UNUSUAL PROFESSIONS IN THE WORLD OF FOOD AND DRINKS
The world of professions in the food industry is big. We are frankly familiar with some of them – all of us know what chefs or butchers do. But what about niche professions such as mycologist or fromager aka cheese sommelier? We threw off the constraints of traditional food careers to present you with some of the most unusual professions in the world of food and drinks.
Food Stylist
The work of a food stylist is all around you, even if you don’t notice it. They can make food look fresh and appetizing at lengthy photo or video shoots. Virtually all the food displayed in movies and on TV are the responsibility of a food stylist. Many food stylists out there started out as professional chefs. Others simply combine their love for cooking and visual arts.
Food Lawyer
Food lawyers fight legal battles over lots of different issues from food production, to factory farming, to GMOs, to organic labeling. Food attorneys deal with issues revolving around food allergies, supplements, public health and safety, and workers’ rights in the food business. They also advise a variety of businesses such as quality caterers.
Mycologist
Mycologists study mushrooms. This seems to be a rather difficult science given the wide variety of mushroom species and their various uses. To be able to tell which mushrooms are dangerous and which are fatal requires a specialized set of skills.
Fromager aka Cheese Sommelier
This profession is very cheesy! A fromager, often called ‘cheese sommelier’, is a person knowledgeable about cheese making history. They understand the methods used to produce all types of cheeses. Fromagers must have critical tasting skills.
Oenologist
An oenologist is in charge of overseeing the many steps of wine production, such as fermentation, bottling, and aging. They can also perform the task of marketing and sales for a winery. A degree in enology or viticulture can give the educational foundation for this career path. On-the-job training is available for some aspiring oenologists.
Mixologists
Mixologists are essentially bartenders. They serve mostly alcoholic beverages to patrons of bars and restaurants. One can argue that mixologists are also able to come up with new bartender recipes or even make ingredients such as cocktail bitters. Alchemiq, a New York catering company, features mixologists as one of the aspects of a premium bar offering.
Water Sommelier
Each premium bottled water comes from a location famous for its water. Each of those locations naturally infuse waters with different mineral content. Water sommeliers understand how different mineral contents affect the flavor of a water. Furthermore, they can pair water with food similarly like a wine sommelier does with wines.
