Chef Courses to Build a Career in Culinary Arts

We all love food, and if it is presented well, we want to devour the whole. Do you also wonder why the food served at restaurants differ so much from the home-cooked food?  Well, there is definitely something unique to it and the reason behind this is culinary arts. If you are fascinated by celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Sanjeev Kapoor, then making a career in culinary arts is definitely your match. Pursuing a chef course can make you an expert in the field as the curriculum trains candidates to prepare, cook, style food items in attractive and efficient ways. From the past few years, with the booming growth of restauranteering business, culinary arts professionals or chefs are in huge demand. If you plan to build a career in the same field then read about popular chef courses and top universities for culinary arts in this blog. 

How to Become a Chef: Quick Facts 

Industry	Hospitality
Eligibility	10+2 or equivalent
Average Starting Salary	INR 2,00,000
Job Opportunity Industry’s	Hotels, Restaurants, Airlines, Cruise liners, Railways, Food Catering, Food Manufacturing etc.
Job Roles	Head Chef, Sous Chef, Event Caterer, Food Critic, Cookbook Writer, Food Consultant

Why Pursue a Career in Culinary Arts?

Those who are interested in all aspects of food processing not just in preparing and presentation of food might find culinary arts as a suitable career choice. With the growth in the restaurant business, demand for professional chefs is hitting a new high every year. One of the easiest ways to have a great career in culinary arts is by studying topmost chef courses. Nowadays, chefs are more like celebrities, with their own websites to showcase their skills in food arts. The emergence of social media has added to their fame. Some of the chefs have millions of followers on social media. It is pertinent to mention that they have become influencers in the modern age of social media and fast-growing food industry. 

Who is a Chef 

Chefs are in charge of kitchens in restaurants and other establishments where food is served. In simple terms, a chef is a qualified and professional cook who oversees a kitchen, which is typically found in restaurants, high-end hotels, boutique hotels, and similar establishments. Individuals must undergo extensive training and have first-hand experience in the culinary industry in order to become chefs.

Types of Chefs 

• Commis Chef – This is a chef’s entry-level position. It’s a type of internship in which the trainee chef assists the senior chef in learning various kitchen duties. Commis chefs are usually in charge of maintaining the kitchen clean and ensuring that all culinary goods and utensils are available. The average annual pay is around INR 2.5 LPA.
• Sous Chef – A Sous Chef, often known as a Saucier, is an experienced chef who is in charge of the final presentation of the food. Salad dressing, creating sauces, monitoring gravy, and other tasks are performed by the Saucier under the supervision of the Sous Chef and Head Chef. The average annual pay is around INR 3.5 LPA.
• Pastry Chef – Pastry chef is a highly specialised position in the culinary world. They operate alone and are in charge of baking and delivering a variety of baked goods and sweets. They make an average of INR 4 LPA, however depending on the job and city, they might earn much more.
• Sous Chef – They are one of the most senior members of the culinary team, reporting to the Executive Chef. Some hotels and restaurants, however, may ask them to step in for executive chefs. They are in charge of the kitchen’s general operation, as well as vendor management, employee management, and kitchen supply management. They may easily bring home INR 6–7 LPA.
• Head Chef – They are one of the most senior members of the culinary staff, reporting to the Executive Chef. Some hotels and restaurants, on the other hand, may ask them to step in for executive chefs. They are in charge of the kitchen’s general operation, as well as vendor management, employee management, and kitchen supply management, among other things. They may easily carry approximately INR 6 to 7 LPA home with them.
• Executive Chef – This is the highest position in the chef’s professional ladder. They supervise and manage all kitchen activities and personnel. An executive chef does not prepare meals. They do, however, oversee dish presentation, approve employee accountability, establish and approve menu items, and so forth. The typical income for an executive chef in India is INR 10 to 11 LPA, however the top salary may fast reach INR 25 LPA.

Also Read: Hotel Management Subjects

Skills Required to Become a Chef 

Some of the basic skills that are essential for becoming a Chef are listed below for your reference, 

Willingness to Learn	Genuine Passion	Should be Organized
Should be a Skillful Multitasker	Creativity	Time Management
Teamwork	Leadership Skills	Resilience
Stamina	–	–

How to Become a Chef: Pros & Cons

Pros of Becoming chef	Cons of Becoming a Chef
Excellent Salary Package	Working hours can be longer than usual
Creative Satisfaction	Demand during festival increases, so you may not get leaves
Freedom to experiment & innovate	Demands physical Labour
Popularity of getting a celebrity status	Need to keep quality check high always
Can start own food business	Kitchens can be suffocating so it could affect the health

Career Prospects in Culinary Arts

A good chef acts as a magnet for any food joint, whether it be a small cafe or a gigantic five-star hotel. The fight to hire the best chef among hotels and restaurants is a never-ending one. If chefs are from top culinary schools, owners are willing to pay huge salary packages. After completing a chef course, you can easily find a place in top cafes, restaurants and hotels or open a food joint of your own. You can also look for better opportunities by entering the domain of food technology. As a culinary artist, you have a plethora of career options, given below are the top ones: 

• Executive Chef
• Chef Manager
• Food Entrepreneur
• Sous Chef
• Banquet Chef
• Speciality Bakers
• Pastry Chef
• Food Production Manager
• Pastry Professionals
• Food Blogger
• Food Photographer
• Youtuber
• Food Critic
• Restaurant Manager

Top Recruiters for Chef 

Marriot International, Inc	Hyatt Hotels	Accor Hotels
ITC Group of Hotels	The Leela Palace, Hotels and Resorts	The Taj Group of Hotels

Also Read: 

• Food Technology Courses
• A career in Hotel Management

Top Chef Courses

Cookery is an art where chefs put their skills to task and make dishes that rejuvenate taste buds. It takes years of hard work for a chef to be revered among the audience. Studying in the best culinary schools will give you an opportunity to work in top kitchens in the world. A number of institutes around the world offer varied chef courses, but the table represents the top ones:

Institute	Location	Course	Duration
KDU Penang University College	Malaysia	Diploma in Professional Chef Training	28 Months
Conestoga College	Canada	Certificate in Culinary Skills	1 year
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology	Ireland	Higher Certificate in Arts in Culinary Arts	2 years
Fleming College	Canada	Certificate in Culinary Skills	1 year
Dublin Institute Of Technology	Ireland	M.Sc. Culinary Innovation and Food Product Development	1 year
Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners	Italy	Master Course on Italian Culinary Arts	6 months
École De Condé	Spain	International Master in Food & Cook Design	1 year
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts	USA	Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Culinary Arts	60 Weeks
Hattori Nutrition College	Japan	Culinary High Tech Business Administration Course	2 years
Le Cordon Bleu	Paris	Diploma in Culinary Management	3 months

There are separate culinary schools which specialize in patisserie making, confectionery and a range of desserts. Some top universities also have culinary schools offering more specific chef courses.

By now you might already be imagining yourself as a kitchen star working in one of the top restaurants in the world. We hope that the blog gave you an insight into the top chef courses and a career in culinary arts. To help you choose a course that suits you the best, our experts at Leverage Edu comes to your rescue. Contact us to find a course and university of your choice across the world.