Hospitality, Food & Tourism · course plan
⚠ Pending professional review
This course plan, its lessons and its assessments has not yet been verified by a certified food-safety manager and industry professional or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it as instructions for work on a job site or on live equipment. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.
VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.
Restaurant Management
12 courses · 1,350 clock hours · 9 mo full-time. Grading is competency-based: each course requires the written exam, a competent skills demonstration with zero safety faults, a signed log, and a passed safety audit; percentage weights only rank performance above the competency floor.
12courses
83lessons
1,350hours
43assessments
Development progressPlanCourses, lessons and assessments written for this tradeLessons83 of 83 lesson pages writtenPractice664 practice questionsResources116 reference entries (study list)Review0 lesson pages reviewed by a licensed professional
Study now: 83 lesson pages are open (lesson titles below are links).
HOS-REST26-01 Universal core
Universal Core: Safety, Math, Communication & Career for Restaurant Management
148 hr · $1,185 COMPLIMENTARY
This foundational course equips adult learners with the safety knowledge, trade mathematics, communication skills, and career-readiness behaviors required throughout the Restaurant Management program and on the job. Students earn OSHA 10-Hour General Industry awareness, practice first aid and CPR fundamentals, and build the numeracy and digital literacy that underpin every subsequent course. Lesson content is directly referenced to ServSafe Manager food-safety principles, NRAEF ManageFirst competency areas, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor performance standards where applicable.
Outcomes- Identify and control common restaurant workplace hazards by applying OSHA General Industry hazard-recognition principles and completing the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry card requirements.
- Demonstrate adult CPR and basic first-aid procedures—including response to choking and burn injuries—to the standard of an approved lay-responder course.
- Perform restaurant trade calculations—including unit conversion, recipe scaling, food-cost percentage, and tip/tax computation—accurately on paper and with a spreadsheet tool.
- Read and interpret technical documents used in restaurant management, including SDS sheets, health-department inspection reports, equipment manuals, and employee schedules.
- Use standard digital tools—email, scheduling software, POS inquiry screens, and word-processing applications—to produce professional workplace communications.
- Construct a career portfolio containing a resume, cover letter, and a personal professional-development plan aligned to credentialing milestones in this program.
Course text
This foundational course equips adult learners with the safety knowledge, trade mathematics, communication skills, and career-readiness behaviors required throughout the Restaurant Management program and on the job. Students earn OSHA 10-Hour General Industry awareness, practice first aid and CPR fundamentals, and build the numeracy and digital literacy that underpin every subsequent course. Lesson content is directly referenced to ServSafe Manager food-safety principles, NRAEF ManageFirst competency areas, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor performance standards where applicable.
How the course runs. 7 blocks: Restaurant Workplace Safety and OSHA 10-Hour General Industry; First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response in the Restaurant; Trade Math: Measurement, Unit Conversion, and Recipe Scaling; Technical Reading: SDS, Inspection Reports, Equipment Manuals, and Schedules; Digital Tools for Restaurant Managers: Email, Scheduling, and POS Basics; Professional Communication: Writing, Speaking, and Active Listening; Career Readiness: Resume, Cover Letter, and Professional Development Plan.
What competent looks like. Identify and control common restaurant workplace hazards by applying OSHA General Industry hazard-recognition principles and completing the OSHA 10-Hour General Industry card requirements. Demonstrate adult CPR and basic first-aid procedures—including response to choking and burn injuries—to the standard of an approved lay-responder course. Perform restaurant trade calculations—including unit conversion, recipe scaling, food-cost percentage, and tip/tax computation—accurately on paper and with a spreadsheet tool. Read and interpret technical documents used in restaurant management, including SDS sheets, health-department inspection reports, equipment manuals, and employee schedules. Use standard digital tools—email, scheduling software, POS inquiry screens, and word-processing applications—to produce professional workplace communications. Construct a career portfolio containing a resume, cover letter, and a personal professional-development plan aligned to credentialing milestones in this program.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurant Workplace Safety and OSHA 10-Hour General Industry | 28 | theory | Students will identify the top hazard categories in commercial kitchens and front-of-house areas and demonstrate awareness of worker rights and employer duties under OSHA General Industry standards sufficient to satisfy OSHA 10-Hour General Industry completion requirements. |
| OSHA 10-Hour General Industry authorized curriculum; OSHA publication 'Restaurant Safety' fact sheet; SDS binders for common cleaning chemicals; PPE samples (cut-resistant gloves, slip-resistant footwear, aprons, eye protection); commercial mixer and slicer for LOTO demonstration; hazard inspection checklist (instructor-prepared). | Students score 70% or higher on the OSHA 10 post-module quizzes to qualify for the OSHA 10-Hour card; separately, each student's completed hazard-walk checklist must correctly classify at least 8 of 10 identified hazards with an appropriate corrective action noted. |
| 2 | First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response in the Restaurant | 16 | lab | Students will perform adult CPR with an AED, respond correctly to choking in an adult, and provide basic first aid for burns, cuts, and slips to the pass standard of the course's approved lay-responder curriculum. |
| Adult CPR manikins (one per two students); training AED unit; first-aid kit stocked per Red Cross/NSC guidelines; burn dressing samples; eye-wash station; sample employer incident-report forms; approved lay-responder course materials (Red Cross or equivalent). | Each student must pass the approved lay-responder skills check (CPR compression depth/rate, AED operation, choking response) per the certifying organization's pass standard; students who do not pass on the first attempt receive one remediation attempt before the end of the lesson block. |
| 3 | Trade Math: Measurement, Unit Conversion, and Recipe Scaling | 24 | practice | Students will accurately convert between US customary and metric units of weight and volume, scale a standardized recipe up and down by a given factor, and calculate food-cost percentage for a scaled recipe using current commodity prices. |
| Digital portion scales (accurate to 0.1 oz / 1 g); dry and liquid measuring sets; standardized recipe cards; current commodity price list (instructor-prepared from publicly available sources); computers or tablets with spreadsheet software; printed scaling and costing worksheets. | Students must complete the recipe-scaling worksheet with no more than one arithmetic error across all scaled quantities and achieve a food-cost percentage calculation within ±0.5 percentage points of the answer key; spreadsheet formulas must produce correct outputs for three instructor-entered test values. |
| 4 | Technical Reading: SDS, Inspection Reports, Equipment Manuals, and Schedules | 18 | theory | Students will locate required safety and operational information within a Safety Data Sheet, a sample health-department inspection report, a commercial equipment manual, and a weekly employee schedule, demonstrating comprehension by answering targeted questions at 75% accuracy. |
| Printed SDS for a common commercial sanitizer (e.g., quaternary ammonium product); sample health-department inspection report; commercial equipment operator manual (convection oven or reach-in refrigerator); sample weekly employee schedule; guided comprehension question sheets. | Students answer a 20-question comprehension quiz covering all four document types (SDS, inspection report, equipment manual, schedule) and must score 15 or higher (75%) to demonstrate adequate technical reading ability. |
| 5 | Digital Tools for Restaurant Managers: Email, Scheduling, and POS Basics | 22 | demo | Students will compose a professional workplace email, navigate a simulated employee-scheduling interface to build a one-week schedule within a given labor-hour budget, and perform basic POS inquiry functions including end-of-day sales report and menu-item lookup. |
| Computers or tablets with email client; cloud-based scheduling software (free trial or school license) or printed scheduling grid; POS training terminal or POS simulator software; scheduling rubric; email rubric; staffing matrix handout. | Email is evaluated by rubric (must meet all four categories at 'acceptable' or above to pass); completed schedule must cover all required positions for each shift and fall within the labor-hour budget (±2 hours tolerance); POS observation form must be complete and accurate for at least 4 of 5 tasks. |
| 6 | Professional Communication: Writing, Speaking, and Active Listening | 20 | practice | Students will produce a clear written shift briefing, deliver a two-minute verbal pre-shift meeting, and demonstrate active-listening behaviors during a simulated guest-complaint interaction, meeting the AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor communication performance standard. |
| Shift briefing scenario cards (instructor-prepared); peer-evaluation rubric for verbal delivery; AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor active-listening behavior checklist; scenario cards for guest-complaint role-play; printed grammar/style quick-reference guide. | Written shift briefing must score 'acceptable' or above on all four rubric categories (accuracy, grammar, format, tone); verbal delivery must score at least 12 of 16 points on the peer/instructor rubric; active-listening role-play must demonstrate at least 4 of 6 target behaviors as observed by the instructor. |
| 7 | Career Readiness: Resume, Cover Letter, and Professional Development Plan | 20 | practice | Students will produce a job-ready resume and targeted cover letter for an entry-level restaurant management position, and construct a written personal professional-development plan mapping credentialing milestones across the program and three years beyond graduation. |
| Resume template (clean, ATS-friendly format); cover letter format guide; publicly available job postings (printed or on-screen); professional development plan template (instructor-prepared); credential overview one-pagers for ServSafe Manager, NRAEF ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor. | Resume must be free of spelling and grammar errors, one page, and include at least two quantified accomplishments—scored by instructor rubric (pass = meets all three criteria); cover letter must specifically reference the target job posting and at least one program credential (pass = both criteria met); professional development plan must include all three credential milestones with estimated target dates (pass = all milestones present and dated). |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSHA and Food-Safety Regulatory Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 70% (28 of 40 questions correct) | A 40-question multiple-choice and short-answer exam covering OSHA General Industry hazard categories, worker rights and employer duties, SDS section interpretation, PPE selection, and emergency-response procedures in a restaurant context; questions are scenario-based and mapped to OSHA 10-Hour General Industry competencies and ServSafe Manager food-safety regulatory awareness content. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Trade Math and Technical Reading Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% (30 of 40 questions correct) | A 40-item exam combining calculation problems (unit conversion, recipe scaling, food-cost percentage, tip and tax computation) with technical-reading comprehension items drawn from SDS excerpts, a sample inspection report, and a schedule; calculators are permitted for the math section, and all answers must show work for partial-credit eligibility. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Career Portfolio Project | Project | 25% | All four portfolio components scored 'acceptable' or above on the instructor rubric; a single 'not acceptable' rating in any component requires revision before the course grade is finalized. | Students submit a complete career portfolio containing: (1) a final, polished one-page resume, (2) a cover letter tailored to a real posted position, (3) a professional development plan with credentialing milestones and three-year career targets, and (4) a one-page reflection connecting the safety and communication skills learned in this course to their intended role as a restaurant manager; the portfolio is evaluated against a four-category rubric (professionalism, accuracy, specificity, and career alignment). Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
| Oral Professional Competency Defense | Oral / panel | 25% | Student must meet 'acceptable' or above on at least 5 of 6 evaluation criteria; any criterion scored 'not acceptable' triggers a single 10-minute remediation interview within one week. | In a 10-minute structured oral session, the instructor poses three scenario prompts—one workplace safety emergency (e.g., a coworker with a deep laceration), one communication challenge (e.g., delivering corrective feedback to a tardy employee), and one math/decision scenario (e.g., whether a proposed menu item meets the target food-cost percentage)—and evaluates the student on accuracy of content, clarity of communication, professional composure, and correct identification of relevant credentials or standards; this mirrors the oral-defense component expected in the Capstone Project later in the program. Accuracy · Safety · Communication · Professionalism |
HOS-REST26-02 Trade course
Restaurant Cost Control
92 hr · $1,215 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to track, analyze, and manage the primary cost centers in a restaurant operation—food cost, beverage cost, and labor cost—using standard industry formulas, worksheets, and point-of-sale reports. The course builds the numerical literacy and managerial decision-making skills tested on the NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control credential exam and reinforced throughout the broader program. Emphasis is placed on accurate recordkeeping, variance identification, and corrective action planning in a real-world restaurant context.
Outcomes- Calculate food cost percentage, beverage cost percentage, and labor cost percentage using industry-standard formulas and actual or simulated operational data.
- Perform an accurate physical inventory count and extend inventory values to determine cost of goods sold for a given accounting period.
- Identify and explain the causes of cost variances by comparing actual cost percentages to budgeted targets and standard recipe costs.
- Apply portion-control and yield-testing procedures to raw ingredients and calculate as-purchased, edible-portion, and as-served costs.
- Construct a basic break-even analysis and interpret the result to inform pricing, staffing, or purchasing decisions.
- Use a spreadsheet to produce a weekly food-cost report and a labor-cost report that a manager could present at an operations review.
Course text
Students learn to track, analyze, and manage the primary cost centers in a restaurant operation—food cost, beverage cost, and labor cost—using standard industry formulas, worksheets, and point-of-sale reports. The course builds the numerical literacy and managerial decision-making skills tested on the NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control credential exam and reinforced throughout the broader program. Emphasis is placed on accurate recordkeeping, variance identification, and corrective action planning in a real-world restaurant context.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Language of Restaurant Costs: Key Terms, Cost Categories, and the Cost-Control Cycle; Food Cost Percentage: Formula, Calculation, and Standard Targets; Inventory Procedures and Cost of Goods Sold; Standard Recipes, Yield Testing, and Portion Cost; Labor Cost: Scheduling, Wage Calculations, and Labor Cost Percentage; Break-Even Analysis and Contribution Margin; Spreadsheet Cost Reporting: Building and Interpreting a Weekly Cost Report; Integrated Cost-Control Simulation: Full-Week Scenario Analysis and Corrective Action.
