Despite the stagnant economy, the restaurant and food service industry in America continues to thrive.

 

With approximately 13.1 million people employed at 945,000 restaurants and food service outlets, it's the country's second-largest employer outside of government—a "cornerstone of our nation's economy," according to the National Restaurant Association.

 

"The best news about the industry," writes Barbara Sims-Bell, author of Career Opportunities in the Food and Beverage Industry, "is that culinary jobs are among the fastest-growing in the United States."

 

In fact, the industry is expected to add two million more jobs over the next decade. And it's not simply line cooks, bakers, and sous chefs. Sims-Bell's book cites occupations such as kitchen designer, recipe tester, and specialty-food purveyor as surprisingly viable career paths. More