Hospitality jobs in NZ: A guide to your options

• Pay: Starting at $23.15 to $25. 

• Hours: Can be long and into the night. Lots of weekend work. 

• Progression: Bar manager, beverage manager, business owner. 

• Qualifications: To be a bar manager you’ll need a Licence Controller Qualification.

Bartending can be a great entrance into the hospitality industry. Depending on where you work and what your role is, your job may involve making and serving drinks and bar snacks, handling payments, checking IDs, collecting and washing glasses, and making sure customers don’t drink too much. If you work in a bar with gaming machines, you may also have to monitor and maintain those. 

It helps to have some physical strength and stamina as a bartender, as you may be lifting heavy kegs and cases and staying on your feet for hours. You may also have to be OK with late nights and long days. You’ll need good knowledge of the types of drinks you’re serving, and an understanding of liquor licensing laws – and be ready to have lots of fun and meet plenty new people.

• Pay: Starting at $23.15 to $25. 

• Hours: Depends on where you work. Lots of weekend work. 

• Progression: Restaurant manager, business owner. 

• Qualifications: If the restaurant you’re working at services alcohol you’ll need a Licence Controller Qualification to be a manager. 

Similar to bartending, waitering can be a great entrance to the hospitality industry. As part of your job you’ll need to memorise a menu, take orders, clear and clean tables, and serve food and drinks. You may need to do some food preparation, depending on where you work. 

Waitering involves a lot of time on your feet and it can be a high pressure job, so you’ll need to have good stamina, a solid memory and be cool and calm when things get stressful. Depending on where you work, you may need to work late nights. Waiters can work in bars, restaurants, cafes or event spaces and often enjoy the social, dynamic nature of the job. 

• Pay: Starting at $23.15 (minimum wage).

• Hours: Depends on where you work. Lots of weekend work. 

• Progression: Chef, restaurant manager. 

• Qualifications: not required. 

A kitchenhand is essentially an assistant to the chef. This job often involves a lot of washing dishes, removing rubbish, cleaning kitchen equipment, and possibly some food preparation (depending on the job). You’ll need to be hard working, have knowledge of food hygiene and be prepared to work hard, in hot (sometimes) stressful environments. The hours may be long, and could include late nights or early mornings, depending on where you work. 

While it’s not an easy job, it can be a great way to learn how to be a chef and progress in the industry without any qualifications.

• Pay: Starting at $25+

• Hours: Depends on where you work. Lots of weekend work. 

• Progression: Restaurant manager, executive chef, business owner. 

• Qualifications: experience in kitchens required, New Zealand Certificates in Cookery (level 3 and/or 4) may be helpful. 

Chefs are the rockstars of the hospo world, and while the job isn’t easy they’re in high demand across New Zealand. As a chef you’ll need to prepare, cook and plate food, design, plan, and price menus, train kitchen staff, track supplies, and adhere to all food safety standards. 

You’ll need to have a knowledge of food prep and presentation, hygiene, and stock management – and it helps to be passionate about food. The hours are long, and often include weekends or evenings, and you may work in a small, hot, stressful environment. 

Chefs work in lots of different places – you could cook for a catering company, a food truck, in a restaurant, bar or events space. If you do well you may be able to progress away from the kitchen, working as an executive chef (designing menus), or a business owner. 

• Pay: Starting at $23.15 (minimum wage).

• Hours: Early mornings and weekends. 

• Progression: Cafe manager, business owner. 

• Qualifications: A barista training course may be helpful. 

If you want a career in hospo but you don’t want to work nights, being a barista is a great place to start. You’ll need to learn to prepare several different types of coffees and hot drinks, which may sound easy – but there’s a lot of skill involved.

You’ll need to work under pressure, have a good memory, and work well with others, as you may be dealing with customers and working in a team. You can be trained on the job, but it may make it easier to get a job if you’ve done a barista course – they are available at most food and beverage colleges and training companies, and some cafes. 

Working as a barista can open the doors to many other hospo opportunities down the track.

• Pay: Starting at $27

• Hours: Expect long hours.

• Progression: Business owner. 

• Qualifications: If the restaurant, cafe or bar you’re working at services alcohol you’ll need a Licence Controller Qualification to be a manager. An NZ Diploma in Hospitality Management may be helpful. 

Managers at cafes, bars and restaurants have a lot of responsibilities. They’ll hire and train staff, oversee operations, ensure food and drink is served well, organise suppliers, purchasing and stock, plan menus with chefs, handle marketing promotion and more. They need to be extremely organised, good with people, and have good knowledge of food safety, employment, and licensing laws. 

The hours can be long and stressful, but the job can be rewarding. If you’re looking to own your own hospitality business, this job will also provide excellent experience.