What competent looks like. Calculate food cost percentage, beverage cost percentage, and labor cost percentage using industry-standard formulas and actual or simulated operational data. Perform an accurate physical inventory count and extend inventory values to determine cost of goods sold for a given accounting period. Identify and explain the causes of cost variances by comparing actual cost percentages to budgeted targets and standard recipe costs. Apply portion-control and yield-testing procedures to raw ingredients and calculate as-purchased, edible-portion, and as-served costs. Construct a basic break-even analysis and interpret the result to inform pricing, staffing, or purchasing decisions. Use a spreadsheet to produce a weekly food-cost report and a labor-cost report that a manager could present at an operations review.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Language of Restaurant Costs: Key Terms, Cost Categories, and the Cost-Control Cycle | 9 | theory | Students will correctly define and classify fixed, variable, semi-variable, and controllable costs and explain how each fits into the restaurant cost-control cycle. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control textbook and competency guide, laminated cost-card sets, sample simplified income statement handout, whiteboard | Exit quiz of 10 matching and fill-in items covering cost definitions and categories; pass mark 80%. Instructor reviews card-sort groupings for accuracy before students leave. |
| 2 | Food Cost Percentage: Formula, Calculation, and Standard Targets | 12 | theory | Students will calculate food cost percentage using the cost-of-goods-sold formula and compare results to industry benchmark ranges to judge operational performance. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control textbook, food-cost percentage calculation worksheet, calculators, whiteboard and markers | Graded worksheet: 10 of 12 problems correct (83%) with all calculation steps shown; instructor spot-checks three problems per student for method accuracy. |
| 3 | Inventory Procedures and Cost of Goods Sold | 14 | lab | Students will conduct a physical inventory count of a simulated storage area, extend values using unit cost, and calculate cost of goods sold for a one-week period. |
| Stocked simulation storage shelving with labeled items and unit costs, two-person inventory count sheets, calculator, COGS worksheet, pencils | Inventory count sheet is within 2% of instructor key on total extended value; COGS and food cost percentage calculations are mathematically correct with all steps shown. Both criteria must be met to pass. |
| 4 | Standard Recipes, Yield Testing, and Portion Cost | 14 | demo | Students will perform a yield test on a whole raw ingredient, calculate edible-portion cost and as-served portion cost, and update a standard recipe cost card. |
| Platform scale (accurate to 0.1 oz), cutting boards, knives, whole raw ingredients (romaine, potatoes, chicken, carrots), yield-test forms, standard recipe cost card template, calculators, lab notebooks | Yield percentage is within ±3 percentage points of instructor's reference value; EP cost and per-portion cost on the recipe card are arithmetically correct with no skipped steps. Instructor initials each form. |
| 5 | Labor Cost: Scheduling, Wage Calculations, and Labor Cost Percentage | 12 | theory | Students will build a one-week labor schedule to a specified labor cost budget, calculate total labor cost, and compute labor cost percentage against projected sales. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control textbook, blank weekly schedule template, employee wage-rate sheet, projected-sales data handout, calculators, colored markers for schedule coding | Completed schedule must show correct arithmetic on all wage calculations and land within ±1.5 percentage points of the target labor cost percentage; peer-review team must correctly identify any overscheduled shift. Instructor validates both. |
| 6 | Break-Even Analysis and Contribution Margin | 10 | theory | Students will calculate break-even point in sales dollars for a restaurant scenario and explain what the result means for daily cover targets and pricing decisions. |
| Whiteboard, break-even scenario handouts, calculators, chart paper, markers, NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control textbook | Individual calculation must produce the correct break-even dollar figure (within $50 of instructor's computed answer) and a logically sound written recommendation; group chart must accurately represent each team's figure. Pass mark: correct calculation and coherent recommendation. |
| 7 | Spreadsheet Cost Reporting: Building and Interpreting a Weekly Cost Report | 13 | practice | Students will build a functional weekly food-cost and labor-cost report in a spreadsheet application using formulas, and interpret variances to write a corrective-action memo. |
| Computer lab with spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets), weekly raw data packet, sample corrective-action memo format, projector for instructor demo | Spreadsheet formulas must calculate correctly on a fresh data set the instructor pastes in during review (no hard-coded answers); memo must address both identified variances with specific, actionable responses. Both elements required to pass. |
| 8 | Integrated Cost-Control Simulation: Full-Week Scenario Analysis and Corrective Action | 8 | lab | Students will apply all course skills to a comprehensive one-week restaurant scenario, identifying cost problems and recommending documented corrective actions. |
| Simulation packet (sales reports, invoices, inventory sheets, time cards, recipe cost card), variance-analysis form, Operations Cost Summary template, calculator, spreadsheet access | All calculated figures must be arithmetically correct; at least two of three corrective actions must be specific, feasible, and logically tied to an identified variance. Instructor uses a grading rubric; 80% overall required to pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Control Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% correct (38 of 50 items) | A 50-item multiple-choice and short-answer written exam covering cost definitions, food cost and labor cost percentage formulas, inventory procedures, yield testing, break-even analysis, and variance interpretation, mapped to the NRAEF ManageFirst Cost Control competency areas. Students have 90 minutes and may not use notes. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Yield Test and Recipe Cost Card Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | Yield percentage within ±3 points of reference value AND all cost-card arithmetic correct; both criteria required | Each student independently performs a yield test on an unfamiliar raw ingredient assigned by the instructor, calculates EP cost and as-served portion cost, and completes a standard recipe cost card for a two-ingredient recipe using those results. The instructor observes the full procedure and validates calculations against a prepared answer key. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Weekly Cost Report Lab Log | Log | 15% | Formulas produce correct outputs on instructor-supplied fresh data set AND corrective-action memo earns at least 80% on the rubric | Students submit the spreadsheet file built during Lesson 7 along with the corrective-action memo; the instructor replaces the original data with a new data set to verify that all formulas are working correctly rather than hard-coded, and scores the memo on accuracy of variance identification, specificity of corrective actions, and professional format. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Workplace Safety and Food-Handling Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | All critical-item steps performed correctly; any single critical error requires immediate remediation and recheck before the student may continue in the course | The instructor observes each student during the Lesson 4 yield-test lab and the Lesson 8 simulation lab for safe knife handling (proper grip, stable cutting board, no blade toward body), correct use of a food-safe scale and cutting surfaces, and appropriate hand-hygiene practices before handling food items; a binary checklist of critical and non-critical steps is used. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-03 Trade course
Menu Engineering: Design, Pricing, and Profitability
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to analyze menu items by popularity and contribution margin, apply menu engineering matrix methodology to classify and reposition items, and design menus that maximize profitability while meeting guest expectations. The course connects recipe costing, layout psychology, and pricing strategy to real-world decision-making used by restaurant managers. Credential alignment covers NRAEF ManageFirst Menu Marketing and Management competencies and supports ServSafe Manager food-cost awareness objectives.
Outcomes- Calculate food cost percentage and contribution margin for individual menu items using standardized recipe costing sheets with at least 90% arithmetic accuracy.
- Classify menu items into all four quadrants of the menu engineering matrix (Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, Dogs) using sales mix and contribution margin data from a provided sales report.
- Apply menu layout principles—visual hierarchy, eye movement patterns, item placement, and descriptive language—to redesign a single-page or two-panel menu that improves placement of Stars and Puzzles.
- Set and justify a selling price for a new menu item using at least two pricing methods (food cost percentage and competitive pricing) and document the rationale in writing.
- Evaluate a current restaurant menu for nutritional transparency, allergen disclosure, and plain-language readability, and produce a written improvement recommendation.
- Present a complete menu engineering analysis report for a simulated restaurant concept, defending item decisions and projected profitability impact to an instructor panel.
Course text
Students learn to analyze menu items by popularity and contribution margin, apply menu engineering matrix methodology to classify and reposition items, and design menus that maximize profitability while meeting guest expectations. The course connects recipe costing, layout psychology, and pricing strategy to real-world decision-making used by restaurant managers. Credential alignment covers NRAEF ManageFirst Menu Marketing and Management competencies and supports ServSafe Manager food-cost awareness objectives.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Menu as a Management Tool: Purpose, Types, and Trade Math Foundations; Standardized Recipes and Recipe Costing; Contribution Margin and the Menu Engineering Matrix; Menu Pricing Methods and Value Perception; Menu Layout, Visual Psychology, and Descriptive Language; Allergens, Nutrition Disclosure, and Legal Awareness; Digital Menus, POS Integration, and Menu Change Workflow; Capstone Menu Engineering Analysis: Build and Presentation.
What competent looks like. Calculate food cost percentage and contribution margin for individual menu items using standardized recipe costing sheets with at least 90% arithmetic accuracy. Classify menu items into all four quadrants of the menu engineering matrix (Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, Dogs) using sales mix and contribution margin data from a provided sales report. Apply menu layout principles—visual hierarchy, eye movement patterns, item placement, and descriptive language—to redesign a single-page or two-panel menu that improves placement of Stars and Puzzles. Set and justify a selling price for a new menu item using at least two pricing methods (food cost percentage and competitive pricing) and document the rationale in writing. Evaluate a current restaurant menu for nutritional transparency, allergen disclosure, and plain-language readability, and produce a written improvement recommendation. Present a complete menu engineering analysis report for a simulated restaurant concept, defending item decisions and projected profitability impact to an instructor panel.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Menu as a Management Tool: Purpose, Types, and Trade Math Foundations | 10 | theory | Students will explain the strategic role of the menu in restaurant operations and perform the arithmetic operations—percentage, ratio, and decimal conversion—needed for menu costing. |
| Printed menu samples (minimum five different formats), formula reference sheet, calculator, whiteboard, ManageFirst Menu Marketing and Management textbook (NRAEF) | Exit ticket: five food-cost-percentage problems completed independently; pass mark is 4 of 5 correct (80%). |
| 2 | Standardized Recipes and Recipe Costing | 13 | lab | Students will build a complete standardized recipe card and calculate the total recipe cost and per-portion cost for that item to within ±5% of the instructor's verified figure. |
| Standardized recipe template (paper and Google Sheets version), simulated ingredient price list, yield percentage reference table, calculator, ManageFirst textbook Chapter on recipe costing, computers or tablets | Completed recipe costing spreadsheet submitted; all per-portion costs within ±5% of instructor key; pass mark is all four cost fields within tolerance and yield calculation present. |
| 3 | Contribution Margin and the Menu Engineering Matrix | 14 | theory | Students will classify a set of ten menu items into the four quadrants of the menu engineering matrix using provided sales mix and contribution margin data, with at least nine of ten items correctly placed. |
| Blank menu engineering matrix grid (printed), simulated sales report dataset, calculator, ManageFirst textbook chapter on menu engineering, colored pens for quadrant marking | Completed matrix with all items plotted and labeled; instructor checks against answer key; pass mark is 9 of 10 items in the correct quadrant with contribution margin calculations shown. |
| 4 | Menu Pricing Methods and Value Perception | 11 | theory | Students will calculate a recommended selling price for an assigned new menu item using the food cost percentage method and the competitive pricing method, then write a two-paragraph justification selecting one price. |
| Pricing methods reference handout, printed competitor menu excerpts, pricing worksheet template, calculator, ManageFirst textbook pricing chapter | Worksheet with both prices calculated and written justification; pass mark requires both calculations mathematically correct and justification paragraph addressing at least two of the three decision factors (cost, competition, perception). |
| 5 | Menu Layout, Visual Psychology, and Descriptive Language | 12 | demo | Students will redesign a provided single-page menu by repositioning at least three items and rewriting at least two item descriptions, applying documented layout principles to improve profitability placement. |
| Eye-tracking research diagram (printed), sample menus with poor layout, descriptive language vocabulary bank, blank menu layout template, ManageFirst textbook chapter on menu design, color markers | Completed redesigned menu sketch with a brief annotation note explaining each repositioning decision; pass mark requires at least three repositioning changes with stated rationale and two rewritten descriptions using sensory or origin language. |
| 6 | Allergens, Nutrition Disclosure, and Legal Awareness | 10 | theory | Students will audit a provided menu for the nine major food allergens recognized under federal labeling guidance and for plain-language readability, then produce a written report identifying gaps and recommending corrections. |
| Printed four-page sample restaurant menu, FDA major food allergen list (printed reference), allergen audit checklist, ManageFirst textbook food-safety alignment notes, ServSafe Manager study guide allergen section | Completed audit checklist and one-page memo; pass mark requires all nine allergens correctly identified from the reference list, at least three genuine disclosure gaps documented, and a correction stated for each gap. |
| 7 | Digital Menus, POS Integration, and Menu Change Workflow | 11 | practice | Students will update item descriptions, prices, and availability for three menu items in a simulated POS menu management interface and document the change workflow using a standard change-request form. |
| Computers or tablets with POS training environment access (or printed screen-capture simulation packet), menu change-request form template, step-by-step POS task card, ManageFirst textbook technology integration section | Three printed or screenshot confirmations of POS changes plus three completed change-request forms; pass mark requires all six documents present, prices and descriptions matching the task card exactly, and each form fully completed. |
| 8 | Capstone Menu Engineering Analysis: Build and Presentation | 10 | lab | Students will produce and orally defend a complete menu engineering analysis report for a simulated restaurant concept, including costed recipes, a populated matrix, pricing justifications, and a layout redesign recommendation. |
| All prior lesson work products, report binder or digital folder, presentation rubric, cover page and table of contents template, ManageFirst textbook for reference during assembly | Complete report binder evaluated by instructor rubric (calculations, matrix accuracy, pricing rationale, allergen audit, layout redesign, writing quality) plus oral defense; pass mark is 75% overall on the rubric and a satisfactory response to all three oral defense questions. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Menu Engineering Written Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% or higher (30 of 40 questions correct) | A 40-question closed-book exam covering food cost percentage calculation, contribution margin, menu engineering matrix quadrant definitions and strategies, pricing methods, allergen identification, and menu layout principles; questions are multiple choice and short-answer, aligned to NRAEF ManageFirst Menu Marketing and Management exam content areas. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Live Menu Engineering Presentation and Defense | Skills demonstration | 45% | 75% on the instructor rubric across all six categories plus satisfactory on all three oral defense questions | Students present their complete menu engineering analysis report for the simulated restaurant concept to an instructor panel in a 15-to-20-minute session that includes a structured oral defense; the rubric evaluates calculation accuracy, matrix classification, pricing justification, allergen audit quality, layout redesign rationale, and professional written communication. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Recipe Costing and Matrix Lab Log | Log | 15% | All entries complete and calculations within ±5% of instructor key; minimum score of 80% on the lab log rubric | A collected lab log documenting the student's work across all lab and practice sessions: the standardized recipe costing spreadsheet, the completed menu engineering matrix with plotted items, the pricing worksheet with both methods calculated, and the POS change confirmation documents; the log demonstrates progressive skill development and is reviewed for completeness, accuracy, and correct use of formulas. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Allergen and Food-Safety Awareness Check | Safety audit | 15% | All nine major allergens correctly listed from memory and at least three of four scenario responses rated correct by instructor | A brief practical safety check in which the student (1) lists from memory all nine FDA-recognized major food allergens, (2) reviews a four-item menu excerpt and verbally identifies which allergens are present and which disclosures are missing, and (3) responds to two short guest-scenario prompts describing how they would handle an allergen inquiry or a guest with a stated allergy; this check is aligned to ServSafe Manager food-allergen responsibilities and is a required pass to complete the course. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-04 Trade course
Profit & Loss: Reading, Building, and Acting on Restaurant Financial Statements
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to read, construct, and interpret a full restaurant profit-and-loss statement—from gross sales through net operating income—using real-world data and industry-standard chart-of-accounts categories. Lessons build from foundational accounting vocabulary through prime-cost analysis, variance investigation, and corrective-action planning so students can make data-driven decisions as shift or unit managers. Content maps directly to the NRAEF ManageFirst Controlling Foodservice Costs competency area and supports the ServSafe Manager exam's cost-control and business-skills sections.
