Do you often find yourself attracted to experimenting with the multiple ingredients in your fridge? Do you believe that magic happens and that it happens in your kitchen? Are you often surfing through cookery shows on television and often wondering what will you invent next? Do you regard Nigella Lawson, Sanjeev Kapoor, Tarla Dalal, Gordon Ramsey etc as your culinary Gods? If you match these criteria, then you have what it takes to land a career in the Culinary Arts! Read on to find out about the course:-

• Is it really a career?

Long gone are the days when we only had two career options to choose from: Engineering and Doctor. Nowadays, you can make your hobby a career. Sure, every man/ woman who cooks in the kitchen is a chef but a Culinary Arts career will make you a professional chef; where you sell your culinary skills for cash. It is the most increasingly popular career choice among people around the world. You would be surprised to know the various fields within this career: Catering & Restaurant Management, Culinary Management, Baking and Pastry, bar management etc.

• Where do these Professional Chefs work?

With the tourism industry blooming in the country, there is a rise in the number of Hotels and Restaurants too. A massive employment for professional chefs is in these Hotels. Popular Hotels which employ these chefs in India are: The Taj Group, The Leela Group, The Oberoi Group, The ITC, The Marriot International, The Hyatt Hotels, Le Meridien hotels and resorts, etc. Hence, with a degree in Culinary Arts, you can expect a job in these Hotels, Restaurants, Resorts, and Bakeries etc. You can also go solo, start your own culinary business and/or go on a path to become a celebrity chef as well as a food critic.

• Does it pay well?

The salary really depends on the type of position you are in: Head Chef, Sous Chef or assistant chef. Also the customer ratings of a restaurant, your experience in the field would be factors in determining your salary. If you are employed with the hotels, then you will be paid well for your skills. The basic salary for chefs in these Hotels are 5 Lakhs and above per annum. If you choose to start your home business, you are free to put a price as you wish to.

• What are the required skills?

Whether you are an engineering student, a history student, and have pursued your engineering, science, economics, English, Computer Application etc degrees from known, BA, BBA, BSc and BCA colleges in Delhi, you are eligible for a career in culinary arts. All you need is the skills and the madness to cook and manage. There are plenty of institutes and colleges in India from where you can earn a degree and diploma in the culinary fields: Hotel Catering Management, Food Production Food & Beverages, Restaurant & Counter Service, Bakery Science & Management etc.

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