How To Become a Professional Chef?

Through this blog, explore the journey to becoming a chef, delving into eligibility, courses, and diverse roles in the exciting world of cooking.

What could be better than a home-cooked meal? The answer lies in the delightful cuisine prepared in specialty restaurants, perfect for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With restaurants scattered across the nation, their numbers are continually growing. Undoubtedly, a chef is crucial for fulfilling these gastronomic ambitions.

A chef's duties might range from quickly and expertly preparing delicious meals to designing restaurant interiors, including décor and seating arrangements. These restaurants are managed by the expectations of their patrons by a skilled chef with years of expertise.

Pursuing a hospitality management course and being a hotel chef may be a very satisfying and rewarding. These highly adaptable experts are required in all kinds of workplaces, including eateries, campgrounds, and cruise ships. However, everyone cannot carry out these roles proficiently. Regardless of your desire to pursue a career in cooking, observing the daily tasks performed by these skilled individuals is beneficial. Read along to understand how to become a chef and their duties and responsibilities.  

Eligibility to Become a Chef

The ideal candidates for a job as a chef are individuals with a strong passion for food and cooking. A chef's job is not an average 9 to 5 job; it demands much self-motivation, hard work, enthusiasm, and dedication. 

• Academic subjects: There are no prerequisites, but individuals with prior English study will be given an edge. Most admission exams administered in India require proficiency in English. 
• Qualifications: One must have completed 10+2 or its equivalent from an accredited board with a minimum of 50% overall.
• Age Limit: The NCHMCT has established an upper age limit for those wishing to pursue formal education and a diploma or degree in India. For OBC and General (upper age limit of 25 years), SC and ST (upper age limit of 28 years old).

Steps to Become a Chef

You've taken the first step by deciding to become a chef. The next step is to prepare yourself and learn how to become a chef. Invest time in your studies and explore all aspects of the chef's life, including required classes, work experience, responsibilities, hours, and pay. Evaluate if this is your right path and gather information about the role.

• Courses: The chef profession is captivating, offering prestige worldwide. Chef courses are gaining popularity in India, with numerous institutes providing them. One of the advantages of becoming a chef is that there are no restrictions.
• Lessons and Learning: Many schools and colleges offer various certificate programs, graduation programs, diplomas, and postgraduate specialisations.
• Internship: A crucial step is to secure a meaningful internship, especially if you're starting. Look for opportunities in reputable hotels or restaurants to get a firsthand experience of being a chef in a professional setting. After the internship, you'll have a clearer idea of your career path. If cooking isn't your passion, you can explore alternative careers like front desk, hotel manager, catering business, and more.

Skills Required to Become a Chef

A mix of abilities is needed to become a chef. The list below includes some essential skills a chef should possess.

• Culinary expertise
• Comprehensive ingredient knowledge
• Developing recipes and creating menus
• Originality & Creativity
• Time management
• Detail orientation
• Development of a taste and palate
• Flexibility
• Safety of food and hygiene

Qualifications to Become a Chef

To become a chef in India, one must fulfil the following educational requirements.

• To get admitted to a reputable culinary arts course, applicants must have completed their 10+2 class. They should acquire certain fundamental skills and methods before applying for entry-level positions and some full-time courses.
• Candidates must have graduated from an accredited institution with a BA in culinary arts, science, or hotel management after finishing the diploma. For more excellent professional opportunities, candidates may also choose to pursue master's degrees. To attend elite universities, candidates would have to appear for a personal interview, where they would need to demonstrate their abilities in the hospitality and service industries.
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Also Read Best Hotel Management Courses After 12th

Chef Courses 

In India, students can choose from various courses to become a chef. The following list specifies the most popular courses that can be taken to become a chef: 

• Bachelor of Arts in International Hospitality & Tourism Management
• Bachelor of Arts in International Culinary Arts
• Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Studies
• Bachelor of Culinary Arts
• Diploma in Patisserie & Confectionery

Different Kinds of Chefs and Their Duties

A professional chef is someone who practices the art of professional cooking. There are various categories of chefs. Listed below are some of the most popular chefs, along with their responsibilities:

• Executive Chef: The most senior or influential chef in a restaurant is known as the Executive Chef, sometimes called the head chef. They oversee and manage the workers and kitchen for every activity. Typically, an executive chef doesn't prepare meals. However, they oversee how the food is presented, approve staff accountability, develop and approve menu items, etc.

• Head Chef: The head chef is in charge of overseeing the kitchen. He ensures that everything in the kitchen runs properly and oversees the work of other cooks. The head chef is also responsible for managing the restaurant's budget and inventory.

• Sous chef: The sous chef oversees the chef's kitchen. He monitors the meal's quality and supervises other cooks' work. He assists the head chef in organising the menu and ensuring that the goods are of the right quality. They make decisions about kitchen ingredients, the entire menu, and delivery while working directly under the head chef.

• Pastry Chef: A pastry chef handles more delicate ingredients than a baker. Usually, pastry chefs combine natural components like flour and sugar. These ingredients are frequently mixed with eggs, butter, milk, cream, and other ingredients to make sweets, cakes, pastries, pies, and other baked items. In addition, pastry chefs use chocolate, fruit, and nuts to create desserts. One can become a pastry chef by enrolling in a pastry chef course.