Outcomes- Construct a complete single-period restaurant P&L statement from raw revenue and expense data, correctly categorizing line items according to industry-standard chart-of-accounts conventions.
- Calculate prime cost, food-cost percentage, labor-cost percentage, and net operating income percentage, and compare results against stated benchmarks to identify favorable or unfavorable variances.
- Trace an unfavorable variance on a P&L to at least one plausible operational root cause and propose a measurable corrective action with a target timeline.
- Interpret a comparative (period-over-period) P&L to identify trends in revenue, controllable costs, and non-controllable costs, and present findings in a written management summary.
- Use a spreadsheet application to build a dynamic P&L template that auto-calculates percentages and flags out-of-range line items with conditional formatting.
- Explain the ethical and legal obligation to report financial data accurately, and describe how financial records support health-department, franchisor, and investor reporting requirements.
Course text
Students learn to read, construct, and interpret a full restaurant profit-and-loss statement—from gross sales through net operating income—using real-world data and industry-standard chart-of-accounts categories. Lessons build from foundational accounting vocabulary through prime-cost analysis, variance investigation, and corrective-action planning so students can make data-driven decisions as shift or unit managers. Content maps directly to the NRAEF ManageFirst Controlling Foodservice Costs competency area and supports the ServSafe Manager exam's cost-control and business-skills sections.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Language of Restaurant Finance: Accounting Vocabulary and Chart of Accounts; Revenue Lines: Tracking Sales by Category and Calculating Sales Mix; Cost of Goods Sold: Food Cost and Beverage Cost Calculations; Labor Cost: Wages, Benefits, and Prime Cost; Controllable and Non-Controllable Expenses: Building the Full P&L; Variance Analysis: Comparing Actual to Budget and Period over Period; Spreadsheet Automation: Building a Dynamic P&L Template with Conditional Formatting; Management Summary and Corrective-Action Planning: Turning P&L Data into Decisions.
What competent looks like. Construct a complete single-period restaurant P&L statement from raw revenue and expense data, correctly categorizing line items according to industry-standard chart-of-accounts conventions. Calculate prime cost, food-cost percentage, labor-cost percentage, and net operating income percentage, and compare results against stated benchmarks to identify favorable or unfavorable variances. Trace an unfavorable variance on a P&L to at least one plausible operational root cause and propose a measurable corrective action with a target timeline. Interpret a comparative (period-over-period) P&L to identify trends in revenue, controllable costs, and non-controllable costs, and present findings in a written management summary. Use a spreadsheet application to build a dynamic P&L template that auto-calculates percentages and flags out-of-range line items with conditional formatting. Explain the ethical and legal obligation to report financial data accurately, and describe how financial records support health-department, franchisor, and investor reporting requirements.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Language of Restaurant Finance: Accounting Vocabulary and Chart of Accounts | 8 | theory | Students define at least 20 core accounting terms and correctly classify 15 sample line items into the standard restaurant chart-of-accounts categories (revenue, cost of goods sold, labor, controllable expenses, non-controllable expenses, net income). |
| Sample single-unit restaurant P&L (instructor-prepared, figures rounded to whole dollars), National Restaurant Association 'Uniform System of Accounts for Restaurants' (current edition) excerpt, color markers, index cards, whiteboard | Ten-question written vocabulary quiz; students must score 8/10 (80%) to demonstrate mastery before advancing. |
| 2 | Revenue Lines: Tracking Sales by Category and Calculating Sales Mix | 9 | theory | Students calculate total net sales, sales-by-category percentages, and a basic sales-mix breakdown from a provided daily-sales report, with all figures accurate to within one cent. |
| Simulated POS daily-sales reports (instructor-prepared), scientific calculators, guided-notes worksheet, whiteboard, projector | Completion and accuracy check of the week's sales-mix table; all percentage calculations must match instructor key within ±0.5 percentage point; instructor initials each completed table. |
| 3 | Cost of Goods Sold: Food Cost and Beverage Cost Calculations | 11 | lab | Students calculate actual food-cost percentage and beverage-cost percentage for a simulated accounting period using the opening inventory, purchases, and closing inventory method, achieving results within ±1 percentage point of the instructor answer key. |
| Simulated inventory count sheets and purchase invoices (instructor-prepared), calculators, spreadsheet software (Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel), projector, 'Controlling Foodservice Costs' NRAEF ManageFirst textbook (current edition) | Completed calculation worksheet submitted; food-cost % and beverage-cost % must each be within ±1 percentage point of key; students who fall outside range must redo the calculation before proceeding. |
| 4 | Labor Cost: Wages, Benefits, and Prime Cost | 11 | lab | Students calculate total labor cost (including taxes and benefits loaded onto a provided rate sheet) and prime cost for a simulated four-week period, then express both as percentages of net sales and compare against stated target benchmarks. |
| Simulated payroll summary sheets, benefits-rate sheet (instructor-prepared), calculators, NRAEF ManageFirst 'Controlling Foodservice Costs' textbook, benchmark reference card (instructor-prepared summary of typical industry ranges for quick-service, casual, and fine dining) | Prime-cost percentage calculation must match key within ±1 percentage point; written benchmark paragraph graded on a four-point rubric (accuracy of comparison, correct identification of cost driver, professional language, completeness); minimum 3/4 to pass. |
| 5 | Controllable and Non-Controllable Expenses: Building the Full P&L | 12.5 | practice | Students assemble all sections of a restaurant P&L—revenue, cost of goods sold, labor, controllable expenses, non-controllable expenses, and net operating income—into a correctly formatted single-period statement that balances and shows accurate line-item percentages. |
| Data packet (instructor-prepared), spreadsheet shell (Google Sheets or Excel, pre-formatted with headers), calculators, projector, NRAEF ManageFirst textbook, peer-review form | Completed P&L spreadsheet: all line items in correct category, all percentages calculated by formula (not typed), net operating income figure matches key within ±$1.00; peer-review form must document at least one item checked; instructor spot-checks three random line items per student. |
| 6 | Variance Analysis: Comparing Actual to Budget and Period over Period | 12.5 | practice | Students identify all line items with variances exceeding a stated threshold on a comparative P&L, classify each variance as favorable or unfavorable, and propose at least one operational root cause per flagged line item. |
| Two-column comparative P&L handout (instructor-prepared), variance worksheet, calculators, whiteboard for class discussion, NRAEF ManageFirst textbook | Variance worksheet: all dollar and percentage variances calculated correctly (within ±0.5 pp), all F/U labels correct, and each flagged variance has a plausible written root-cause hypothesis; minimum 80% of items correct to pass. |
| 7 | Spreadsheet Automation: Building a Dynamic P&L Template with Conditional Formatting | 12.5 | lab | Students build a fully functional restaurant P&L spreadsheet template from a blank workbook that auto-calculates all percentage fields and highlights any line item outside an instructor-specified benchmark range using conditional formatting. |
| Computers with Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel, instructor demo file for reference, raw data import file (instructor-prepared CSV), spreadsheet-skills reference handout, projector | Submitted spreadsheet file evaluated on a checklist: correct formulas in all percentage cells (no hard-coded values), conditional formatting active on at least four cells, totals and subtotals balance, new data populates without formula errors; all checklist items must be met to pass. |
| 8 | Management Summary and Corrective-Action Planning: Turning P&L Data into Decisions | 14.5 | practice | Students write a two-page management summary interpreting a provided P&L, identify the top two financial concerns, and propose a specific, measurable corrective-action plan with assigned responsibility and a target completion date. |
| Two-period comparative P&L handout (instructor-prepared), prioritization matrix template, peer-feedback form, word-processing software or lined paper, style guide excerpt (professional memo format) | Written management summary graded on a six-point rubric: accurate data citation from the P&L (2 pts), correct identification of top two concerns (1 pt), measurable corrective-action targets (1 pt), assigned responsibility and timeline (1 pt), professional written language (1 pt); minimum 5/6 to pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P&L Knowledge Examination | Written exam | 25% | 75% (38/50 points) | A 50-question written exam covering accounting vocabulary, chart-of-accounts classification, cost percentage formulas, prime-cost concepts, variance interpretation, and the distinction between controllable and non-controllable expenses; questions are multiple-choice and short-answer, drawn from all eight lesson objectives and aligned to the NRAEF ManageFirst Controlling Foodservice Costs competency area. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Full P&L Build Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | All six checklist criteria met; net operating income within ±$2.00 of evaluator key | Given a new, unseen data packet, the student independently builds a complete, correctly formatted restaurant P&L in a spreadsheet within 90 minutes, labels all sections, writes percentage formulas (no hard-coded values), applies conditional formatting, and presents a two-minute verbal interpretation of the results to the evaluator; the evaluator uses a six-criteria rubric covering accuracy, format, formula integrity, conditional formatting, interpretation, and professional communication. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Calculation Log | Log | 15% | All five lab submissions scored ≥80% on their respective check-for criteria; no outstanding incomplete submissions | A collected portfolio of the student's completed calculation worksheets and spreadsheet files from Lessons 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 (inventory COGS, prime cost, full P&L build, variance analysis, and dynamic template), reviewed holistically to confirm consistent accuracy, correct formula use, and proper documentation across the course's quantitative lab work. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Financial Data Integrity and Ethics Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% on all four scenario responses; any response indicating willingness to falsify data is an automatic non-pass requiring remediation before course credit is awarded | A four-scenario written check in which the student is presented with realistic pressures to alter, omit, or misrepresent P&L figures (e.g., a supervisor asking to move an expense to the next period to hit a bonus target) and must identify the ethical problem, state the potential legal or regulatory consequence, and describe the correct action; this assessment directly supports the program's professional-standards outcomes and the NRAEF ManageFirst ethics competency. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-05 Trade course
Staffing for Restaurant Operations
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
This course develops the skills restaurant managers need to recruit, hire, schedule, train, supervise, and legally separate employees in a food-service environment. Students apply federal and state employment law principles, labor-cost controls, and performance-management techniques to realistic restaurant scenarios. Lessons are mapped to NRAEF ManageFirst Human Resources Management & Supervision competencies and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor exam domains.
Outcomes- Write a legally compliant job description and conduct a structured interview that avoids prohibited questions under federal equal employment opportunity law.
- Build a weekly labor schedule that meets projected guest-count demand while keeping labor cost within a manager-set percentage target.
- Design and deliver a new-hire orientation and 30-day on-the-job training plan using the four-step Job Instruction Training method.
- Apply progressive discipline procedures and document performance issues in writing in a manner consistent with at-will employment best practices.
- Calculate straight-time and overtime pay correctly under the Fair Labor Standards Act and identify common wage-and-hour compliance risks.
- Demonstrate lawful and respectful separation procedures, including termination documentation and final-pay timing requirements.
