<p>Culinary Arts is an industry alive with action, excitement and opportunities. The reason for this is more people are dining out than ever before due to a rise in the disposable incomes, travel and leisure. <br /><br />A career in this industry can be a rewarding, if handled properly. You will be judged on how tasty and hygienic your food is and you will receive instant feedback. This single factor can make or break your career. If you decide to take the plunge, you must carefully consider whether you have the acumen. <br /><br />Diploma or degree<br /><br />You can pursue different courses depending on your interest and qualification. Some of these courses are: Diploma in Culinary Craft & Service, Diploma in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts, Diploma in Food & Beverage Services, Diploma in Pastry & Baking Arts, Bachelor’s degree in Catering Technology & Culinary Arts , Certificate Course in Hotel & Catering Management, Craftsmanship Course in Food & Beverage Service, Chef Diploma Programme.<br /><br />Career prospects<br /><br />A degree or a diploma certificate in food craft, food production, food and beverage service, or bakery and confec-tionery opens up many employment avenues which are varied and interesting.<br /><br />You can find a job in hotels/ restaurants, air catering, railway catering, army catering, food processing companies, confectionery units, theme restaurants, malls, base kitchens, private hospitals, cruise liners, corporate catering and so on, and the salaries are whopping.<br /><br />You can also become a food writer or teacher.<br /><br />And, of course, you can become an entrepreneur. With Indian food becoming a craze overseas, the demand for Indian chefs is on the rise. The United Kingdom itself is home to a large number of restaurants specialising in Indian food.<br /><br />People are travelling more frequently now and are aware of different types of cuisine. Most 5 star hotels have at least 5-6 restaurants each. Large hotels have a large number of kitchen staff. There are many economy hotels too that employ chefs. Job opportunities are plenty in this sector.<br /><br />Even though the field of culinary arts is expected grow, competition is intense. The best opportunities will go to those who are experienced and have formal training.<br /><br />Remuneration<br /><br />As a trainee chef, you can earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month. As you gain experience of 8-10 years, you can draw a salary of Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 in a 5 star hotel. <br /><br />When you reach the top and become an executive chef, your salary can be anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh a month.<br /><br />Salaries for chefs or head cooks vary widely, depending on a variety of factors. Your work environment is one of them. <br /><br />Fine dining restaurants usually pay some of the highest salaries. Other high-paying employers include hotels, resorts and individuals who hire private chefs. <br /><br />Aside from your work environment, your education, previous work experience and geographic location will also determine your earning potential.<br /><br />Opportunities for growth<br /><br />There are plenty of exciting job opportunities in the food industry.<br /><br />Chef or Cook: A chef is considered above a cook in the kitchen hierarchy, and the fancier the restaurant, the more chef classifications there are. For example, a grade manager chef prepares cold food, a friturier fries food, and an entremetier cooks vegetables. <br /><br />Food Preparation: One of the most common entry-level culinary arts positions is in food preparation. Food preparation means that you will be doing all the chopping and pan fetching, leading up to actually cooking the food. <br /><br />Institutional Chef: Many culinary workers are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other large institutions. <br /><br />Kitchen Manager: A kitchen manager does exactly that: manages a kitchen. He/ she makes purchase orders, plans budgets and runs a kitchen. <br /><br />Personal Chef: Celebrities, executives and people with money often hire personal chefs to plan menus and prepare food for a private household. Having a personal chef is also a growing trend among people who need to watch their weight or have specific dietary needs. <br /><br />Sommelier: A sommelier is the person in a restaurant who specialises in all aspects of wine. Sommeliers are responsible for pairing complementary wine with entrees and training wait staff on recommending wines to customers. In addition, a sommelier does all of the wine purchasing and storage for a restaurant. <br /><br />Pastry Chef: Most career culinary schools offer programmes in baking and pastries. If you dream of working as a baker or a dessert chef in a restaurant, or if you aspire to create the perfect triple berry pie, this might be the career choice for you. <br /><br />Confectionery: Confectionery is one of the best kept secrets in the field of culinary arts. Confectioners make candy, which has proven to be one of the few recession-proof industries. <br /><br />Event Coordinator: One of the main responsibilities of an event coordinator is to work with the caterer to develop a menu for an event, whether it is a debutante ball or a book release party. <br /><br />Consultant or Design Specialist: Consultants are hired by new restaurant owners to help develop menus, design the dining room, and come up with kitchen protocol for staff. As a consultant or design specialist, you may also be hired to help renovate failing restaurants or help long-time owners make improvements. <br /><br />Teacher: If you find that you are great at training others or you communicate well in a kitchen environment, you might have a career teaching the next generation of culinary arts workers. <br /><br />Food Stylist: Food stylists are hired (usually by publications) to make food look good on the plate for the photographer.