Who's a Chef?
Do you enjoy food – especially experimenting with it? Do you like to throw in a bunch of ingredients and try to whip up something new? Does the idea of people eating the food you cook and enjoy themselves make you sizzle with excitement? If yes, consider becoming a chef!
As a chef, you’re going to have a lot of responsibilities on your plate, depending on where you work. Of course, a kitchen is your main workspace, but it could be a tiny commercial kitchen or a giant one capable of cooking up meals for thousands! Your day-to-day work would include cooking various dishes from your menu and working on new recipes to keep the excitement growing.
What will you do?
Where will you work?
How do you get there?
What skills would you need?
Creative Skills
Creative skills involve the ability to think outside the box, generate new ideas, and find innovative solutions to problems. These skills include imagination, design thinking, artistic abilities, and the capacity to develop fresh concepts or approaches in different fields, from writing and art to problem-solving in business. Creative skills help you come up with original ideas, improve processes, and develop unique solutions in the workplace. In roles like marketing, design, or product development, creativity is essential for staying competitive and bringing new perspectives to projects or challenges. build this skill
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail means being careful and noticing small things that others might miss. It involves checking your work carefully for mistakes, following instructions exactly, and making sure everything is done correctly. This skill helps you do accurate work and avoid errors. In jobs, attention to detail is important for tasks like writing reports, managing data, or following safety rules. build this skill
Social Skills
Social skills are the abilities that enable effective communication and interaction with others. They encompass a range of interpersonal competencies, including active listening, empathy, non-verbal communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork. These skills help individuals navigate social situations, build relationships, and collaborate effectively in various settings. Having strong social skills is crucial for personal and professional success. They enhance teamwork, foster positive relationships, and improve communication, which can lead to better collaboration and productivity in the workplace. In many professions, especially those involving direct interaction with others—such as education, healthcare, and sales—strong social skills can significantly impact outcomes and overall effectiveness. build this skillHow do you make it to the top ranks?
Intern
You would be working in different departments, handling simple tasks such as peeling off vegetables, washing them, etc. You would be guided about basic kitchen maintenance habits, preparation of a variety of dishes and how to create innovative menu ideas. You would also have to assist other chefs in food preparation to ensure all the orders undertaken are completed efficiently.
Commis
This is an entry-level stage. Here, you would be involved with a lot of basic tasks. These could range from peeling and chopping onions to cutting and processing vegetables, and getting all the pre-preps or the mise-en-place (getting the kitchen ready before you cook) ready.
You will also be taught how to set up and plan for busy periods, maintain hygiene and sanitation, and work in collaboration. This stage lasts from one to three years and can get a little overwhelming and repetitive. However, your passion for cooking will help get you through.
Line cook
You would oversee one section of the kitchen i.e. preparation of one type of cuisine. For example, you would be responsible for cooking Chinese or just whipping up desserts. You would be guided by other chefs who specialise in preparing that particular cuisine. Alongside cooking, you would also have to ensure the overall cleanliness of the kitchen. At this level, you would be cooking simple dishes and assisting senior chefs with different work in the kitchen.
Sous chef
This is a senior level position that requires you to take charge of the kitchen. You would oversee the day to day running of the kitchen and manage the kitchen inventory and stock. You would also play a significant role in planning the menu and training the line cooks and interns.
Executive chef
At this level, you would be in complete charge of the kitchen and your primary job would be to ensure that all the dishes are cooked and prepared as per the set standards. You would play a huge role in planning menus, supervising staff, managing the budget and ensuring the success of the restaurant. You would also lead the team of chefs as a whole and would also have to interact with customers from time to time.
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Pursuing your career locally VS overseas
The food industry all over the globe is growing and this can be seen in India as well. The trend of eating out has become quite popular and has resulted in many chefs starting their own restaurants or food delivery services. If you study culinary in India, it becomes easier for you to build a network and understand the market here. With a lot of new restaurants setting up, there is a huge demand for chefs in India. Additionally, studying culinary in India would help you understand the likes and dislikes of people here and would help you set up your own restaurant.