Course text
This course develops the skills restaurant managers need to recruit, hire, schedule, train, supervise, and legally separate employees in a food-service environment. Students apply federal and state employment law principles, labor-cost controls, and performance-management techniques to realistic restaurant scenarios. Lessons are mapped to NRAEF ManageFirst Human Resources Management & Supervision competencies and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor exam domains.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Restaurant Workforce: Employment Law Foundations; Job Analysis, Job Descriptions, and Recruitment; Legal Interviewing and Selection; Onboarding, Orientation, and Job Instruction Training; Scheduling: Labor Forecasting and Schedule Building; Supervision, Motivation, and Performance Management; Wage and Hour Compliance and Payroll Basics; Employee Separation, Turnover Analysis, and Retention Strategies.
What competent looks like. Write a legally compliant job description and conduct a structured interview that avoids prohibited questions under federal equal employment opportunity law. Build a weekly labor schedule that meets projected guest-count demand while keeping labor cost within a manager-set percentage target. Design and deliver a new-hire orientation and 30-day on-the-job training plan using the four-step Job Instruction Training method. Apply progressive discipline procedures and document performance issues in writing in a manner consistent with at-will employment best practices. Calculate straight-time and overtime pay correctly under the Fair Labor Standards Act and identify common wage-and-hour compliance risks. Demonstrate lawful and respectful separation procedures, including termination documentation and final-pay timing requirements.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Restaurant Workforce: Employment Law Foundations | 11 | theory | Students will identify the key federal employment laws that govern restaurant hiring, pay, and termination and explain how each limits or guides management decisions. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Human Resources Management & Supervision textbook (current edition), U.S. DOL Wage and Hour Division fact sheets (public domain), EEOC 'Know Your Rights' poster, whiteboard, guided-notes handout | Exit quiz of 20 multiple-choice questions covering each federal law; students must score 75% or higher to demonstrate baseline legal literacy before moving to hiring practices. |
| 2 | Job Analysis, Job Descriptions, and Recruitment | 11 | practice | Students will conduct a task-based job analysis for a restaurant position and produce a complete, legally compliant job description that can be posted for recruitment. |
| Job analysis task-inventory worksheet, sample ADA-compliant job description template, NRAEF ManageFirst textbook Chapter on Staffing, internet-connected computer per student, peer-review rubric | Instructor scores completed job description against a 10-point rubric (essential functions present, FLSA status labeled, qualifications job-related, no prohibited criteria, physical demands listed); 8/10 required to pass. |
| 3 | Legal Interviewing and Selection | 11 | demo | Students will conduct a structured behavioral interview using pre-approved questions and correctly redirect or decline to answer questions that would elicit protected-class information. |
| Structured interview question bank (30 behavioral questions), EEOC pre-employment inquiry guidelines handout, structured-interview scoring rubric, role cards for applicant personas, timer | Observer rubric score on final mock-interview rotation: student must score 80% or higher across five criteria (consistent question use, behavior-focused follow-up, no prohibited inquiries, appropriate note-taking, professional rapport); instructor reviews all observer sheets. |
| 4 | Onboarding, Orientation, and Job Instruction Training | 12 | lab | Students will design and deliver a new-hire orientation agenda and a skills lesson using the four-step Job Instruction Training (JIT) method for a back-of-house task. |
| New-hire orientation agenda template, OSHA hazard-communication overview handout, sample employee handbook (provided by instructor), bimetallic stem thermometers, food-storage containers with labels, JIT four-step checklist, timer | JIT checklist self-score confirmed by instructor observation; student must demonstrate all four steps in correct order and the peer trainee must perform the task correctly on the first try-out; if the trainee fails, the student trainer must identify the instructional gap and redeliver before passing. |
| 5 | Scheduling: Labor Forecasting and Schedule Building | 12 | lab | Students will build a seven-day labor schedule for a full-service restaurant that meets projected guest counts, complies with break and minor-labor rules, and achieves a target labor-cost percentage set by the instructor. |
| Guest-count forecast worksheet, scheduling grid template (paper and spreadsheet version), FLSA minor-labor restrictions summary sheet, calculator, sample state break-requirement handout (instructor-selected state), average wage-rate card | Completed schedule is graded on a rubric: labor cost within ±1% of target (30 pts), no FLSA minor violations (20 pts), no unplanned overtime (20 pts), minimum staffing met every day-part (20 pts), legible and complete (10 pts); 75/100 required to pass. |
| 6 | Supervision, Motivation, and Performance Management | 12 | theory | Students will distinguish between supervisory leadership styles, select an appropriate style for a given restaurant scenario, and write a corrective-action document that meets progressive-discipline standards. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst textbook supervision chapters, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor study guide relevant sections, situational-leadership worksheet, corrective-action form template, scenario cards, role-play observer checklist | Written corrective-action document scored on rubric: specific behavior described with dates and witnesses (25 pts), impact on operation stated (20 pts), expected standard referenced (20 pts), improvement steps listed (20 pts), consequence of non-improvement stated (15 pts); 75/100 required. |
| 7 | Wage and Hour Compliance and Payroll Basics | 11 | practice | Students will calculate gross pay for tipped and non-tipped restaurant employees — including overtime — and identify at least three common wage-and-hour violations specific to the food-service industry. |
| FLSA Wage and Hour fact sheets from DOL.gov (current, public domain), pay-calculation worksheet, mock time cards, calculator, DOL investigation summary excerpts, current federal minimum wage and tip-credit rate reference card | Pay-calculation worksheet graded for arithmetic accuracy and correct overtime identification; students must score 80% or higher (8 of 10 problems correct, with overtime calculated correctly in all applicable problems) to demonstrate payroll competence. |
| 8 | Employee Separation, Turnover Analysis, and Retention Strategies | 11 | theory | Students will conduct a lawful termination using correct documentation and calculate and interpret a restaurant's annualized turnover rate to recommend at least two evidence-based retention interventions. |
| Termination checklist and documentation form template, separation-meeting role-play scenario cards, turnover-rate formula reference, NRAEF ManageFirst textbook industry-benchmark data, anonymized exit-interview data set (instructor-prepared), retention-memo template | Retention memo scored on rubric: correct turnover-rate calculation with formula shown (20 pts), two root causes supported by exit-interview data (25 pts), two specific and feasible retention strategies with rationale (35 pts), cost estimate attempted with logical reasoning (20 pts); 75/100 required to pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Law and Staffing Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% (75/100 points) | A 50-question multiple-choice and short-answer exam covering federal employment law (FLSA, Title VII, ADA, IRCA), legal interviewing, progressive discipline, wage-and-hour calculations, and turnover analysis; questions are aligned to NRAEF ManageFirst Human Resources Management & Supervision exam competencies and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor exam domains. Students have 90 minutes and must score 75 or higher to pass. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Structured Interview and JIT Delivery Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | 80% on each of two rubrics scored independently by the instructor | The student conducts a 10-minute structured behavioral interview with a role-play applicant, then immediately delivers a 6-minute Job Instruction Training lesson for an assigned kitchen task to a second peer; the instructor scores both performances live using the course rubrics for legal interviewing and JIT four-step method. Both components must reach 80% independently; a failure on either requires a remediation session and one retake. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Scheduling and Payroll Lab Log | Log | 15% | 75% aggregate across all lab submissions | Students compile their completed scheduling worksheet (Lesson 5) and payroll-calculation worksheet (Lesson 7) into a lab log with a one-page reflection identifying one error they corrected during peer audit and one real-world consequence that error could have caused; the instructor grades all three components using the lesson rubrics and averages them. An aggregate score below 75% requires the student to redo the lower-scoring component. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Employment Documentation Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% on all five critical compliance items; non-critical items at 80% | The instructor presents each student with a packet of simulated employment documents (a job description, an interview scoresheet, a corrective-action form, a termination checklist, and a time card with overtime) and asks the student to identify and correct any errors; five items are flagged as critical compliance failures (prohibited interview question, missing I-9 deadline, incorrect overtime calculation, missing witness on termination form, minor-labor violation on time card) and must all be correctly identified and corrected for a pass, reflecting the zero-tolerance standard required for legal and safety compliance in workforce management. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-06 Trade course
Purchasing for Restaurant Operations
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
This course trains learners to manage the complete purchasing cycle for a food-service operation: writing specifications, selecting and evaluating suppliers, issuing purchase orders, receiving and storing deliveries, and controlling inventory to meet cost targets. Students apply trade math—yield factors, unit cost conversions, par levels, and vendor bid analysis—to real purchasing decisions. Lessons map directly to ManageFirst Purchasing and Cost Control competencies and reinforce ServSafe-aligned receiving and storage standards.
Outcomes- Write a complete product specification for a food, beverage, or supply item that includes grade, pack size, unit of measure, and quality standards.
- Calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and yield percentage using standard food-service formulas accurate to two decimal places.
- Evaluate competing vendor bids using a weighted scorecard and select the best-value supplier with documented rationale.
- Execute a receiving inspection—checking invoice, temperature, weight, and product quality—and correctly reject or accept a delivery according to ServSafe and establishment standards.
- Perform a perpetual and physical inventory count, calculate inventory turnover rate, and identify variance between book and actual figures.
- Demonstrate compliance with safe material-handling practices, including proper PPE use and OSHA-aligned lifting and storage procedures, throughout all purchasing lab activities.
Course text
This course trains learners to manage the complete purchasing cycle for a food-service operation: writing specifications, selecting and evaluating suppliers, issuing purchase orders, receiving and storing deliveries, and controlling inventory to meet cost targets. Students apply trade math—yield factors, unit cost conversions, par levels, and vendor bid analysis—to real purchasing decisions. Lessons map directly to ManageFirst Purchasing and Cost Control competencies and reinforce ServSafe-aligned receiving and storage standards.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Purchasing Cycle and the Buyer's Role; Writing Product Specifications; Purchasing Math: Yield, Unit Cost, and Bid Analysis; Supplier Selection, Vendor Relationships, and Purchase Orders; Receiving: Inspection, Temperature, and Documentation; Storage, Stock Rotation, and FIFO; Inventory Control: Perpetual Systems, Physical Counts, and Turnover; Safety in Purchasing Operations: Material Handling, PPE, and Hazard Awareness.