<br /><br />Research Chef: Large corporate restaurant chains and grocery stores have development kitchens, in which research chefs are responsible for coming up with new products and testing flavour combinations. <br /><br />Entrepreneur: After training, you might decide you’re prepared to strike out on your own as a restaurant owner, bakery owner, or caterer. Knowing all aspects of the culinary industry is crucial for an entrepreneur to be successful, but with the right career school, you might just have all the tools you need to make it as a business owner.<br /><br />International recruitment <br /><br />There is a great scope for culinary art professionals in international 5 star hotel chains, cruise liners, catering, food retail, restaurant chains, and the starting pay scales range between $3000 to $5000 a month. <br /><br />Eligibility<br /><br />*For 1-year diploma: Class 10 or 12 pass with minimum aggregate performance of 50 per cent.<br /><br />*For 3- or 4-year bachelor’s degree programme: Class 12 or equivalent pass with a minimum 50 per cent aggregate.<br /><br />*For 2-year PG Diploma: The applicant must be a graduate of any stream.<br /><br />*Certificate courses: 10+2 or equivalent.<br /><br />The selection process comprises an entrance test, followed by group discussion and personal interview.<br /><br />There are courses available at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in culinary arts. <br /><br />Career programmes range from a few weeks to three or four years. <br /><br />Curricula for programmes of a year or less consist primarily of culinary courses that prepare you for an entry level position. Two- and four-year degree programmes include general education courses and electives that provide a well-rounded educ-ation. <br /><br />Courses & colleges<br /><br />Institutes offering courses in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts:<br /><br />*Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research (MAHAR)<br />Hotel Madhuban, 97 Rajpur Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand<br />Ph: 9012190008, 9012190009<br />Email: hotelacademy@mahar<br />edu.com<br /><br />Three-year Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Administration; Diploma courses in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts, Food & Beverage Service; Advance Diploma in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts.<br /><br />*Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition<br />Pusa Road, New Delhi-110012 <br />Ph: 25841411, 25840147<br />Degree and diploma courses in Hospitality Administration, Bakery & Confectionery, etc.<br /><br />*Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad<br /><br />Affiliated to Osmania University. 6-3-1219/6A, Umanagar, Begumpet, Hyderabad-16. E-mail: iactca@yahoo.co.in<br />Post-Graduate Diploma in Culinary Arts.</p>
<p>Culinary Arts is an industry alive with action, excitement and opportunities. The reason for this is more people are dining out than ever before due to a rise in the disposable incomes, travel and leisure. <br /><br />A career in this industry can be a rewarding, if handled properly. You will be judged on how tasty and hygienic your food is and you will receive instant feedback. This single factor can make or break your career. If you decide to take the plunge, you must carefully consider whether you have the acumen. <br /><br />Diploma or degree<br /><br />You can pursue different courses depending on your interest and qualification. Some of these courses are: Diploma in Culinary Craft & Service, Diploma in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts, Diploma in Food & Beverage Services, Diploma in Pastry & Baking Arts, Bachelor’s degree in Catering Technology & Culinary Arts , Certificate Course in Hotel & Catering Management, Craftsmanship Course in Food & Beverage Service, Chef Diploma Programme.<br /><br />Career prospects<br /><br />A degree or a diploma certificate in food craft, food production, food and beverage service, or bakery and confec-tionery opens up many employment avenues which are varied and interesting.<br /><br />You can find a job in hotels/ restaurants, air catering, railway catering, army catering, food processing companies, confectionery units, theme restaurants, malls, base kitchens, private hospitals, cruise liners, corporate catering and so on, and the salaries are whopping.<br /><br />You can also become a food writer or teacher.<br /><br />And, of course, you can become an entrepreneur. With Indian food becoming a craze overseas, the demand for Indian chefs is on the rise. The United Kingdom itself is home to a large number of restaurants specialising in Indian food.<br /><br />People are travelling more frequently now and are aware of different types of cuisine. Most 5 star hotels have at least 5-6 restaurants each. Large hotels have a large number of kitchen staff. There are many economy hotels too that employ chefs. Job opportunities are plenty in this sector.<br /><br />Even though the field of culinary arts is expected grow, competition is intense. The best opportunities will go to those who are experienced and have formal training.<br /><br />Remuneration<br /><br />As a trainee chef, you can earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 a month. As you gain experience of 8-10 years, you can draw a salary of Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 in a 5 star hotel. <br /><br />When you reach the top and become an executive chef, your salary can be anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh a month.<br /><br />Salaries for chefs or head cooks vary widely, depending on a variety of factors. Your work environment is one of them. <br /><br />Fine dining restaurants usually pay some of the highest salaries. Other high-paying employers include hotels, resorts and individuals who hire private chefs. <br /><br />Aside from your work environment, your education, previous work experience and geographic location will also determine your earning potential.