Passion + Creativity + Love for Food = Career as a Chef!
In recent times, due to the pandemic forcing all of us to stay indoors, the internet has got everyone up on their toes and experimenting with cooking. From hobby-cooks to creating master dishes like Michelin-starred chefs, the internet lets everyone get a taste of cuisines from around the world. Cooking is an art where one needs to be passionate about it and should have an inborn love for food besides having an experimental mind. If you are one of those who want to go beyond the boundaries of the home kitchen and make this hobby as your source of income, then this month’s careerscope topic is just for you!
A Day in the Life of a Chef
The average day in the life of a chef involves more than just cooking. A chef is responsible for inventory, planning the menu, food preparation, hiring, training, and supervising cooks and their food preparation, as well as managing high-end restaurants. Chefs earn a brownie point when they are recognised for their special cuisines and fine hospitality.
The task of a chef varies depending on the type of food they prepare and the place they work at. Let’s look at the hierarchy in the career graph of a chef:
What skills does a chef need?
A culinary career demands efficiency, creativity, and an inquisitiveness to know the chemistry of different food ingredients. At a glance, here are the major skills needed to become a successful chef:
Manual dexterity
Chefs need excellent hand and finger movement coordination to grasp, slice, cut, and serve. They should know the proper knife techniques of cutting, chopping, and dicing.
Physical Stamina
This field often demands long shifts and odd hours of working. At times, they may even need to be on their toes the entire evening, overseeing the preparation and serving of meals.
Strong Communication
To make sure that the cuisine ordered by the customers is prepared correctly with flavours and colours intact, chefs must communicate their instructions clearly and effectively to their staff and cooks.
Attention to detail
A slight change in the recipe or an ingredient can have a significant effect on the outcome of the very dish. Chefs need to make sure that every dish that is prepared contains the exact proportion of ingredients and in the correct order to avoid any subtle change in the flavour.
Creativity
In the culinary field, a chef needs to often experiment with the ingredients, food texture, and flavour. Some amount of creativity along with a good sense of smell and taste can help prepare innovative dishes.
What should you study to become a chef?
In India, the most popular way to become a chef is to obtain a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management (BHM), which is a three-year course. The course teaches food and beverage preparation, housekeeping operations, front office operations, computer applications, business communication, accommodation operation, corporate finance, sales, marketing, and public relations.
Once you complete your BHM, you can opt for a good quality culinary arts course.
Top colleges in India offering a BHM course
One of the most popular colleges in India for pursuing a Bachelor course in hotel management is the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition(IHMs) chain of colleges. There are 21 IHM colleges located across India. Along with that, some of the other best colleges in India are:
- Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA) – Manipal
- Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology – New Delhi
- Culinary Academy of India (CIA) – Hyderabad
- The Oberoi Group’s Systematic Training and Education Programme (STEP) – New Delhi
- College of Hospitality & Tourism (CHAT) – Ahmedabad
Pro Tip
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