What competent looks like. Write a complete product specification for a food, beverage, or supply item that includes grade, pack size, unit of measure, and quality standards. Calculate as-purchased cost, edible-portion cost, and yield percentage using standard food-service formulas accurate to two decimal places. Evaluate competing vendor bids using a weighted scorecard and select the best-value supplier with documented rationale. Execute a receiving inspection—checking invoice, temperature, weight, and product quality—and correctly reject or accept a delivery according to ServSafe and establishment standards. Perform a perpetual and physical inventory count, calculate inventory turnover rate, and identify variance between book and actual figures. Demonstrate compliance with safe material-handling practices, including proper PPE use and OSHA-aligned lifting and storage procedures, throughout all purchasing lab activities.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Purchasing Cycle and the Buyer's Role | 9 | theory | Students will describe each stage of the restaurant purchasing cycle—need identification, specification writing, vendor selection, ordering, receiving, storage, and payment—and explain the buyer's legal and ethical responsibilities. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Purchasing textbook (current edition), purchasing cycle flowchart handout, case vignette packet, whiteboard | Exit quiz: 10 multiple-choice questions covering cycle stages, buyer responsibilities, and ethics—minimum 70% correct to proceed. |
| 2 | Writing Product Specifications | 12 | practice | Students will draft accurate product specifications for at least five commodity categories—protein, produce, dairy, dry goods, and non-food supplies—using USDA grade standards and industry format. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Purchasing textbook, USDA AMS grade standards reference sheets, spec-writing template, ruler and scale for package inspection, sample physical products or photographs | Instructor grades completed spec set using the class rubric; all six specs must score 80% or higher (all required fields, correct grades, measurable standards) to pass this lesson. |
| 3 | Purchasing Math: Yield, Unit Cost, and Bid Analysis | 14 | lab | Students will accurately calculate as-purchased (AP) cost, edible-portion (EP) cost, yield percentage, and cost per edible pound, and use these figures to compare competing vendor bids on a multi-item order. |
| Calculators, digital kitchen scale (accurate to 0.1 oz), whole chickens, romaine heads, cutting boards, chef knives, bid comparison matrix worksheet, NRAEF ManageFirst Purchasing textbook yield-factor tables | Lab worksheet graded: all 20 drill problems correct within rounding tolerance of ±$0.02; fabrication yield % within ±3 percentage points of reference yield; bid matrix identifies lowest EP cost correctly on at least 9 of 10 items. 90% accuracy required to pass. |
| 4 | Supplier Selection, Vendor Relationships, and Purchase Orders | 11 | demo | Students will evaluate three mock vendor proposals using a weighted-criteria scorecard, select a primary and backup supplier, and complete a formatted purchase order correctly. |
| Vendor profile packets, weighted scorecard template, blank purchase order forms, calculators, NRAEF ManageFirst Purchasing textbook chapter on supplier relationships | Purchase order checked for all required fields and accurate extended totals (zero arithmetic errors allowed); scorecard recommendation must include correct weighted score calculations. Pass = 100% accuracy on PO math and all fields populated. |
| 5 | Receiving: Inspection, Temperature, and Documentation | 14 | lab | Students will conduct a complete receiving inspection—verifying invoice accuracy, checking product temperatures with a calibrated thermometer, assessing quality against spec, and completing a receiving log—and correctly reject or accept each item. |
| Dial and digital stem thermometers, ice bath, calibration log forms, simulated delivery items (proteins, produce, dairy, dry goods), purchase order copies, receiving log forms, ServSafe Manager textbook (receiving and storage chapter) | Observer checklist completed by instructor: thermometer calibrated correctly, all 10 item temps recorded within ±2°F of reference thermometer, both out-of-spec items correctly rejected with written reason, receiving log fully completed. All checklist items must be marked correct to pass. |
| 6 | Storage, Stock Rotation, and FIFO | 10 | practice | Students will organize a multi-category storeroom delivery using FIFO rotation, correct storage temperature zones, and proper shelving sequence to prevent cross-contamination, in accordance with ServSafe standards. |
| Date labels, permanent markers, shelving unit or mock walk-in display, assorted labeled food containers (simulated), storeroom audit form, ServSafe Manager textbook | Storeroom audit form: all five violations identified with correct corrective action (100% required); FIFO rotation drill: observer confirms zero older items behind newer items. ServSafe storage order must be correct top-to-bottom. |
| 7 | Inventory Control: Perpetual Systems, Physical Counts, and Turnover | 14 | lab | Students will record transactions in a perpetual inventory log, conduct a physical inventory count, calculate inventory turnover rate and variance, and identify items requiring reorder or investigation. |
| Perpetual inventory spreadsheet (Excel or printed), stocked mock storeroom with labeled containers, physical count sheets, calculators, NRAEF ManageFirst Purchasing textbook (inventory chapter) | Spreadsheet graded: all 15 perpetual balances accurate (zero arithmetic errors); physical count extensions accurate within ±$0.05 per line; turnover rate calculated correctly; all items above variance threshold flagged. 95% line-item accuracy required to pass. |
| 8 | Safety in Purchasing Operations: Material Handling, PPE, and Hazard Awareness | 7 | field | Students will demonstrate safe manual lifting technique, proper PPE selection for receiving and storage tasks, and correct response to a chemical storage hazard in the receiving area, meeting OSHA general industry manual-handling guidelines. |
| 40-lb case or equivalent, PPE station with gloves (cut-resistant, insulated), non-slip footwear samples, scenario cards, SDS binder, eye-wash station (or demonstration unit), OSHA 10 reference handout on manual handling, safety observation checklist | Safety observation checklist: all five lifting-technique criteria checked correct; correct PPE selected for all three scenarios with accurate hazard explanation; SDS correctly interpreted and eye-wash procedure demonstrated correctly. All items must be marked satisfactory to pass (no partial credit on safety). |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Fundamentals Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 70% or higher (42 of 60 points) | A 60-question multiple-choice and short-answer exam covering the purchasing cycle, product specifications, USDA grade standards, vendor selection criteria, purchase order components, receiving standards, FIFO and storage rules, and inventory formulas. Questions are drawn from ManageFirst Purchasing exam content areas and ServSafe receiving/storage competencies to provide direct credential exam alignment. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Integrated Receiving and Inventory Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | All critical steps (temperature check, rejection decision, FIFO placement, perpetual log entry) performed correctly; overall checklist score 80% or higher | The student independently processes a 12-item simulated delivery: calibrates a thermometer, inspects each item against a spec and purchase order, records temperatures, accepts or rejects items with documented reason, places accepted items in correct FIFO and storage-order position, and posts receipts to a perpetual inventory log. An instructor scores performance against a step-by-step checklist in real time. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Purchasing Lab Log | Log | 15% | Eight of eight lessons documented; all calculations verified accurate within stated tolerances; no safety violations recorded | Students maintain a running lab log throughout the course capturing all calculation worksheets, receiving logs, inventory count sheets, bid comparison matrices, and storeroom audit forms completed in labs and practice sessions. The compiled log is submitted at the end of the course and graded for completeness, mathematical accuracy, and legible professional documentation. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Safety Compliance Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% on all six safety criteria—no exceptions; any missed item requires immediate re-demonstration before course completion is recorded | The instructor administers a direct observation safety check covering: correct straight-back lift technique with a weighted case, appropriate PPE selected and donned for a receiving scenario, correct SDS location and hazard identification for a chemical in the receiving area, proper thermometer calibration, correct refrigeration temperature zone identification, and identification of a cross-contamination risk in a storeroom layout. This check is pass/fail on every individual criterion. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-07 Trade course
Point-of-Sale Systems in Restaurant Operations
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to configure, operate, and troubleshoot modern restaurant point-of-sale systems, connecting POS data to cost control, staffing, and sales reporting. The course covers hardware setup, menu programming, transaction processing, end-of-day reporting, and data security as practiced in full-service and quick-service environments. Lessons map to NRAEF ManageFirst competencies in technology and financial management and support ServSafe Manager awareness of digital food-safety documentation.
Outcomes- Operate a restaurant POS terminal to process dine-in, takeaway, and split-check transactions accurately with zero cash-handling errors on a timed skills demo.
- Program and modify a menu in POS software, including items, modifiers, pricing tiers, and tax rates, producing a printed menu report that matches a supplied specification sheet.
- Generate and interpret daily, weekly, and shift-level POS sales reports to calculate actual food cost percentage and labor cost percentage within ±1% of instructor-calculated benchmarks.
- Identify and apply PCI DSS cardholder data security practices and restaurant-specific data privacy responsibilities when processing card transactions at the terminal.
- Troubleshoot at least five common POS hardware and software faults—including receipt printer jams, drawer failures, and network drops—using manufacturer documentation and a structured fault-isolation method.
- Export POS report data into a spreadsheet and produce a formatted P&L variance summary that can be presented to a supervisor in a professional written format.
Course text
Students learn to configure, operate, and troubleshoot modern restaurant point-of-sale systems, connecting POS data to cost control, staffing, and sales reporting. The course covers hardware setup, menu programming, transaction processing, end-of-day reporting, and data security as practiced in full-service and quick-service environments. Lessons map to NRAEF ManageFirst competencies in technology and financial management and support ServSafe Manager awareness of digital food-safety documentation.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: POS Landscape: Hardware, Software, and the Restaurant Ecosystem; Menu Programming: Items, Modifiers, and Pricing; Transaction Processing: Dine-In, Takeout, and Payment Methods; POS Data Security and PCI DSS Fundamentals; End-of-Day Reporting and Sales Analysis; Inventory Tracking and Purchase Order Integration; POS Troubleshooting and Hardware Maintenance; POS Data Export and P&L Variance Reporting.
What competent looks like. Operate a restaurant POS terminal to process dine-in, takeaway, and split-check transactions accurately with zero cash-handling errors on a timed skills demo. Program and modify a menu in POS software, including items, modifiers, pricing tiers, and tax rates, producing a printed menu report that matches a supplied specification sheet. Generate and interpret daily, weekly, and shift-level POS sales reports to calculate actual food cost percentage and labor cost percentage within ±1% of instructor-calculated benchmarks. Identify and apply PCI DSS cardholder data security practices and restaurant-specific data privacy responsibilities when processing card transactions at the terminal. Troubleshoot at least five common POS hardware and software faults—including receipt printer jams, drawer failures, and network drops—using manufacturer documentation and a structured fault-isolation method. Export POS report data into a spreadsheet and produce a formatted P&L variance summary that can be presented to a supervisor in a professional written format.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | POS Landscape: Hardware, Software, and the Restaurant Ecosystem | 9 | theory | Students identify and explain the function of each major POS hardware component and the role of cloud-based versus on-premise POS architecture in restaurant operations. |
| POS terminal (training unit or simulator), manufacturer quick-start guides, vendor comparison handouts, projector, student note-taking template | 10-question identification quiz on hardware components and architecture types; students must score 80% or higher to proceed. |
| 2 | Menu Programming: Items, Modifiers, and Pricing | 13 | lab | Students build a fully functional POS menu from a supplied recipe and pricing specification sheet, including forced and optional modifiers and at least two tax rate categories. |
| POS training software with back-office access (cloud or local training instance), specification sheet packet, printed menu template, lab log workbook | Instructor checks printed menu report against the spec sheet; all 30 items must be present and correct with zero pricing errors and all required modifiers present for a pass. |
| 3 | Transaction Processing: Dine-In, Takeout, and Payment Methods | 12 | practice | Students process a sequence of dine-in, counter, and phone/online takeout transactions—including cash, credit, debit, gift card, and split-check scenarios—with 100% cash-handling accuracy. |
| POS terminal (training unit), cash drawer, training cash (play money set), credit/debit card training swipe kit, gift card training cards, server notepad | Skills demo graded by instructor checklist: zero cash-variance at drawer balance, all checks closed to correct payment method, split checks reconciled; any cash error greater than $0.00 requires a repeat attempt. |
| 4 | POS Data Security and PCI DSS Fundamentals | 8 | theory | Students describe the key cardholder data protection responsibilities that apply to restaurant employees and managers under PCI DSS requirements and restaurant data privacy best practices. |
| PCI DSS small-merchant summary (official PCI SSC resource), training card reader with instructor-installed cosmetic tamper prop, incident report form template, poster template | 15-question multiple-choice quiz on PCI DSS employee responsibilities and tamper-detection steps; minimum passing score is 80%. |
| 5 | End-of-Day Reporting and Sales Analysis | 14 | lab | Students run POS end-of-day close procedures, generate shift and daily sales reports, and calculate food cost percentage and labor cost percentage from report data within ±1% of instructor benchmarks. |
| POS training software, printed sample Z-reports and daily sales report packets, calculator, structured calculation worksheet, lab log workbook | Completed worksheet reviewed by instructor; all four financial calculations must be within ±1% of the instructor answer key, and the end-of-day close procedure must be completed in correct sequence for a pass. |
| 6 | Inventory Tracking and Purchase Order Integration | 10 | demo | Students demonstrate how POS sales data feeds into inventory depletion reports and use that data to generate a basic purchase order aligned with par levels. |
| POS training software with inventory module, par-level reference sheet, distributor price sheet (training version), physical count form, purchase order blank | Instructor reviews completed purchase order and variance report; par calculations must be correct for all items and variances must be correctly flagged; errors on more than two items require a redo. |
| 7 | POS Troubleshooting and Hardware Maintenance | 14 | practice | Students isolate and resolve at least five common POS hardware and software faults using a structured fault-isolation method and manufacturer documentation without instructor assistance. |
| POS terminal (training unit), receipt printer, manufacturer troubleshooting guide and maintenance checklist, fault-isolation worksheet, spare receipt paper rolls, cleaning cards, incident ticket template, lab log workbook | Students must correctly resolve all five staged faults without instructor hints and complete the maintenance checklist with no missed steps; failure on two or more faults requires a repeat practice session. |
| 8 | POS Data Export and P&L Variance Reporting | 11 | lab | Students export POS sales and labor data into a spreadsheet, build a formatted P&L variance summary, and present findings in a brief written management report. |
| POS training software with export function, spreadsheet application (e.g., Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets), P&L template file, budget reference sheet, memo format guide, lab log workbook | Instructor reviews spreadsheet for arithmetic accuracy (all variances must be correct) and the memo for professional formatting and logical reasoning; memos with calculation errors or missing variance explanations do not pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS Systems Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% correct (38 of 50 questions) | A 50-question multiple-choice and short-answer exam covering POS hardware identification, menu programming concepts, PCI DSS employee responsibilities, reporting terminology, and troubleshooting decision logic, mapped to NRAEF ManageFirst technology and financial management competency areas. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Transaction Processing and Reporting Skills Demo | Skills demonstration | 45% | Zero cash variance; all checks closed correctly; all POS report calculations within ±1% of benchmark; completed in allotted time | Students complete a timed, live simulation requiring them to process a mixed set of dine-in and takeout transactions including a split check, balance the cash drawer, run a Z-report, and calculate food cost percentage from the resulting report under instructor observation using a scored checklist. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| POS Operations Lab Log | Log | 15% | All eight lesson lab-log entries submitted; at least six of eight rated Satisfactory or above on completeness, accuracy, and professional presentation | Students maintain a cumulative lab log throughout the course documenting every hands-on activity, including menu build steps, transaction records, fault-isolation decisions, maintenance checklists, and data export notes; the log is collected at the end of the course and scored by the instructor for completeness and accuracy. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Data Security and Safe Handling Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | 100% on the prohibited-action checklist; card reader inspection completed in correct sequence with no missed steps | Instructor observes each student inspecting a training card reader for tamper evidence, verbally stating the three actions prohibited under restaurant data-security policy, and correctly completing a mock incident report; any missed prohibited action or skipped inspection step results in an immediate repeat attempt before the student may continue. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-08 Trade course
Sanitation: Food Safety and Hazard Control for Restaurant Managers
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
This course prepares students to manage food safety in a commercial restaurant environment by applying HACCP principles, federal and local sanitation regulations, and cleaning and sanitizing protocols. Students learn to identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards, control them at critical control points, and build a culture of food safety among staff. Content maps directly to the ServSafe Manager certification exam domains and supports the NRAEF ManageFirst Food Safety credential area.
Outcomes- Classify biological, chemical, and physical food safety hazards and explain the conditions that allow pathogens to grow to dangerous levels in restaurant food.
- Develop and document a functional HACCP plan—including hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification, and record-keeping—for a restaurant menu.
