proliferation of recreation facilities, health clubs, spas, and resorts where there is a growing demand for food management professionals.

Recent graduates now hold the following positions:

  • Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, Waldorf-Astoria
  • Assistant Restaurant Manager, Ark Management
  • Executive Steward, Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza
  • Sales Associate, D'Artagnan Foods
  • Restaurant Manager, Red Hat
  • Assistant Manager, Restaurant Associates
  • Menu Developer, Columbia University