How to Get a Job as a Dietitian in the Restaurant Industry
Want to learn how you can translate your knowledge of food science, nutrition, and food trends for consulting opportunities with restaurants and food companies? And get paid to do that?
You should become a Restaurant Dietitian!
What You Need to Know About Becoming a Restaurant Dietitian
Spending money on dining out typically exceeds grocery store purchases, according to Bloomberg and the Commerce Department.
With more and more Americans dining out for most of their meals, the job opportunities available to dietitians is growing rapidly.
Not only are the restaurants in a competitive business between one another, they are in competition for who offers healthier menu items, local, organic, or sustainable food choices, and special diet-specific needs to accommodate allergies, illnesses, and health concerns.
And who best to do the job but the registered dietitian!
Watch the video on Restaurant Dietitian Jobs on YouTube.
What does a Restaurant Dietitian do?
A restaurant dietitian plays a unique and valuable role for the restaurant industry with a focus on nutrition, food service operations, regulatory compliance, and consumer trends. We can help restaurants and food brands deliver food that is safe, legally compliant, nutritionally responsible, and market-responsive, all while supporting business goals.
Here’s a general overview of what a restaurant dietitian does:
1. Nutrition Labeling & Compliance and Risk Mitigation
2. Menu & Recipe Development with Cost Analysis
3. Strategic Food Trend Assessment
4. Training & Internal Communication
5. Customer Engagement & Marketing Support
6. Sustainability & Sourcing Guidance
How to Get a Job as a Restaurant Dietitian
- Know the Industry. “Take the time to understand the restaurant industry and outline the types of services you can provide to help the restaurant meet regulations, minimize potential risks, and seize opportunities,” advises Cheryl L. Dolven, MS, RDN, owner of CLD Nutrition, who has worked for retail and restaurants for over 15 years and makes menu labeling manageable for business and meaningful for consumers.
- Speak the Language. “Find ways to gain food science and business acumen. Having these skills will allow you to speak the food and business language and will open job opportunities to work in the food industry,” recommends Sarah Hendren, RDN, CD, dietitian for a fast/casual restaurant chain, Culver’s, with over 570 restaurants.
- Get a Mentor. Both Dolven and Hendren advocate getting a mentor and gaining some experience. Experience will help you find a job easier once your foot is in the door.
- Network. Hendren suggests getting involved with a “Dietetic Practice Group like Food & Culinary Professionals (FCP) or Dietitians in Business & Communication (DBC). FCP has a subgroup specifically for dietitians who work within the restaurant industry. Use the electronic mailing list to post questions to others, look for a mentoring opportunity, or utilize other opportunities to network.”
Job Search Terms for Restaurant Dietitian Jobs
Here’s a list of job search terms and phrases you can use when looking for positions in restaurants (big chains or small restaurants), regulatory affairs, or nutrition labeling. These keywords work well on NutritionJobs, Facebook dietitian groups, LinkedIn, and employer career pages.
Search Terms: Restaurant Dietitian Jobs
These are ideal for dietitians working in food service, QSR (quick-service restaurants), and chain restaurants:
Search Terms: Regulatory Affairs (Nutrition Focus)
These target roles in compliance, food safety, labeling, and legal/regulatory divisions:
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist (Nutrition/Food)
- Labeling Compliance Manager
- Regulatory Nutritionist
- Food Labeling Specialist
- Nutrition Compliance Analyst
- FDA Regulatory Specialist (Food & Nutrition)
- FSQA (Food Safety & Quality Assurance) Nutrition
- Nutrition Regulatory Coordinator
- Regulatory Consultant (Nutrition/Food)
Search Terms: Nutrition Labeling & Facts Panel Roles
Focus on technical labeling, reformulation, and claims review:
- Nutrition Labeling Specialist
- Nutrition Facts Panel Expert
- Product Label Compliance Specialist
- Nutrition Claims Analyst
- Food Labeling Coordinator
- Nutrition Standards Specialist
- FDA Label Reviewer
- Ingredient and Allergen Labeling
- Label Reformulation Consultant
Working in the Restaurant Industry as a Dietitian
Wondering if this career path is right for you? Dolven notes, “Working in the restaurant industry is the perfect fit for nutritionists who love food and want to exercise their culinary knowledge.”
But be cautious because the industry can be fast-paced and “lightning quick,” according to Dolven. Be prepared to keep up with the required timelines and many evolutions of recipe changes.