- Select and correctly apply the proper sanitizer type and concentration for food-contact surfaces, and verify effectiveness using a calibrated test kit.
- Demonstrate safe food-handling practices across the flow of food from receiving through service, including temperature monitoring, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene requirements.
- Conduct a sanitation inspection of a simulated restaurant using a standardized form and identify violations with corrective actions aligned to FDA Food Code guidance.
- Train a simulated staff group on a single food safety procedure, using adult-learning techniques, and evaluate whether the training achieved its objective.
Course text
This course prepares students to manage food safety in a commercial restaurant environment by applying HACCP principles, federal and local sanitation regulations, and cleaning and sanitizing protocols. Students learn to identify biological, chemical, and physical hazards, control them at critical control points, and build a culture of food safety among staff. Content maps directly to the ServSafe Manager certification exam domains and supports the NRAEF ManageFirst Food Safety credential area.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: Foodborne Illness: Hazards, Pathogens, and the Regulatory Framework; Personal Hygiene and Food Handler Health Policy; The Flow of Food: Receiving, Storage, and Temperature Control; Cooking, Holding, Cooling, and Reheating: Critical Temperatures in Practice; Cleaning and Sanitizing: Chemicals, Concentrations, and Procedures; HACCP: Building and Documenting a Food Safety Management System; Pest Control, Facility Design, and Health Department Inspections; Food Safety Culture: Staff Training, Policies, and Manager Responsibilities.
What competent looks like. Classify biological, chemical, and physical food safety hazards and explain the conditions that allow pathogens to grow to dangerous levels in restaurant food. Develop and document a functional HACCP plan—including hazard analysis, critical control points, critical limits, monitoring procedures, corrective actions, verification, and record-keeping—for a restaurant menu. Select and correctly apply the proper sanitizer type and concentration for food-contact surfaces, and verify effectiveness using a calibrated test kit. Demonstrate safe food-handling practices across the flow of food from receiving through service, including temperature monitoring, cross-contamination prevention, and personal hygiene requirements. Conduct a sanitation inspection of a simulated restaurant using a standardized form and identify violations with corrective actions aligned to FDA Food Code guidance. Train a simulated staff group on a single food safety procedure, using adult-learning techniques, and evaluate whether the training achieved its objective.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foodborne Illness: Hazards, Pathogens, and the Regulatory Framework | 11 | theory | Students will categorize biological, chemical, and physical food safety hazards and identify the major pathogens—including their sources, symptoms, and associated high-risk foods—referenced in the ServSafe Manager exam. |
| ServSafe Manager textbook (current edition, National Restaurant Association), CDC foodborne outbreak summary reports (public domain), FAT TOM reference chart, graphic organizer worksheet, pathogen card-sort deck | Exit quiz of 15 multiple-choice items covering pathogen identification, FAT TOM conditions, and hazard categories; pass mark 80% correct. |
| 2 | Personal Hygiene and Food Handler Health Policy | 10 | demo | Students will demonstrate correct handwashing procedure and explain manager responsibilities for excluding or restricting food handlers who are ill, consistent with FDA Food Code guidance. |
| Handwashing sink, soap, single-use paper towels, GloGerm powder, UV flashlight, personal hygiene observation log, exclude/restrict decision-tree worksheet, ServSafe Manager textbook | Skills checklist observation: student performs a full handwashing cycle and correctly answers two role-play exclude/restrict decisions; all critical steps on checklist must be marked satisfactory (no critical step missed) to pass. |
| 3 | The Flow of Food: Receiving, Storage, and Temperature Control | 12 | lab | Students will apply correct receiving inspection criteria and temperature control requirements to food products across all storage areas, using calibrated thermometers and a simulated receiving dock. |
| Bimetallic stemmed thermometers, calibration ice bath, thermometer calibration log, simulated receiving dock props (food items, damaged can examples), receiving log form, model walk-in shelf diagram, temperature danger zone reference chart, ServSafe Manager textbook | Lab log reviewed by instructor: student's receiving log must correctly accept/reject all 10 test items, thermometer calibration must be recorded within ±2°F of 32°F, and storage diagram must have zero critical placement errors; one or more critical errors requires a lab redo. |
| 4 | Cooking, Holding, Cooling, and Reheating: Critical Temperatures in Practice | 12 | lab | Students will accurately measure and record internal temperatures for cooking, hot holding, cooling, and reheating of multiple food types, and apply corrective action when temperatures are out of compliance. |
| Commercial range, steam table, sheet pans, ice-water bath containers, calibrated probe thermometers (digital and bimetallic), cooking/cooling/reheating temperature logs, graph paper or spreadsheet template, ServSafe Manager textbook, model menu for reference | Instructor observation and lab log review: all recorded temperatures must be within ±2°F of actual measured values; student must correctly identify and document a corrective action for every out-of-compliance reading; zero uncorrected critical violations to pass. |
| 5 | Cleaning and Sanitizing: Chemicals, Concentrations, and Procedures | 12 | lab | Students will prepare chlorine, quaternary ammonium, and iodine sanitizer solutions at correct concentrations, verify them with test strips, and correctly clean and sanitize a food-contact surface using the seven-step procedure. |
| Three-compartment sink, chlorine bleach, quaternary ammonium concentrate, iodine sanitizer, appropriate test strips for each sanitizer type, smallwares (cutting boards, knives, bowls), sanitizer concentration log, seven-step cleaning procedure reference card, Master Cleaning Schedule template, ServSafe Manager textbook | Lab log and instructor observation checklist: all three sanitizer solutions must test within the acceptable ppm range on the test strip; every critical step of the seven-step procedure must be completed correctly; Master Cleaning Schedule must include correct frequencies and products for all 12 items to pass. |
| 6 | HACCP: Building and Documenting a Food Safety Management System | 14 | practice | Students will construct a complete seven-principle HACCP plan for an assigned restaurant menu item, including a documented hazard analysis, identified critical control points, written monitoring and corrective action procedures, and a record-keeping system. |
| HACCP plan workbook template (aligned to FDA HACCP guidance), sample process flow diagram, ServSafe Manager textbook, NRAEF ManageFirst Food Safety module reference, whiteboard or flip-chart paper, markers, printed menu for the assigned item | Completed HACCP plan scored on instructor rubric: all seven principles must be present; CCPs must be correctly identified relative to the hazard analysis; critical limits must be science-based; plan must score at least 80% of available rubric points to pass. |
| 7 | Pest Control, Facility Design, and Health Department Inspections | 11 | field | Students will conduct a simulated health department inspection of a restaurant facility, identify sanitation and facility violations, and write a corrective action report using an industry-standard inspection form. |
| Simulated or real restaurant inspection space, standardized health department inspection form (local or FDA model form), IPM identification worksheet, pest evidence photo reference sheet, corrective action report template, ServSafe Manager textbook | Inspection form reviewed by instructor: student must correctly identify and classify at least 7 of 8 seeded violations; corrective action report must include all five required elements for each critical violation; missing more than one seeded critical violation requires a repeat walkthrough to pass. |
| 8 | Food Safety Culture: Staff Training, Policies, and Manager Responsibilities | 9 | practice | Students will design and deliver a short food safety training module for a simulated employee group, applying adult-learning principles and evaluating whether the training objective was met. |
| Industry article on food safety culture (e.g., from Journal of Food Protection or NRA resources), training module planning template, trainee evaluation form, instructor delivery rubric, visual aid supplies (whiteboard, flip chart, or slide template), ServSafe Manager textbook | Instructor rubric score: training content must be factually accurate (zero critical errors); learning objective must be measurable; delivery must score at least 80% of rubric points; any critical content error requires revision and re-delivery to pass. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Safety Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75% or higher (38 of 50 items correct) | A 50-item multiple-choice exam covering all ServSafe Manager content domains addressed in this course—foodborne illness hazards, personal hygiene, the flow of food (receiving through service), cleaning and sanitizing, HACCP principles, pest control, and facility sanitation. Items are written in the same style as the ServSafe Manager certification exam to provide direct preparation for that credential. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| HACCP Plan and Inspection Skills Demonstration | Skills demonstration | 45% | All critical elements present in the HACCP plan; all critical violations correctly identified and classified in the inspection; rubric score of 80% or higher on each component | Students submit their completed HACCP plan (Lesson 6) and conduct a live 20-minute mock health-department inspection of the simulated facility, identifying and documenting violations on a standard inspection form and verbally explaining corrective actions to the instructor. The instructor scores both the plan and the inspection performance using published rubrics. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Lab Log Portfolio | Log | 15% | All eight lesson lab logs submitted; no uncorrected critical violations in any log; overall portfolio score of 80% or higher on completeness and accuracy rubric | Students compile a bound or digital portfolio of every completed lab log, temperature record, sanitizer concentration log, receiving log, cleaning schedule, and corrective action report produced across the course. The instructor reviews each document for accuracy, completeness, and evidence that the student applied correct food safety standards, with particular attention to temperature readings, sanitizer ppm values, and HACCP documentation. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Personal Hygiene and Chemical Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | Zero critical steps missed on either checklist; any critical failure requires immediate remediation and recheck before course completion | A binary pass/fail performance check conducted by the instructor: the student performs a full handwashing procedure and correctly prepares and tests one sanitizer solution at the required concentration, both evaluated against a critical-step checklist. This check confirms minimum safe competence directly tied to the ServSafe Manager personal hygiene and cleaning-and-sanitizing exam domains and to the broader program safety standard. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-09 Trade course
Restaurant Marketing: Guest Acquisition, Retention, and Brand Building
91 hr · $1,200 COMPLIMENTARY
Students learn to develop and execute marketing strategies specific to food-service operations, covering digital and traditional channels, brand identity, guest loyalty, and budget-conscious promotion. Lessons integrate real restaurant data, live social media tools, and current hospitality marketing frameworks aligned with NRAEF ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor competencies. Upon completion, students can build a documented marketing plan for an independent or chain restaurant concept.
Outcomes- Identify and describe the core marketing mix elements as applied to a food-service operation and explain how each element affects guest traffic and revenue.
- Create branded social media content, a Google Business Profile, and an email campaign for a restaurant concept using industry-standard digital tools.
- Conduct a basic competitive analysis and guest demographic profile using publicly available market data and in-class observation techniques.
- Calculate a promotional budget as a percentage of projected sales and allocate spending across at least three marketing channels with written rationale.
- Design a guest loyalty and retention program that addresses repeat visit frequency, complaint recovery, and online review management.
- Produce a written marketing plan with defined goals, target audience, channel strategy, timeline, and measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) ready for management review.
Course text
Students learn to develop and execute marketing strategies specific to food-service operations, covering digital and traditional channels, brand identity, guest loyalty, and budget-conscious promotion. Lessons integrate real restaurant data, live social media tools, and current hospitality marketing frameworks aligned with NRAEF ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor competencies. Upon completion, students can build a documented marketing plan for an independent or chain restaurant concept.
How the course runs. 8 blocks: The Marketing Mix and the Restaurant Guest; Brand Identity: Logo, Voice, and Visual Standards; Digital Presence: Google Business Profile, Website Basics, and SEO Fundamentals; Social Media Marketing for Restaurants; Email Marketing, Loyalty Programs, and Guest Retention; Competitive Analysis and Target Guest Profiling; Promotional Budget, Advertising Channels, and ROI Basics; The Restaurant Marketing Plan: Build, Present, and Measure.
