For those who are passionate about food and are willing to put in long hours of hard work culinary arts can be a good career choice, finds out Prachi Rege
Do you crave to mix match ingredients and prepare out-of-the-box mouth watering specialities like motichoor donuts, oyster burgers or carrot kebabs? If yes, a career as a chef in the culinary arts space is the place for you. In the vast field of hotel management, which deals with the business of hospitality, culinary arts is a niche profession that deals with preparing gourmet dishes and presenting them in a manner that is not only appetising but also aestheticaly inviting. "This is an industry for people with a good palate," says Rakhee Vaswani, celebrity chef and owner of Palate Culinary Studio.
It is also an industry where professionals need to constantly upgrade themselves with the latest skills. "Precision in cutting and mixing ingredients and presentation is an important skill to survive and progress in this industry," says Vijay Sawant, head of production, School of Culinary Arts. He adds that etiquette, discipline and hygiene are also important pre-requisites of this profession.
Experts suggest that to be a good chef is the one who shares his culinary knowledge with everyone. "The more you share the more you learn," Vaswani advises aspirants. It is also important to showcase your talent voluntarily. "No one is going to ask you to show your talent, you need to be proactive," informs Sawant. A number of institutes in India and abroad offer diploma and certificate courses that qualify you for the job. Apart from institutes, hotel groups like Taj and Oberoi run in-house training courses too. An ideal thing to do after class XII is to get an internship with a hotel or restaurant and after a few years of experience sign up with any culinary school and get certified.
One can either become a pastry chef specialising in breads, patisseries and desserts or a culinary chef specialising salads, soups, pesto, pizza and all you have on the menu. One can either work with a restaurant, a hotel or set up their own restaurant or pastry shop. Those interested in starting their own venture can learn the necessary business skills by pursuing a business course after gaining sufficient culinary experience. "Before pursuing this profession, one must understand that it is a round-the-clock job with loads of hard work," warns Vaswani. During season time, when patrons are celebrating festivals or attending weddings, a chef has to be on his/her toes to cater to them. "Sometimes there are no leaves/ holiday for three to four months in a row," say experts. However, at the end of the day, when your gourmet feast puts a smile on the patron's face, it is all worth the grind.
The remuneration at a junior chef starts from Rs 20,000 per month. However, with experience and impeccable culinary skills, executive chefs working in star hotels are in a position to earn Rs 1 to 2 lakh a month. A pastry chef, head cook and sous chef may earn anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh per annum. There is a great demand for culinary chefs. "Food will never die and innovation is forever. With that combination the scope is unlimited. All that matters is your passion and creativity and how you present them to the world," signs off Sawant.
COURSE CALL
- International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi
- Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Culinary Arts, Hyderabad
- School of Culinary Arts, Navi Mumbai
- Oberoi Centre for learning and Development (OCLD)
(List is indicative)
Types of Chefs:
Saucier, or the sauce chef, is the highest respected role in the kitchen brigade system of stations, reporting directly to the head chef or sous-chef.
Poissonnier, or the fish chef, is responsible for the preparation of all fish dishes in the kitchen.
Rotisseur, also known as the roast chef, is in charge of preparing any roasted or braised meats.
Grillardin, or the grill chef, is responsible for any foods that must be grilled including meats, poultry, or even vegetables.
Friturier, or the fry cook handles foods that must be cooked in oils or other animal fats.
Potager would be in charge of making soups
Legumier chef prepares any vegetable dishes
Source: http://www.culinaryschools.org/
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