Hotels in India
Do the exotic spices and the colorful sight of food fascinate you? Do they leave you wanting for more? If yes, then you can try out the specialized and amazing art of cooking. If Cooking Fascinates You then ‘Chef’ is the Career for You! It is all about ingredients, nutrition, techniques, recipes and flavors.
“The belly rules the mind”, the Spanish Proverb fits in so aptly here! Be it the feeling for hunger or simply the craving for something very delicious, that one thing, which is always there in our mind, is food and good food and more food! From the gluttons to gourmets, fitness freaks to people having jaded palates, all of us would surely love to pamper out taste buds with some amazing tickling flavors. Those days are history, when to savor on good food; one had to wait for the wedding ceremonies, parties or festivals to happen.
Cooking is not considered anymore a daily activity. The recent growth and development in the hospitality industry of India has completely changed the meaning of cooking. At present cooking is taken as an art. One who masters this art is known as the king of tastes. Initially the chefs were not taken in high esteem. But in due course of time, the booming restaurants in India and the hotel industry has led to the creation of an unparalleled demand for the chefs and other professional in this field. In the present world scenario, the chefs are not only evolving as money churners but also stunning personalities as well. Fine skills in cooking have earned the chefs, the respect of the people as well.
So explore an amazing career as a chef, spice up the palatable and luring dishes and make your fortune out of it. It is the chef, with whom lays the recipe for a successful eatery and catering business. If the desire to win the hearts of the people is nurtured, by serving the mass with quality food, then a career as a chef happens to be the ideal one.
Eligibility and Courses
There are several courses, both diploma and degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology. Three year diploma and four year degree programs are offered in hotel management. The minimum eligibility criterion needed to pursue these programs is 10+2 pass. The programs are offered by different hotel management institutes in India. For the degree programs, the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology or the NCHMCT conducts an entrance test. Students are admitted on the basis of the scores at the test. Certificate courses of short durations are also offered in cookery science and food processing. One can go for specializations in any of the 3 areas such as hot kitchen, cold kitchen, and Bakery & Confectionery.
Apprenticeship courses are offered by several professional culinary training institutes in order to provide the candidates with chef training to. You can also go for diploma courses in food production for specializing in bakery and confectionery or food and beverage services. Twelve food craft centers has been opened by the Indian government that offers exclusive course on food crafts
Personal Attributes
Going for a career as a chef, is a good move but only when you are ready to work in anytime of the day and also in the weekends. Standing for long hours, enduring cuts and burns, working under pressure, working in the hot environment amidst fumes and heavy lifting is what you are expected to do if you are willing to undertake chef as a career. More important than cooking different types of food, is the passion to cook. The personal attributes to become a good chef lies less with cooking and more with management. You are expected to be familiar with labor cost, food cost, fire code, public health regulations, interpersonal skills, planning and organizing the kitchen work, developing new and interesting menus, catering for those customers having food allergies and many more. One, who desires a bright future in this field, should have the ability to adapt to varying food habits and culture of the people. Further, one should keep oneself updated with knowledge and skills, cooking technologies and methods etc. Love and passion for food, service mentality, sincerity, and calmness are among the other pre-requisites. One should be prepared to experiment and explore varied food ingredients. Dedication and the ability to work in team are also essential. You should have enough knowledge about the different kinds of cuisines not only of your own country but globally. Most importantly, a good chef must be able to deal with criticism from the customers.
Career Prospects
“Food, glorious food!
What wouldn’t we give for
That extra bit more….”
So true, isn’t it? If good food is what we are looking for, then anything for that! And If Cooking Fascinates You then ‘Chef’ is the Career for You! So you like experimenting with different types of food items, spices, etc; you love cooking for other; let us tell you then the career prospects in becoming a chef is immense. It is for sure a highly rewarding and glamorous career choice. If you have in you that passion for food, then numerous well paying catering jobs are there in the hospitality industry, waiting only for you! Be it head chef, the chef manager, a pastry chef or assistant cooks, all you need to have is a flair and talent for preparing mouth watering delicacies. You can choose to work as a hotel or restaurant chef or a top or chief chef at the five star hotels or even go for catering jobs and retail cook jobs. No matter in which part of the globe you live, there is no dearth of job opportunities as a chef.
To quote James Cook here, “Ambition leads me not only farther than any other man has been before me, but as far as I think it possible for man to go.” Well, this is so very true! Ambition is definitely the key to success, in which ever career you are in. You would come across numerous opportunities; however, to get hold of the appropriate one is what is needed. Miles can be covered if there is the hard work, determination, skill and the patience to give you company!
An unparalleled growth in the culinary industry in India has created the augmented demand or need for the professional chefs. As a professional cook or chef, one can increase the job openings in various verticals of the many catering avenues that comprise:
- Comis 1
- Comis 2
- Comis 3
- Demi – chef – de – partie
- Chef – de – partie
- Deputy Chef
- Executive deputy chef
- Senior deputy chef
- Executive chef
- Pub manager
- Restaurant manager
- Hospital caterer
- School/ college caterer
- Wedding/ event caterer / party
- Railways /Airline/cruise ships caterer
- Base kitchen caterer
- Cookery show host
- Recipe book writer
Institutes in India
Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development
7, Sham Nath Marg,
Delhi -110 054, India
Ph No: +91-11-2389 0505
Email: careers@oberoigroup.com
Culinary Academy of India
Hyderabad
Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition
Alto Porvorim, Bardez, Goa – 403 521, India
Ph No: + 91 – 832- 2417252 / 2417379 / 2411142
Email: ihmgoa@sancharnet.in
Mumbai College of Hotel Management & Catering Technology
Mumbai
Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
Ph No: 91 820 2571978
Email: admissions@manipal.edu
College of Hospitality and Tourism
Gurgaon
Government Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition
Patel Nagar, Saharanpur Road
Dehradun, Uttarakhand – 248001
Ph No: +91 135 2728662
Email: info@ghimdoon.org
Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
Bangalore
Cambay Institute of Hospitality
Plot no. 439-442, Bhamashah Industrial Area,
RIICO, Kaladwas, Udaipur – 313 004
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Phone: 0294-2650262
National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology
New Delhi
State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology
Thuvakkudi, Trichy – 620015, Tamil Nadu, India
Ph No: 0431-2500660
Amrapali Institute of Hotel Management
Uttranchal
International Institute of Culinary Arts
New Delhi
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