What competent looks like. Identify and describe the core marketing mix elements as applied to a food-service operation and explain how each element affects guest traffic and revenue. Create branded social media content, a Google Business Profile, and an email campaign for a restaurant concept using industry-standard digital tools. Conduct a basic competitive analysis and guest demographic profile using publicly available market data and in-class observation techniques. Calculate a promotional budget as a percentage of projected sales and allocate spending across at least three marketing channels with written rationale. Design a guest loyalty and retention program that addresses repeat visit frequency, complaint recovery, and online review management. Produce a written marketing plan with defined goals, target audience, channel strategy, timeline, and measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) ready for management review.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Marketing Mix and the Restaurant Guest | 10 | theory | Students define the four Ps of marketing, apply each to a restaurant scenario, and explain how guest perception of value drives purchase decisions. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Hospitality and Restaurant Management textbook, printed restaurant case studies, four-Ps worksheet, guest-journey map template, whiteboard | Students complete the four-Ps annotation on a new, unseen restaurant scenario and correctly label at least 12 of 16 marked elements (75 % accuracy). |
| 2 | Brand Identity: Logo, Voice, and Visual Standards | 10 | demo | Students identify the components of a restaurant brand identity system and produce a one-page brand standards sheet for a fictional concept. |
| Canva (free education account), brand standards template (instructor-created), printed examples of real restaurant brand guidelines (publicly available), projector, laptops or tablets | Brand standards sheet includes all five required elements (logo, primary and secondary colors with hex codes, two typefaces, three sample caption tones) and earns a passing score of 75 % on the instructor rubric. |
| 3 | Digital Presence: Google Business Profile, Website Basics, and SEO Fundamentals | 12 | lab | Students set up and fully populate a Google Business Profile for a practice restaurant account and explain three on-page SEO practices that improve local search ranking. |
| Laptops or tablets, shared practice Google account, Google PageSpeed Insights (free, browser-based), printed Google Business Profile completion checklist, SEO keyword worksheet, projector | Google Business Profile checklist shows 100 % completion of all required fields; SEO writing draft contains all three identified keywords used naturally in context — instructor spot-checks both before marking complete. |
| 4 | Social Media Marketing for Restaurants | 12 | practice | Students create a seven-day social media content calendar for a restaurant concept and produce three platform-ready posts with images, copy, and hashtags. |
| Smartphones or tablets with cameras, Canva and/or Snapseed (free apps), content calendar spreadsheet template (instructor-created), plated food prop or supplied food photo set, platform business help pages, printed hashtag research worksheet | Content calendar covers all seven days with no blank fields; three submitted posts each contain a properly sized image, caption of 50–150 words, and 3–5 relevant hashtags — scored on a 10-point rubric with 7.5 (75 %) required to pass. |
| 5 | Email Marketing, Loyalty Programs, and Guest Retention | 12 | practice | Students build a three-email welcome sequence in a free email marketing platform and design a points-based loyalty program outline with defined earn and redeem rules. |
| Mailchimp free account (or approved alternative), laptops or tablets, sample contact list CSV (instructor-created, no real PII), loyalty program design worksheet, five printed fictitious reviews, review-response rubric | All three Mailchimp emails are built, previewed, and submitted as screenshots with no broken images or placeholder text; loyalty program outline is complete with cost-per-reward calculation shown — 75 % rubric score required on both components. |
| 6 | Competitive Analysis and Target Guest Profiling | 11 | field | Students conduct an on-site competitive analysis of two local restaurants and produce a written guest demographic profile for their own fictional concept supported by observable data. |
| Printed competitive analysis form, clipboards, smartphones (for photo documentation where permitted), US Census Bureau QuickFacts (free, browser-based), laptop for report write-up, signed field visit acknowledgment form | Competitive analysis report addresses all eight form categories for both restaurants with specific observable evidence; guest profile references at least two external data sources — instructor scores report on a rubric with 75 % required to pass. |
| 7 | Promotional Budget, Advertising Channels, and ROI Basics | 12 | theory | Students calculate a promotional budget from a given sales projection, allocate it across three channels, and explain how return on investment (ROI) is estimated for a restaurant promotion. |
| Calculator or spreadsheet software, promotional budget worksheet, ROI estimation worksheet, printed channel comparison note template, sample rate card examples (instructor-compiled from public sources), NRAEF ManageFirst textbook | Budget calculation and ROI estimation worksheets are both submitted with all arithmetic visible and correct to within rounding; final go/no-go recommendation is supported with a written rationale — 75 % of total points required. |
| 8 | The Restaurant Marketing Plan: Build, Present, and Measure | 12 | lab | Students assemble all prior lesson outputs into a complete written marketing plan for their fictional restaurant concept and present a five-minute executive summary to the class. |
| Word processor or Google Docs, marketing plan six-section template (instructor-created), all prior lesson deliverables, peer feedback form, instructor presentation rubric, projector or large monitor for display | Completed marketing plan document contains all six required sections with no placeholder text; five-minute presentation stays within 4–6 minute window and earns at least 75 % on the instructor rubric covering content accuracy, organization, and professional communication. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Concepts Knowledge Exam | Written exam | 25% | 75 % (38 of 50 points) | A 50-question exam covering the four Ps, brand identity components, digital marketing terminology (SEO, CTR, engagement rate), social media platform characteristics, email marketing best practices, loyalty program design principles, promotional budgeting, ROI estimation, and competitive analysis methodology — all drawn from lesson content and the NRAEF ManageFirst hospitality management curriculum area. Questions are multiple choice and short answer; the exam is taken individually, closed notes, in a single class period. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Marketing Plan Presentation Skills Demo | Skills demonstration | 45% | 75 % on the instructor rubric (30 of 40 points across four categories: content accuracy, organization, professional language, and response to two instructor follow-up questions) | Each student presents their complete restaurant marketing plan to the instructor and a minimum of two classmates in a 7-to-10-minute session, fielding two instructor-posed scenario questions (e.g., 'Your social media budget was cut 50 % — how do you adjust?'). The demo assesses the student's ability to apply marketing concepts to real operational decisions, mirroring the applied management competencies tested in NRAEF ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor credentialing. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Marketing Lab Portfolio Log | Log | 15% | All eight lesson deliverables submitted and at least six of eight score 75 % or higher on their individual rubrics | Students maintain a running digital portfolio folder containing dated screenshots and documents from every lab and practice lesson: the brand standards sheet, Google Business Profile completion screenshots, content calendar, three social media posts, three Mailchimp email screenshots, loyalty program outline with cost calculation, competitive analysis report, and final marketing plan document. The portfolio demonstrates the progression of work and is reviewed by the instructor at mid-course (after lesson 4) and at course end. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
| Digital Tool and Data Safety Check | Safety audit | 15% | Pass — all five checklist items confirmed; any single fail item requires correction and re-check before the student may submit final marketing plan | Before submitting the final marketing plan, each student completes a five-item safety and compliance checklist verified by the instructor: (1) no real personal identifying information appears in any practice platform account or submitted document, (2) all images used in posts and emails are either self-created, licensed under Creative Commons, or from the instructor-supplied photo set — no unattributed copyrighted images, (3) Google Business Profile practice account is confirmed closed or transferred per instructor instructions, (4) Mailchimp practice list contains only the instructor-supplied dummy contacts, and (5) student can verbally explain why truth-in-advertising standards prohibit false or misleading promotional claims. This check aligns with responsible digital citizenship requirements emphasized in NRAEF ManageFirst program standards. Standard met · Safety · Time · Quality/finish · Documentation |
HOS-REST26-10 Capstone
Capstone Project: Restaurant Management Plan Build & Defense
162 hr · $1,620 COMPLIMENTARY
Students design, document, and defend a complete, investor-ready restaurant management plan for a realistic concept of their choosing, integrating cost control, menu engineering, P&L forecasting, staffing, purchasing, sanitation protocols, POS configuration, and marketing strategy into one coherent package. The project culminates in a formal oral defense before a panel of instructor(s) and an industry evaluator, simulating a real-world business presentation. All deliverables are mapped to ServSafe Manager, NRAEF ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor competency areas so students demonstrate credential-level mastery in context.
Outcomes- Produce a complete written restaurant management plan that integrates food-safety procedures, cost targets, a costed menu, a 12-month pro-forma P&L, a staffing model, a purchasing program, a POS workflow, and a marketing plan.
- Apply OSHA-recognized hazard controls and ServSafe-aligned sanitation procedures throughout all operational sections of the plan, justifying each decision with a cited standard or regulatory basis.
- Use industry-standard spreadsheet and POS simulation tools to calculate food cost percentage, labor cost percentage, break-even volume, and contribution margin for the proposed concept.
- Construct a professional portfolio that documents the planning process, revisions, peer-review feedback, and final deliverables in a format suitable for employer or investor review.
- Deliver a timed oral defense of the management plan before a panel, responding to examiner questions about financial decisions, sanitation controls, staffing choices, and marketing strategy with evidence drawn from the plan.
- Evaluate a peer's draft management plan against a structured rubric, providing written feedback that identifies specific gaps in safety, financial accuracy, and operational feasibility.
Course text
Students design, document, and defend a complete, investor-ready restaurant management plan for a realistic concept of their choosing, integrating cost control, menu engineering, P&L forecasting, staffing, purchasing, sanitation protocols, POS configuration, and marketing strategy into one coherent package. The project culminates in a formal oral defense before a panel of instructor(s) and an industry evaluator, simulating a real-world business presentation. All deliverables are mapped to ServSafe Manager, NRAEF ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor competency areas so students demonstrate credential-level mastery in context.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Concept Definition, Scope Planning, and Integrated Outline; Section-by-Section Plan Development: Operations, Finance, and Safety; Portfolio Assembly, Peer Review, and Revision; Oral Defense: Presentation, Panel Q&A, and Reflection.
What competent looks like. Produce a complete written restaurant management plan that integrates food-safety procedures, cost targets, a costed menu, a 12-month pro-forma P&L, a staffing model, a purchasing program, a POS workflow, and a marketing plan. Apply OSHA-recognized hazard controls and ServSafe-aligned sanitation procedures throughout all operational sections of the plan, justifying each decision with a cited standard or regulatory basis. Use industry-standard spreadsheet and POS simulation tools to calculate food cost percentage, labor cost percentage, break-even volume, and contribution margin for the proposed concept. Construct a professional portfolio that documents the planning process, revisions, peer-review feedback, and final deliverables in a format suitable for employer or investor review. Deliver a timed oral defense of the management plan before a panel, responding to examiner questions about financial decisions, sanitation controls, staffing choices, and marketing strategy with evidence drawn from the plan. Evaluate a peer's draft management plan against a structured rubric, providing written feedback that identifies specific gaps in safety, financial accuracy, and operational feasibility.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Concept Definition, Scope Planning, and Integrated Outline | 30 | practice | Given a chosen restaurant concept, the student will produce an approved project scope document and annotated outline that maps every required section of the management plan to at least one credential competency area. |
| Concept worksheet handout, project scope template, annotated outline template, credential exam blueprints for ServSafe Manager / NRAEF ManageFirst / AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor (instructor-provided summaries), spreadsheet software (Google Sheets or Excel), word-processing software. | Instructor reviews the annotated outline for completeness: all 8 required plan sections must be listed, each mapped to at least one named credential area, and the Gantt chart must account for all 162 project hours. Outline earns approval (pass) or is returned with required revisions within one class session; student may not advance to Lesson 2 without an approved outline. |
| 2 | Section-by-Section Plan Development: Operations, Finance, and Safety | 80 | lab | Working from the approved outline, the student will draft, revise, and finalize all eight required management plan sections — sanitation/HACCP, menu with food-cost analysis, 12-month pro-forma P&L and break-even, staffing model and labor cost, purchasing and vendor specs, POS workflow documentation, marketing plan, and facility safety program — each meeting the section rubric standard. |
| HACCP flow-chart template, standardized recipe card template, menu engineering matrix spreadsheet, P&L and break-even spreadsheet template, staffing schedule template, job description template, product specification template, order guide template, POS workflow diagram template (Lucidchart free tier or hand-drawn), marketing calendar template, facility safety program template, OSHA General Industry standards summary (instructor-provided reference sheet), ServSafe Manager textbook (National Restaurant Association), NRAEF ManageFirst: Controlling Foodservice Costs and Hospitality and Restaurant Management textbooks, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor reference materials. | Each section is graded individually on its rubric (completeness, accuracy, internal consistency with the rest of the plan) on a 100-point scale; each section must score 75 or higher to be accepted into the portfolio. Sections scoring below 75 must be revised and resubmitted within the next scheduled lab session. The P&L spreadsheet must produce a correctly calculated break-even figure verified by the instructor; a mathematical error in break-even is an automatic hold until corrected. |
| 3 | Portfolio Assembly, Peer Review, and Revision | 22 | practice | The student will compile all approved plan sections into a professionally formatted, tabbed portfolio document, incorporate written peer-review feedback, and produce a final version that meets the portfolio rubric standard of 80 percent or higher. |
| Portfolio formatting guide (instructor-provided), full portfolio rubric, peer-review feedback memo template, revision log template, printer or PDF export capability, binding supplies or shared digital folder (Google Drive or equivalent). | Instructor scores the final submitted portfolio against the portfolio rubric; the portfolio must score 80 out of 100 or higher to pass this lesson and qualify the student for the oral defense in Lesson 4. The revision log must be complete — every peer-review point must have a response entry — or the portfolio is returned for completion before scoring. |
| 4 | Oral Defense: Presentation, Panel Q&A, and Reflection | 30 | field | The student will present the key findings of the restaurant management plan in a structured 15-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute panel question-and-answer session, scoring 75 percent or higher on the oral defense rubric and submitting a written self-reflection. |
| Presentation slides or poster, laptop and projector or display screen, panel scoring sheet (oral defense rubric), standardized question bank (held by panelists, not released to students in advance), timer, student copy of completed portfolio for reference during Q&A, self-reflection submission form. | Each panelist scores the presentation on a 100-point oral defense rubric covering content accuracy, financial literacy, sanitation/safety knowledge, professionalism, and responsiveness to questions; scores are averaged across panelists. A score of 75 or higher is passing. The self-reflection must be submitted within 48 hours and must address all three required prompts; failure to submit the reflection by the deadline reduces the final capstone grade by one letter grade regardless of defense score. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant Management Plan — Final Submitted Document | Project | 60% | Each of the eight required sections must score 75/100 or higher on its individual rubric; the assembled portfolio must score 80/100 or higher on the portfolio rubric; the revision log must be complete. | The complete written management plan, including all eight operational and financial sections, supporting spreadsheets, and the revision log documenting responses to peer feedback, is evaluated by the instructor against section rubrics and the overall portfolio rubric. This project assessment verifies that the student can integrate every major competency area of the program into a single, internally consistent, investor-ready document. Meets specification · Within estimate · Workmanship · Safety · Documentation |
| Process Portfolio with Peer-Review Documentation | Portfolio | 20% | Portfolio scores 80/100 or higher on the portfolio rubric; revision log includes a written response to every identified peer-review point; all instructor check-in feedback items are addressed and documented. | The portfolio assessment evaluates not only the final document but the documented development process: peer-review memos received and given, instructor check-in notes, and the revision log demonstrating the student's ability to apply critical feedback. This mirrors the continuous-improvement documentation practices expected of a working restaurant manager and aligns with NRAEF ManageFirst professional development competencies. Completeness · Organization · Evidence quality |
| Oral Defense — Presentation and Panel Q&A | Oral / panel | 20% | Averaged panel score of 75/100 or higher on the oral defense rubric; presentation delivered within the 15-minute time limit; self-reflection submitted within 48 hours of the defense and addresses all three required prompts. | The oral defense requires the student to present the management plan to a panel that includes at least one industry evaluator and respond to questions about financial, sanitation, staffing, and marketing decisions with evidence drawn from the plan. This assessment verifies the communication and analytical skills measured by the AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor and NRAEF ManageFirst credentials and prepares students for investor pitches, job interviews, and operations review meetings in the field. Explains decisions · Answers technical questions · Professional communication |
HOS-REST26-11 Externship / clinical
Externship / Worksite Placement
243 hr · $970 COMPLIMENTARY
Students complete 243 supervised hours in an approved restaurant or foodservice operation, applying the management, sanitation, cost-control, and guest-service skills built across the program. A site supervisor evaluates performance against industry standards, and the student documents competencies in a structured field log reviewed by the program instructor. This course bridges classroom learning and full professional practice in a real workplace environment.