Quick piece of advice from Dolven is to embed yourself within the culinary team so you have a good, strong-working relationship with them. Hendren adds, “Building strong relationships with your culinary team and suppliers are essential to achieve key culinary initiatives that may be driven by the dietitian. For example, removing an allergen, reducing sodium and looking into clean label opportunities.”
Overall, Hendren states, “You have the opportunity to impact public health and feed millions of people every day. Having a voice in public policy can help steer new government regulations and change lives for the better.” Time to jump in now and help shape the health of Americans nationwide when dining out.
Alternative Jobs for Dietitians in the Restaurant Industry
There are so many ways to add value to your job as a dietitian in the restaurant industry. Here are a few opportunities to consider to enhance your current position, to add as a service to your consulting business, or to pitch for future opportunity:
- Clean eating trends
- Climate and culinary trends
- Consumer marketing trends
- Culinary development
- Culinary innovation
- Culinary trendologist
- FDA compliance
- FDA compliance communication
- FDA compliance marketing
- Food and cooking demonstrations
- Food and nutrition public relations
- Food culture
- Food science communications
- Food trends
- Health claims marketing and communications
- Ingredient communication strategy
- Ingredient marketing strategy
- Ingredient messaging
- Ingredient strategy
- Nutrition analysis
- Nutrition communications
- Nutrition labeling
- Nutrition messaging
- Regulation marketing
- Regulatory compliance
- Regulatory communications
- Sourcing demands
- Sustainability
- Translating science to consumer communication specialist
- Quality assurance
Restaurant Dietitian Resources
- Dietitians in Business and Communications DPG
- Restaurant and Hospitality Subgroup of the Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group
- Restaurant and Hospitality Subgroup of the Food and Culinary Professionals Dietetic Practice Group
- Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG
- National Restaurant Association
- National Restaurant Association Kids LiveWell Guide
- Nutrition Expert Exchange Committee of the National Restaurant Association
- American Culinary Federation
- FDA Food Labeling and Nutrition
- FDA Innovation Strategy
- FDA Nutrition Label Facts
Restaurant Dietitian Job Salary
Restaurant Dietitian salaries range in pay based on employment type, employer, location and type of practice.
As a Restaurant Dietitian, you could be employed by a restaurant group or you could offer consulting services as a full-time or part-time business.
Salary surveys do not currently represent the Restaurant Dietitian job title with sufficient volume, but in many situations, the job title of Culinary Nutritionist or Culinary Dietitian can be comparable.
The national average annual salary for a Culinary Dietitian is over $100,000.
Search for Jobs on NutritionJobs
Are you looking for a new job or just want to see what else is out there? Browse all jobs on NutritionJobs today. Also, check out the Featured Jobs on NutritionJobs. Share with a friend in need, as well!
Search for Salaries on DietitianSalaries.com
Are you curious about which dietitian job titles pay the most, or the least? Search the sortable database of real dietitian salaries from thousands of dietitians in real-time on DietitianSalaries.com.
About the Authors
Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN, is a Registered Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist specializing in Weight Management and Sports Nutrition for youth and adults. She writes articles for multiple publications, provides customized nutrition coaching, and is a brand spokesperson. She is founder of MIJA, a superfood supplement company, and Haumea Health, a fertility wellness clinic. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.
Stacey Dunn-Emke, MS, RDN, is the Founder Owner of NutritionJobs and DietitianSalaries.com and is an established dietetic career expert. She helps steer dietetic and nutrition professionals to a successful job search process with the top-ranked dietetic job board platform, NutritionJobs.com. Stacey is the author of The Dietetic Resume Guide and numerous dietetic career action-ables. She gives the tools to create a modern standout dietetic resume to land that job interview, help with job interview prep, and with creating Compelling LinkedIn profiles. Stacey has interviewed and hired many dietitians. Since running NutritionJobs in 2000, she has reviewed thousands of dietetic resumes. She works closely with dietetic hiring managers and recruiters to know the standout elements on a resume that land a job interview. Stacey speaks on successful compensation negotiation at professional conferences and frequently consults with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at FNCE and co-created the webinar series, Dietetic Career Hack: The Complete Networking and Resume Guide and Dietetic Career Hack Part II: Interviewing Tips and Tricks. Her previous dietitian jobs have been in clinical, nutrition support, and research.
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