Nature of Work
An Executive Chef, or Head Chef, is responsible for overseeing kitchen staff and ensuring the quality of food items. His/her duties include hiring and training staff to cook dishes, expediting orders to maintain a steady flow of dishes and creating dishes to add to the menu. Being a Chef is one of the most creatively stimulating and at the same time demanding professions.
Essential Skills and Qualities
- Business Sense
- Organizing skills, multi-tasking, budgeting expertise, planning skills
- Effective communication
- Time management and scheduling
- Cleanliness and hygiene
- Ability to enforce health and food safety
- Creativity and presentation skills
- Attention to detail
- Calm demeanor and ability to manage / function under stress
Work Opportunities
With chef’s training, you may work as any of the following:
- Station chef
Owning and managing a particular area of expertise such as desserts, drinks, customized cuisines, and so on. - Sous chef
Running an entire kitchen and reporting to a head chef - Airline chef
Handling the catering services on flights - Entrepreneur
Owning and running a restaurant on your own or running contracts for events, corporate gatherings, etc. or providing regular catering services for corporates, etc.
Qualifying Path
After 10+2 you can opt for degree programs such as:
- Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) in Culinary
- B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Management
- B.Sc. in Catering Science and Hotel Management
- Certificate in Food Production and Patisserie
- PG Diploma in Culinary Arts
- BA in Culinary Arts
Popular institutes include:
- Culinary Academy of India, Hyderabad (Bachelor’s Degree in Catering Technology and Culinary Arts, PG Diploma in Culinary Arts (PGDCA), Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts)
- Welcome Group Graduates School, Manipal (BA in Culinary Arts, MA in Indian Cuisines and Food Culture)
- IICCM – International Institute of Culinary Arts and Career Management, Pune (4 years in Bsc. Culinary Arts, 2 year Advanced
- Diploma in Culinary Arts, 2 year Diploma in Culinary Arts)
- Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati (BBA in Culinary Arts (3 Years), MBA in Culinary Arts (2 Years))
- Indian Culinary Institute, Noida (BBA in Culinary Arts (3 Years), MBA in Culinary Arts (2 Years))
- Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts, Pune (Bsc. Culinary Arts (3 Years), PG Diploma in Culinary Arts (1 Years))
- IHM Aurangabad (Culinary Arts Degree, IHM-A (4 Years), Culinary Arts Honours Level, University of Huddersfield, UK)
- International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi (Advance Diploma in Culinary Arts (2 Years), Diploma in Culinary Arts (1 Year))
- Indian School of Hospitality, Gurgaon (Diploma in Culinary Arts, BA. (Hons) Culinary Arts)
- Palate Culinary Academy, Mumbai (Diploma in Culinary Arts, Advance Diploma in Culinary Arts)
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