INDIAN CHEF

The Spanish Proverb which says that “The belly rules the mind" sounds so true. Whether we are very much hungry or just feeling a craving for something delicious, the one thing that which strikes and occupies our mind space is food and more delicious food. From fitness freaks, gourmets and gluttons and many more things to even people with jaded palates, everyone in and around the world love to pamper his or her taste buds with tickling flavors.

Gone are those days when we had to wait for parties, wedding ceremonies or festivals to have good food or a sumptuous feast. Due to the growth in hospitality industry in India, there had been a growing demand for professional chefs. As a chef in India and around the world not only gets the opportunity to spice up palatable dishes which is his best creations , but also make a fortune of living by way of it. Chef is the person who holds the recipe for the success of an eatery and for the whole catering business. If one has the nurturing desire to win a million hearts by serving people with good food then this career as a chef would be the right answer.Cooking in today modern world is not anymore seen as a part of daily chore or activity and not restricted to the weaker sex.

Recent development in hospitality industry has basically changed its meaning and importance. Now, cooking is more or less considered as an art and one the person who gets to master this art is called the king of all the tastes. Earlier chef's job in the olden days was not held in high esteem. But due to the booming hotel and restaurant industry there had been an unmatched demand for these professionals. Today, the chefs in the country have not only evolved as money churners but even glamorous personalities as well. With all the more special fine cooking skills have mainly earned them people's respect too.




James Cook who is famous all around the world once said "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, ambition should be the key to any successful career. One gets many opportunities in life, but to grab the right one at the right time is most important. One can cover miles with determination, hard work, skills and patience.An unprecedented and marvelous growth in Indian culinary industry has led to an increased demand for professional chefs all over the country.

As a chef or professional cook, one can multiply his job opportunities in many different verticals of a catering establishment. The opportunities might include as below Comis 3,Comis 2,Comis 1,Demi - chef - de – partie Chef - de – partie, Deputy chef, Senior deputy chef, Executive deputy chef, Executive chef Restaurant manager, Pub manager, Hospital caterer, Wedding/ party/ event caterer, School/ college/ caterer, Airline/ railways/ cruise ships caterer, Cookery show host, Base kitchen caterer, Recipe book writer,etc.

Professional chefs should be able to find jobs in hotels, restaurants, air catering, food processing companies, catering in confectioneries, cruise liners, corporate catering, etc. also in the Departmental catering services of mainly defence and railway departments are also being open to them. Besides there is also an opportunity to work in canteens operated by universities, colleges, and private schools. Chefs who get along with this career can later become food writers or food journalists. Two-year post graduation degree mainly in IHM - Indian Hospitality Management institutions can give them the opportunity to join as faculty members in government or private institutions, conducting hotel management courses. And they can also become an entrepreneur by setting up their own business. In addition to all, they can find a job abroad as Indian chefs are lately high in demand in countries, like UAE, USA, Australia, and Canada.



About the salary is concerned, it depends largely on personal skills, expertise, experience, specialization, confidence and other factors. The place where one is working is another important variable as it depends on the brand of the place. Trainee chefs who just entered the market are most likely to get Rs.10000 to Rs.15000 a month.

Then after gaining about 10 years of experience in this field, a chef can expect to take home somewhere between Rs.40000 and Rs.50000. An executive chef who is more abled gets the range from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 2 lakh a month. In five star luxury and deluxe hotels it again differs one can also look for a gross salary of upto Rs.52 lakhs per annum. However, such handsome packages are offered only to executive hotel chefs.

Further, if we are looking at it from the industry point of view, a hotel chef can get mostly Rs 383,754 to Rs 1,157,271 per annum. Those working in restaurants in the suburbs can earn Rs 348,797 to Rs 1,033,703. In food service sector, one can draw Rs 363,396 to Rs 1,084,588. However, bars and nightclubs and restaurants offer a package ranging from Rs 348,797 to Rs 1,033,703 to a chef.



For a bright future in this kind of a career, one needs to adapt to varying cultures and food habits of others. One should update his or her skills and knowledge on a regular basis. Being more aware about new cooking technologies and methods is very much important. Love for food, sincerity, passion, service mentality and calmness are other important pre-requisites. A chef should be ready to experiment with different food ingredients and have the ability to work in team with all the dedication towards work also is required.



For a person to explore the hospitality industry job opportunities as a chef, obtaining a diploma certificate or degree in Hotel Management and Catering Technology is the most important criteria. The degree and the courses include 4 years of training, while diploma programs offer mostly 3 years of learning experience. One enrol in such degrees in any of them after completing 10+2.



A degree and a diploma certificate in Hotel Management and Catering Technology open up many interesting employment avenues for the people in the country. There are four-year degree programs and three-year diploma courses which are available in hotel management. A two-year diploma which is in Culinary Arts and Kitchen Administration is also available. The most minimum qualification to enter into these courses is 10+2 pass. These courses are again offered by various hotel management institutes across the country.

For the degree course, an entrance exam is conducted by the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT). Short duration certificate courses are also offered in food production, food processing and cookery science. Besides, specialization degree in any these three areas like mostly the cold kitchen, hot kitchen, and bakery and confectionery may open up better job opportunities.



There are many good hotel management institutes in India where you can seek complete training in this field of culinary industry. Some premier institutes are listed below. Take a look at them.

Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development: set up by the Oberoi Group in 1966, this hotel management institute is associated with National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology.

Institute Of Hotel Management for Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition: previously set up as a 'Food Craft Institute', IHM Goa grew into a full fledged institute with sanction from Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration which was started in October 1986 offers undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses in hotel management.

State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Chennia- set up in 1981, the public sector hotel management institute in Tamil Nadu offers 1 year certificate programs and 3 year diploma programs in the fields of food production, bakery and confectionary and food and beverage service.



Courses in hotel management and food processing are offered by several institutes in India. The most important among them are:

Indian Chef Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition at New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Goa; Indian Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad; The Welcome Group Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal; The Oberoi Center of Learning and Development, New Delhi; Government Institute of Hotel Management and Catering located at Dehradun and Almora; The Oriental School of Hotel Management at Mumbai, Delhi and Vadodara; National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology which is in New Delhi; Delhi Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi; State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology which is in Thuvakkudi; Amity School of Hospitality in Noida; and Lakshay Bharthi International Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi.

There are many Private hotel management institutes and also National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology which conduct 1 year certificate courses, 3 year diploma programs and 4 year degree courses. There are some professional culinary training centers which usually offer several apprenticeship courses to give chef training to aspiring candidates. People can opt for diploma programs in food production to specialize in food and beverage services or bakery and confectionery. Indian government has opened 12 food craft centers which offer exclusive food craft courses.