You can opt to do a course in culinary arts from top Indian colleges such as Culinary Academy of India, International Institute of Culinary Arts, College of Hospitality and Tourism (New Delhi), etc. Opt to do a Bachelor’s in the field from top hotel management institutes in India. Studying culinary in India would cost you an average of INR 75,000-INR 5,00,000 depending on the institute you opt for. The duration of these courses mostly ranges from three to four years. Alternatively, you can also join culinary classes in your vicinity.
If you wish to do a culinary course outside the country, then you can always look for job opportunities in the country you are studying in. There are many culinary schools abroad that offer you specialisations in different cuisines. Studying culinary abroad introduces you to global cuisines and gives you a chance to build a good network with people from all over the world. These courses also offer you advanced training and education that help you excel in the field. However, you must note that most culinary programmes abroad require you to have a certain amount of experience before you enrol with them. A culinary course abroad would cost you anywhere between INR 5,00,000-25,00,000 depending on the university you want to get into. The duration of the culinary course abroad is usually one to four years.
How much would you get paid?
The exact number will depend on where you’re working, your education, skill-set and internship experience. But we can give you a general idea.
What are your career options?
Bartending
A bartender is an individual who prepares drinks for customers and manages the bar. You would try out different mixes and recipes to come up with new drinks or seasonal offerings for your customers. You would typically work at a bar, restaurant or any licensed establishment where you would serve alcoholic or non-alcoholic mixes to the customers. To create a buzz around the bar, you could also pick up on some tricks like juggling and flipping bottles to entertain the audiences.
Food Writing
A food writer is someone who is highly aware of different types of cuisines and ingredients. With many food-based app services and startups setting up, food writers are in huge demand. You would typically write for publications such as newspapers, magazines or digital websites. Your job would revolve around writing about various cooking concepts, recipes, interviewing food experts, reviewing restaurants and dishes, etc. A degree in English Literature or Mass Communication would come in handy here.
Baking
Bakers perform the same task as that of a chef in the kitchen. Except, your work would mostly require the use of ovens for cooking. You would mostly work at a bakery, cafe or a restaurant, whipping up delicious cakes, pastries, macaroons, brownies, etc. With the rise in healthy eating habits among the masses, the demand for baked products is increasing and you could specialise in the preparation of baked and wholesome meals. It would also benefit you to learn different styles of icing and decorating the products you’ve baked.
Food Service
Instead of just taking over the role of managing the kitchen, food service managers manage the whole restaurant. Right from hiring the staff to looking after customer requirements, complaints. managing the budget preparing the menu, food service manager does it all. You would act as the face of the restaurant and be responsible for the business. One of your primary jobs would be to ensuring the food being prepared is following the safety regulations and that the meals are being prepared and served in a timely manner.
Food Scientist
A food scientist studies the microbiological, physical and chemical properties of food to ensure that its ingredients and chemical properties are safe to consume. You would evaluate the nutritional value, colour and flavour of the food. And be responsible to ensure that the food manufacturing process conforms to the set standards by the government. Your job would also involve exploring alternative manufacturing methods. You would need to have a degree in food science to get into this field. One such degree is Bachelor of Science in Food Sciences.
Teaching
A certified culinary individual can take up the job of a culinary teacher. You would work in an educational institute or run an online or offline programme to guide aspiring chefs with regards to the nuances of the culinary field. You would mainly help students with kitchen settings, station positioning, food styles and more.
Blogging
A food blogger is an individual possessing good knowledge of food writing and photography. Food bloggers operate a blog that gives people insights into all the latest food trends, restaurants, food concepts, etc. As a food blogger, you would conduct restaurant reviews and cover food launch events. This field is in high demand, especially in today’s influencer-driven culture. So, make sure you have a decent following on social media platforms, and regularly publish relevant content. A diploma in food photography and mass communication would come in handy for this field.
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