<br /><br />Opportunities for growth<br /><br />There are plenty of exciting job opportunities in the food industry.<br /><br />Chef or Cook: A chef is considered above a cook in the kitchen hierarchy, and the fancier the restaurant, the more chef classifications there are. For example, a grade manager chef prepares cold food, a friturier fries food, and an entremetier cooks vegetables. <br /><br />Food Preparation: One of the most common entry-level culinary arts positions is in food preparation. Food preparation means that you will be doing all the chopping and pan fetching, leading up to actually cooking the food. <br /><br />Institutional Chef: Many culinary workers are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other large institutions. <br /><br />Kitchen Manager: A kitchen manager does exactly that: manages a kitchen. He/ she makes purchase orders, plans budgets and runs a kitchen. <br /><br />Personal Chef: Celebrities, executives and people with money often hire personal chefs to plan menus and prepare food for a private household. Having a personal chef is also a growing trend among people who need to watch their weight or have specific dietary needs. <br /><br />Sommelier: A sommelier is the person in a restaurant who specialises in all aspects of wine. Sommeliers are responsible for pairing complementary wine with entrees and training wait staff on recommending wines to customers. In addition, a sommelier does all of the wine purchasing and storage for a restaurant. <br /><br />Pastry Chef: Most career culinary schools offer programmes in baking and pastries. If you dream of working as a baker or a dessert chef in a restaurant, or if you aspire to create the perfect triple berry pie, this might be the career choice for you. <br /><br />Confectionery: Confectionery is one of the best kept secrets in the field of culinary arts. Confectioners make candy, which has proven to be one of the few recession-proof industries. <br /><br />Event Coordinator: One of the main responsibilities of an event coordinator is to work with the caterer to develop a menu for an event, whether it is a debutante ball or a book release party. <br /><br />Consultant or Design Specialist: Consultants are hired by new restaurant owners to help develop menus, design the dining room, and come up with kitchen protocol for staff. As a consultant or design specialist, you may also be hired to help renovate failing restaurants or help long-time owners make improvements. <br /><br />Teacher: If you find that you are great at training others or you communicate well in a kitchen environment, you might have a career teaching the next generation of culinary arts workers. <br /><br />Food Stylist: Food stylists are hired (usually by publications) to make food look good on the plate for the photographer.<br /><br />Research Chef: Large corporate restaurant chains and grocery stores have development kitchens, in which research chefs are responsible for coming up with new products and testing flavour combinations. <br /><br />Entrepreneur: After training, you might decide you’re prepared to strike out on your own as a restaurant owner, bakery owner, or caterer. Knowing all aspects of the culinary industry is crucial for an entrepreneur to be successful, but with the right career school, you might just have all the tools you need to make it as a business owner.<br /><br />International recruitment <br /><br />There is a great scope for culinary art professionals in international 5 star hotel chains, cruise liners, catering, food retail, restaurant chains, and the starting pay scales range between $3000 to $5000 a month. <br /><br />Eligibility<br /><br />*For 1-year diploma: Class 10 or 12 pass with minimum aggregate performance of 50 per cent.<br /><br />*For 3- or 4-year bachelor’s degree programme: Class 12 or equivalent pass with a minimum 50 per cent aggregate.<br /><br />*For 2-year PG Diploma: The applicant must be a graduate of any stream.<br /><br />*Certificate courses: 10+2 or equivalent.<br /><br />The selection process comprises an entrance test, followed by group discussion and personal interview.<br /><br />There are courses available at undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in culinary arts. <br /><br />Career programmes range from a few weeks to three or four years. <br /><br />Curricula for programmes of a year or less consist primarily of culinary courses that prepare you for an entry level position. Two- and four-year degree programmes include general education courses and electives that provide a well-rounded educ-ation. <br /><br />Courses & colleges<br /><br />Institutes offering courses in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts:<br /><br />*Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration and Research (MAHAR)<br />Hotel Madhuban, 97 Rajpur Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand<br />Ph: 9012190008, 9012190009<br />Email: hotelacademy@mahar<br />edu.com<br /><br />Three-year Bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Administration; Diploma courses in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts, Food & Beverage Service; Advance Diploma in Food Preparation & Culinary Arts.<br /><br />*Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition<br />Pusa Road, New Delhi-110012 <br />Ph: 25841411, 25840147<br />Degree and diploma courses in Hospitality Administration, Bakery & Confectionery, etc.<br /><br />*Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad<br /><br />Affiliated to Osmania University. 6-3-1219/6A, Umanagar, Begumpet, Hyderabad-16. E-mail: iactca@yahoo.co.in<br />Post-Graduate Diploma in Culinary Arts.</p>