• Chef de Partie: A chef de partie oversees the junior chefs, stocks, and ransacks and is frequently the head chef's second in command. A chef de partie is often the first person to call for information; thus, they must be extremely careful. An expert understanding of herbs, spices, and other ingredients is essential for a chef de partie.

• Commis Chef: A less experienced culinary professional who often oversees a single station and is less senior than a sous chef is a commis chef. Typically, they report to the station chef or chef de parties.

Benefits of Becoming a Chef

Pursuing a career as a Chef has many advantages. A few of the main benefits are listed below:  

• Career Opportunities: Chefs can work in a variety of environments and even launch their own restaurants.
• Creative Expression: By experimenting with ingredients and creating culinary masterpieces, chefs may showcase their creativity.
• Transferable talents: Since culinary talents apply to various food business sectors, chefs can consider alternative career paths.
• Job Security: As the food sector is essential to human existence, there will always be a need for skilled chefs, which will provide job security.
• Global Reach: Culinary skills are recognised all around the world, and chefs have the chance to explore a variety of cultures and cuisines.

Salary And Growth of a Chef 

Depending on what your ideal income is according to you, there are several ways to answer this question. However, a skilled chef may generally earn a fair salary.

Like any other occupation, the pay that a particular chef receives depends on several criteria, such as:

• Certification or Degree
• Years of experience in the field
• Place of residence (state and city)
• Degree of accountability

Salary levels are based on various factors, including geography, employer reputation, experience, and qualifications. As a general estimate, a commis chef at a reputable restaurant should start making between INR 20,000 and INR 22,000. In contrast, executive chefs may make up to INR 80,000, depending on the industry.  

In India, a chef makes, on average, INR 2.2 LPA as the starting salary and INR 9.1 LPA as the maximum. A chef makes between INR 14k and INR 16k approximately per month. Average salaries, as well as the pay scales for each restaurant and venue, vary from state to state. Due to greater living expenses in places like Mumbai, Gurgaon, and Bangalore, chefs typically make more money than those in similar roles in other states. You will be paid more for working in a more distinguished setting. Additionally, your pay increases with the number of people you manage and the number of duties you have.

Unique elements ITM Offers

ITM-IHM aims to help students gain professional skills and a career perspective. The faculty's main objective is to prepare students for the future and inspire them to reach their full potential. ITM's hotel management courses in Mumbai are worth considering if you are thinking about a career in the hospitality industry. It is the best way to start a lucrative career, focusing on fostering management excellence and a global outlook.

ITM's Hospitality Management courses are the perfect place to begin your journey because of their various added benefits, such as state-of-the-art infrastructure, global internships, and placements, soft skill training by corporate partners, interaction with international partners, industrial visits, and guest workshops.

Conclusion 

A career as a chef is an excellent choice for those passionate about food and cooking. Success in this field requires dedication and self-motivation. Evaluate your interests, choose the right culinary path, and explore the diverse courses, such as Bachelor of Culinary Arts opportunities offered by culinary institutes in India. From global experiences to creative expression, being a chef opens doors to a rewarding and fulfilling career. So, if you love the art of cooking, consider pursuing your culinary dreams and embark on an exciting journey in the world of gastronomy!

FAQs 

1. Is a career as a chef a good option?

Yes, a career as a chef can be highly fulfilling. Mastering culinary skills is crucial for success, and attending a culinary school is the ideal option, even though some chefs gain experience through on-the-job training and promotion.

2. What does an ordinary work week look like? 

A typical chef job requires more than fifty hours per week, including weekends, holidays, and late nights. In a restaurant setting, chefs often work 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, which is the standard in the industry.

3. How to look for a job as a chef? 

To become a Chef, you need to do the following things:  

• Obtain an appropriate education certification, such as an A Level or GSCE.
• Enroll in a formal culinary program.
• Clear your culinary coursework with culinary institutes in India to obtain a professional credential.
• Get experience working in a professional kitchen.
• Get a full-time position in a prestigious restaurant.

4. What is the significance of obtaining industry certifications? 

Obtaining industry certifications validates your asserted abilities. While years of experience are valuable, certifications provide tangible proof of the expertise gained in a commercial kitchen setting.

5. How do I begin a career as a chef? 

To kickstart your career as a chef, consider enrolling in a one-year course like a Certificate Course in Food Production or a Certificate Course in Bakery. If you wish to pursue further education, you can enroll in an undergraduate or diploma program in culinary courses, hotel management, or catering technology.

6. What are the qualifications for becoming a chef? 

To be eligible for degree programs like Bachelor of Culinary Arts (BA), Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM), Bachelor of Catering Technology, and Culinary Arts (BCTCA), students must pass the 10+2 exam.  

To qualify for degree programs like Bachelor of Culinary Arts (BA), Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM), Bachelor of Catering Technology, and Culinary Arts (BCTCA), students must successfully complete the 10+2 exam.

7. How can I become a chef once I graduate from high school?

There are several courses one can take to become a chef. Following are the few courses one can attend if interested:  

• Hospitality and tourism management
• International culinary arts
• Bachelor of Science in hospitality
• BA in culinary arts
• Diploma in Patisserie and confectionery

8. What is the required number of years to become a chef? 

Although there are other educational pathways one can take to become a chef, many students opt to finish a three- or four-year program in culinary arts.