Finance probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think of sourdough or cocktail menus. It’s the ingredients, the vibe, that special something that makes a café, bar, or restaurant stand out. Well, yes—but that’s not all. Behind the scenes, the food world runs on spreadsheets as much as seasoning. We might not always like to admit it, but numbers matter. And getting it wrong usually leads to a quick closure.
From Street Food to Spreadsheets
More and more people in the food and drink sector are looking for ways to take control of the financial side of their business. Not just bookkeeping—but understanding capital, risk, and funding. That’s why there’s growing interest in a banking degree—not just for people headed to the City but for those launching something local and flavourful; either way, the skillset transfers. Fancy opening a wine bar? You’ll need to build a solid financial structure underneath it first.
Food Businesses Need Financial Brains, Too
The food world is changing—let’s be honest, what isn’t? There’s a cultural shift. There is an urge to turn passion into profit, but this is also built on ethics and sustainability. Everywhere you look, there’s a new pop-up: a new ramen stand or an authentic Italian coffee bar out the back of a Vespa Piaggio Ape 3. But turning an idea into something sustainable requires more than good taste. You need to know how to pitch, budget, forecast, and scale. Yes, it’s business, but it doesn’t have to lose its soul.
The Culture of Money Is Shifting
The margin between boom and bust in the hospitality industry is razor thin—sometimes even smaller. According to research by Price Bailey, 21% of pubs and bars and just over a fifth of licensed restaurants are now technically insolvent. Prices fluctuate, rent bites, and staff turnover is high. Frankly, why would anybody want to enter this industry? And yet, so many do. There’s something intensely alluring about food and drink that extends back thousands of years, but how can we make it successful? Having someone on the team who understands banking—from cash flow to credit—is a huge advantage. And it doesn’t mean becoming a corporate machine. It means knowing how to keep the lights on when costs rise and how to make room for creative risks.
Finance Is No Longer a Separate World
There was a time when it was almost shameful to talk openly about profit and money management. For the passionate chef, cooking is a world of sensual taste and delicate flavours, not the murky waters of finance. However, things have changed. Pragmatism has met passion, which hopefully leads to profits. It’s not selling out—it’s staying in business. Whether it’s funding through ethical lenders or navigating a turbulent economy, money talk has become part of the cultural conversation.
A New Kind of Banking Graduate
For those with a primal urge to share their love of food or drink, it can be easy to focus on just that, which is fine if you want to keep it as a hobby. If you want more, if you want success, if you dream of a booming restaurant or bar, then a banking degree might just be your golden ticket. Finance is quietly but steadily becoming part of the food world’s foundation. And for those with an appetite for both? It’s a pretty exciting place to be.