Outcomes- Perform opening, mid-shift, and closing management duties under live-operation conditions with no more than one prompted correction per shift.
- Apply ServSafe food-safety protocols—temperature monitoring, sanitation schedules, and allergen procedures—consistently throughout every observed shift.
- Demonstrate cost-control and basic P&L awareness by reading daily sales reports and communicating variance observations to the site supervisor.
- Lead or support at least two pre-shift staff briefings, applying scheduling and communication skills to coordinate a service period.
- Resolve a minimum of three documented guest-service situations using professional complaint-handling techniques, as verified by the site supervisor.
- Complete a reflective field log for every placement week that links on-site experiences to specific program competencies and credential exam areas.
Course text
Students complete 243 supervised hours in an approved restaurant or foodservice operation, applying the management, sanitation, cost-control, and guest-service skills built across the program. A site supervisor evaluates performance against industry standards, and the student documents competencies in a structured field log reviewed by the program instructor. This course bridges classroom learning and full professional practice in a real workplace environment.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Externship Orientation and Site Readiness; Supervised Shift Practice — Front-of-House and Back-of-House Operations; Applied Management Projects at the Worksite; Final Evaluation, Exit Interview, and Reflective Portfolio Completion.
What competent looks like. Perform opening, mid-shift, and closing management duties under live-operation conditions with no more than one prompted correction per shift. Apply ServSafe food-safety protocols—temperature monitoring, sanitation schedules, and allergen procedures—consistently throughout every observed shift. Demonstrate cost-control and basic P&L awareness by reading daily sales reports and communicating variance observations to the site supervisor. Lead or support at least two pre-shift staff briefings, applying scheduling and communication skills to coordinate a service period. Resolve a minimum of three documented guest-service situations using professional complaint-handling techniques, as verified by the site supervisor. Complete a reflective field log for every placement week that links on-site experiences to specific program competencies and credential exam areas.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Externship Orientation and Site Readiness | 15 | field | Given the worksite orientation, the student will identify the operation's policies, safety procedures, chain of command, and daily management routines before the first independent shift. |
| Externship agreement packet, site-specific HACCP documentation, employee handbook, field-log template, program evaluation rubric, mobile device or laptop for digital log entry | Supervisor initials on the completed site-safety checklist; student submits Day-1 field-log entry describing three management routines observed; both items required before solo shift hours begin. |
| 2 | Supervised Shift Practice — Front-of-House and Back-of-House Operations | 120 | field | Over a series of supervised shifts, the student will execute front-of-house guest flow, back-of-house sanitation and prep coordination, and POS transaction handling, meeting the site supervisor's performance standards on each rated task. |
| POS terminal (operation-specific), food-probe thermometer, sanitizer test strips, temperature log forms, field-log template, ServSafe Manager certification card (student's own), pen and clipboard | Site supervisor completes the mid-point performance rubric (Week 6 target) rating each task area Unsatisfactory / Developing / Proficient / Exemplary; student must achieve Proficient or Exemplary on at least 75 % of rated items to continue without a remediation plan. |
| 3 | Applied Management Projects at the Worksite | 88 | field | The student will complete at least two employer-assigned management projects—such as a scheduling draft, a waste-tracking log analysis, a cost-reduction recommendation, or a marketing promotion idea—producing a written deliverable the supervisor reviews. |
| Operation's scheduling software or spreadsheet, waste-tracking count sheets, word processor, site-specific menu and pricing data, field log, program marketing course notes | Supervisor provides written feedback on each deliverable using a simple rubric (Needs Revision / Acceptable / Strong); all deliverables must reach Acceptable or Strong; any Needs Revision deliverable must be revised within five business days and re-evaluated. |
| 4 | Final Evaluation, Exit Interview, and Reflective Portfolio Completion | 20 | field | The student will compile a complete externship portfolio, participate in a final evaluation meeting with the site supervisor and program instructor, and articulate specific connections between worksite experiences and each major credential exam domain. |
| Completed weekly field logs, final employer evaluation rubric, portfolio binder or digital folder, credential exam content outlines (ServSafe Manager, ManageFirst, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor), word processor | Program instructor verifies that all 243 hours are logged and signed by the supervisor; final employer evaluation rubric must show Proficient or Exemplary on at least 80 % of all rated items; portfolio is reviewed by the instructor and must include one substantive entry per week — any missing entries require the student to complete additional approved hours before the externship grade is awarded. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Supervisor Skills Evaluation (Skills Demonstration) | Skills demonstration | 70% | Proficient or Exemplary rating on at least 80 % of all rubric items on the final employer evaluation form; no Unsatisfactory rating left unresolved. | The site supervisor completes the program's standardized final evaluation rubric assessing the student's live performance across food safety, sanitation compliance, guest service, team communication, cost-awareness behaviors, and professional conduct observed throughout the placement. This rubric-based skills demonstration is the primary evidence that the student can perform management-level tasks in a real foodservice environment. Competency · Safety · Attendance · Conduct · Initiative |
| Externship Field Log and Portfolio (Lab Log) | Log | 30% | All 243 hours documented with supervisor signatures; one substantive entry per week; all employer-assigned management-project deliverables rated Acceptable or Strong; instructor's portfolio review rates the overall submission Complete and Competent. | The student submits the full set of weekly field-log entries and management-project deliverables assembled into a portfolio, which the program instructor evaluates for completeness, reflective depth, and explicit mapping to ServSafe Manager, ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor exam domains. The portfolio serves as the official record of hours and competencies earned during the externship and is retained in the student's academic file. Complete · Verified |
HOS-REST26-12 Exam prep
Certification Exam Preparation: ServSafe Manager, ManageFirst & AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor
68 hr · $680 COMPLIMENTARY
This course systematically reviews every domain tested on the ServSafe Manager, NRAEF ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor credentialing exams through targeted lessons, gap analysis, and timed full-length mock exams. Students practice the exact question formats, vocabulary, and decision-making processes required to pass all three credentials. Emphasis is placed on connecting exam content to real workplace situations encountered throughout the program.
Outcomes- Accurately answer questions in all ServSafe Manager exam domains — including foodborne illness prevention, personal hygiene, time-temperature control, cleaning and sanitizing, and HACCP — at or above the passing threshold.
- Demonstrate command of ManageFirst competency areas including hospitality and restaurant management fundamentals, controlling foodservice costs, and human resources management as assessed by multiple-choice scenario questions.
- Apply AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor principles — including employee motivation, training, scheduling, communication, and legal compliance — to supervisory scenario questions at a passing level.
- Identify personal knowledge gaps across all three credential domains using diagnostic practice-test data and direct study effort accordingly.
- Manage exam-day time effectively by completing timed full-length mock exams within each credential's allotted window while maintaining accuracy.
- Interpret and explain rationale for both correct and incorrect answer choices, reinforcing transferable workplace judgment beyond test-taking.
Course text
This course systematically reviews every domain tested on the ServSafe Manager, NRAEF ManageFirst, and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor credentialing exams through targeted lessons, gap analysis, and timed full-length mock exams. Students practice the exact question formats, vocabulary, and decision-making processes required to pass all three credentials. Emphasis is placed on connecting exam content to real workplace situations encountered throughout the program.
How the course runs. 4 blocks: Diagnostic Assessment and Exam Domain Mapping; ServSafe Manager Deep-Dive Review; ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor Deep-Dive Review; Full-Length Timed Mock Certification Exams and Debrief.
What competent looks like. Accurately answer questions in all ServSafe Manager exam domains — including foodborne illness prevention, personal hygiene, time-temperature control, cleaning and sanitizing, and HACCP — at or above the passing threshold. Demonstrate command of ManageFirst competency areas including hospitality and restaurant management fundamentals, controlling foodservice costs, and human resources management as assessed by multiple-choice scenario questions. Apply AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor principles — including employee motivation, training, scheduling, communication, and legal compliance — to supervisory scenario questions at a passing level. Identify personal knowledge gaps across all three credential domains using diagnostic practice-test data and direct study effort accordingly. Manage exam-day time effectively by completing timed full-length mock exams within each credential's allotted window while maintaining accuracy. Interpret and explain rationale for both correct and incorrect answer choices, reinforcing transferable workplace judgment beyond test-taking.
| # | Lesson | Hr | Type | Objective | Activities | Materials | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnostic Assessment and Exam Domain Mapping | 10 | theory | Students will complete baseline diagnostic practice tests for all three credentials and map their individual score by domain to identify priority study areas. |
| ServSafe Manager 7th-edition textbook and online practice test platform (National Restaurant Association), NRAEF ManageFirst Hospitality and Restaurant Management textbook and competency guide, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor study guide and practice questions, printed gap-analysis tracking worksheet, pencils, calculators. | Each student produces a completed three-credential gap-analysis chart showing percent correct in every domain; instructor reviews charts and confirms students have correctly categorized every wrong answer — all charts must accurately reflect diagnostic scores before advancing. |
| 2 | ServSafe Manager Deep-Dive Review | 18 | practice | Students will review all major ServSafe Manager exam domains and correctly answer domain-specific practice questions at 75 percent or above in each area. |
| ServSafe Manager 7th-edition textbook, ServSafe Manager online practice question bank, HACCP plan worksheet templates, food-safety poster set, dry-erase board for group problem-solving, thermometer cards for temperature-limit reference. | Students must score at least 75 percent on each of the six domain quizzes; any domain below 75 percent triggers a required re-study session with the instructor before the next lesson begins. |
| 3 | ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor Deep-Dive Review | 20 | practice | Students will review all tested competency areas for the ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor credentials and correctly answer scenario-based practice questions at 70 percent or above across both exams. |
| NRAEF ManageFirst Hospitality and Restaurant Management textbook, ManageFirst competency guide and practice question sets, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor study guide, role-play scenario cards (instructor-prepared), calculators, gap-analysis tracking worksheet (updated from Lesson 1), dry-erase board. | Students must score at least 70 percent on the 30-question combined practice set; students who do not meet this threshold complete a structured 2-hour guided review session with the instructor targeting their documented weak domains before sitting the mock exams. |
| 4 | Full-Length Timed Mock Certification Exams and Debrief | 20 | lab | Students will complete full-length, timed, proctored mock exams for all three credentials under conditions that replicate the actual testing environment and score at or above each credential's published passing threshold. |
| Printed full-length mock exams for all three credentials (ServSafe Manager, ManageFirst, AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor) or proctored online equivalents, scratch paper, No. 2 pencils, calculators (where permitted by credential rules), wall clock or proctor timer, final gap-analysis tracking worksheet, answer-key rationale packets for instructor-led debrief. | Students must score at or above the published passing threshold for each credential on at least one mock attempt (ServSafe Manager currently requires 75 percent; ManageFirst and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor passing scores follow current publisher standards); any student below threshold on any credential receives a documented remediation plan with additional instructor-supervised study time before the official exam date. |
| Assessment | Type | Weight | Pass standard | Method & rubric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three-Credential Full Mock Exam Suite | Mock certification exam | 100% | Students must meet or exceed the current published passing score for each of the three credentials on the proctored full-length mock exams: ServSafe Manager (currently 75 percent), ManageFirst (per current NRAEF published standard), and AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor (per current AHLEI published standard); students who do not pass all three mocks complete a documented remediation plan and a second attempt before the official credentialing exams are scheduled. | Students complete all three full-length, timed, proctored mock exams under conditions that replicate the official credentialing environment, then participate in a structured individual and group debrief that connects every wrong answer to a specific exam domain and a corrective understanding of the underlying principle. Scores, gap-analysis charts, and remediation plans are placed in each student's program portfolio as evidence of exam readiness. Score · Time management |
Program completion
External credential: AHLEI Hospitality Supervisor; NRAEF ManageFirst; ServSafe Manager
Students sit the ServSafe Manager exam administered by the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF ManageFirst credential exams administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, and the Hospitality Supervisor certification exam administered by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI). All three credentials are portable industry certifications recognized by employers nationwide, independent of the school that provided the training. Pass standard: Credential issued by the body.
Back to Restaurant Management · How the school gets authority to award these credentials
