Charcha Time: Maharashtra FDA’s Crackdown — Do Restaurant Managers Need Hospitality Degrees?

With inspections, licence suspensions, and stricter compliance measures by Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe making headlines, industry’s latest concern is if managerial roles should be reserved for hospitality graduates only or FoSTaC-certified and other graduates qualify. Satya Tirtharaj Ghosal moderates a debate

Vijay K. Shetty, President of AHAR

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Making hospitality graduates mandatory for managerial roles is an unreasonable requirement. Managing a restaurant or bar requires practical knowledge gained through years of industry experience, which is often more valuable than textbook learning alone.

Many existing managers have successfully run establishments for decades without formal hospitality degrees. Rather than replacing them, they can undergo FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) programmes, which are specifically designed to help Food Business Operators maintain hygiene standards and comply with food safety regulations.

Restaurant management extends far beyond hospitality knowledge. It involves taxation, workforce management, licensing, procurement, inventory control, and financial planning. Therefore, commerce, accounts, or business management graduates with relevant industry experience can often be equally, if not better, equipped to lead operations effectively.

A rigid qualification mandate could negatively impact employee morale and disrupt career progression for those who have worked their way up through experience. Recognising this reality, the FSSAI modified the requirement through a notification issued on February 15, 2018, allowing either a professionally qualified person or a FoSTaC-trained employee to head operations.

The rationale behind the FoSTaC programme is to improve food safety standards and hygiene practices across food businesses. An experienced employee who completes this training combines practical operational knowledge with structured food safety training, making them well-equipped to maintain compliance.

In fact, the alternative framework already exists. The 2018 notification acknowledges that a FoSTaC-trained employee is capable of managing food business operations and ensuring food safety standards. This strikes a balance between professional qualifications and industry experience, recognising that both can contribute to effective restaurant management.

Rohit Tokhi, COO for Red Apple Kitchen Consultancy Pvt Limited (Toscano)

In our organisation, all managers and supervisors possess formal hotel management degrees and relevant certifications. Beyond regulatory requirements, every employee up to the supervisory level is also certified under the FoSTaC programme, even though the rules require only one trained individual for every 25 staff members. With our current number of outlets and planned expansion, this remains a necessary investment in maintaining high operational standards.

To ensure compliance and continuous improvement, food safety and FSSAI-related training programmes are conducted twice a year. Regular skill development keeps supervisory and managerial teams updated on evolving standards and strengthens the organisation's food safety culture.

Formal hospitality education certainly provides a strong foundation for leadership roles. However, it should not become a barrier for capable professionals if a business has a robust food safety management system and conducts regular training. Ultimately, systems, processes, and continuous learning play a critical role in maintaining standards.

Hospitality education generally focuses on foundational skills, while real expertise is developed through on-the-job experience. In day-to-day operations, the need for specialised accounts or excise knowledge has not been significant. Instead, such responsibilities are handled by dedicated professionals.

For example, certified chartered accountants and liaison officers within the organisation manage excise and regulatory matters, allowing operations teams to focus on service delivery, food quality, and compliance. As long as there is no specific government directive mandating otherwise, the organisation intends to continue operating under this model. However, if a clear regulatory requirement is introduced, it will comply with the government's directives.

Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, Culinary Expert & Chef Consultant

At present, my team comprises a mix of professionals, with some holding formal hospitality qualifications and others building their expertise through years of industry experience. If a mandatory qualification requirement is introduced, compliance can be achieved through recognised qualifications, training programmes, or organisational restructuring.

Such a mandate could increase hiring costs and extend recruitment timelines, given the specialised skills required for hospitality leadership roles. However, if it ultimately strengthens professionalism and raises industry standards, it could benefit both businesses and consumers.

Hospitality education plays an important role in preparing professionals for leadership positions. Kitchen management involves far more than cooking, it requires knowledge of food costing, budgeting, standardised recipes, inventory control, food safety, and operational planning. Formal training provides a structured understanding of these areas and helps ensure consistency in management practices.

At the same time, experienced professionals who have spent years learning on the job should not be overlooked. A practical solution would be to allow existing managers and team members to pursue recognised certification courses that meet compliance requirements while retaining valuable industry expertise.

In practice, food safety and service quality depend on a combination of practical knowledge, continuous training, strong supervision, and strict adherence to standards. Hospitality education is highly valuable, but experienced employees should also be given opportunities to upskill. Investing in employee development strengthens both individual careers and the hospitality industry as a whole.

Eesha Sukhi - Founder of Bluebop

I don’t believe a formal hospitality degree should be mandatory for restaurant managers or supervisory staff. While formal education can provide a strong foundation in operations, finance, service standards and people management, hospitality is ultimately a very hands-on business.

Some of the best managers develop through years of practical experience—understanding guests, leading teams, handling pressure and solving problems in real time. For me, attitude, leadership ability, operational knowledge and a genuine instinct for hospitality matter more than a qualification alone.

A degree can certainly be an advantage, but experience, capability and the ability to make guests feel valued should carry equal, if not greater, weight.

Krisan Das, Hospitality Graduate

Making hospitality degrees compulsory for managerial roles could backfire, as many successful managers in the industry have learned through years of hands-on experience rather than formal education. Restricting such positions to degree-holders alone could push out experienced workers and increase unemployment in a sector that already struggles to provide stable jobs. A fairer approach would recognise both formal education and practical experience.

One solution could be a certification system where verified years of work experience are treated as equivalent to a degree. This would ensure that professionals who have worked their way up are not excluded simply because they never attended hospitality college. Since much of the industry's knowledge is gained on the job, experience should be valued alongside academic qualifications.

Formal training does provide a more structured understanding of food safety regulations, hygiene systems, and legal documentation. However, experienced workers often acquire the same knowledge through practice and may develop stronger instincts for handling real-world kitchen challenges. The key advantage of education is consistency of knowledge, not necessarily superior performance.

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Managing a restaurant also requires expertise in finance, taxation, licensing, and inventory control areas where commerce and accounts graduates often excel. Hospitality and business management are different skill sets, and effective managers typically need a combination of both. No single degree should be considered the only valid qualification.

A strict rule without a transition period could displace many capable employees. Allowing experienced staff to obtain certifications or prove their competence through alternative pathways would protect livelihoods while gradually improving industry standards. Ultimately, stronger enforcement, regular inspections, and accessible training are likely to improve hygiene and compliance more effectively than simply mandating a specific degree.

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