How to become a Chef in India: After 10th, 12th, Qualification, Culinary Arts

How to Become a Chef In India

A "chef" is a culinary title given to someone who has completed a rigorous culinary training programme and gained hands-on experience. This professional chef is well-known for their abilities to devise and carry out food preparation, cooking, and food management strategies. This page will address some of the most often asked concerns about this profession, such as how to become a chef, courses on becoming a chef, income, and job profile of a chef.

Is Being a Chef the right Career for You?

So, is a chef career right for you? There are plenty of elements to weigh up:

• Do you have the personal and professional traits necessary for the job?
• Does it fit in with your desired lifestyle?
• Are you motivated to put in the hard work?
• And, most importantly, are you excited by the idea of working with food in a reputed establishment?

How to become a Successful Chef In India - 

To be a successful chef, you need to know the basics of specific skills and techniques. It would help if you also learned from experienced chefs who have gone through the process before.  

1. Understand the education system in your country or region 

2. Get involved in the local community 

3. Take training or classes offered through kitchens or other training programs 

4. Make friends with other chefs who have decided to pursue a culinary career 

5. Maintain a stable financial situation 

6. Have good communication skills 

7. Be proactive 

8. Be resilient 

9. Have a clear vision of where you want to go

Tips for Becoming a Professional Chef In India

1) Being a chef is a lively, interesting, vibrant, and exciting job.

2) You see your creation delivered daily.

3) You keep improving with feedback.

4) You not only feed people but also create a mesmerising experience for them.

5) It also opens doors of opportunity for you to travel.

6) t's not a 9 to 5 job; as much responsibility you take, you learn and grow.

7) A restaurant or a hotel is a soothing atmosphere to work in.

8) Along with all these, you earn respect and sometimes celebrity-like status.

Also Look at : Bachelor of Hospital Management Courses, eligibility, admission, jobs, salary and scope.

A Step-By-Step Guide: How to become a chef in India

Step 1: Get a Diploma Post Higher Secondary (10+2).To get into a good culinary school, one either needs to have a diploma in culinary or exposure to culinary. Even to get exposure, employers ask for a basic diploma in culinary.It's like without a diploma, there is no exposure, and without exposure, no admission in a good culinary program. That's why a basic diploma after 12th std should be the first step towards the journey to becoming a chef.This diploma may vary from one and a half years to two and a half years, including part-time or full-time, free or paid internship.

Step 2 : Get a degree (BA in Culinary Arts) in culinary arts for three to four years

Step 3: Post a bachelor's degree; one can continue with a master's (MA) in culinary arts.

Step 4: Though formal education is not mandatory to become a chef, one acquires the knowledge and skill for the chosen specialisation.This also helps them get a good position and greater responsibility.In short, this can give a great start to an aspiring chef.

Step 5: Getting Practical Exposure Post-Internship/Apprenticeship

Step 6: One has to start the journey as a Commis Chef in a restaurant's specialised department/area.A formal degree was just the beginning of the journey to becoming a chef.

Step 7: The right kind of exposure under a versatile mentor in a good work environment is crucial for becoming a successful chef.

Step 8: Day-to-day work will help sharpen their knowledge and skill.This practical exposure also comes with professional networking opportunities through which one can build rapport with other colleagues.

You will acquire the following skills during your journey on becoming a chef In India: 

1) Creativity

2) Willingness to Learn

3) Time Management

4) Ability to Skillfully Multitask

5) Organisational Skills

6) Leadership Skills

7) Teamwork

8) Resilience

Responsibilities of a Chef:

A chef is responsible for everything that goes in the kitchen. From deciding the freshness of vegetables or fruits to checking the appeal of the final dish before it is served. Everything needs to pass the test of the head chef. Some of the responsibilities of a chef

1. Setting Up the Kitchen: Setting up the whole kitchen with cooking utensils and required equipment, like pans, knives, kitchen scales, measuring cups etc.
2. Equipments: Making sure you have all the tools, equipment, and ingredients necessary to make a recipe work for you.
3. Cooking: Cooking food promptly.
4. Assigning Tasks: Assigning the tasks to the kitchen staff.
5. Awareness: To make sure wait staff are made aware of the day's specials.
6. Appeal: Ensure the plates are visually appealing.
7. Supervision: Supervise and assist cooks as and when needed.
8. Changing Recipes: Adjust recipes to meet customers' needs and requests (e.g. reduce salt, remove dairy, make buttery etc.)
9. Monitoring: Monitor food stock and place orders
10. Inspect: Check food items freshness and decide whether you want to keep them or throw them out.
11. Experiment: Experiment with various ingredients and then suggest some new ones.Try to cook different foods. Recommend new ingredients or any tasty recipes.
12. Caution: Ensure that whatever is happening in the kitchen area follows the safety regulations and various compliance.

What Are the Different Types of Chefs?

Working as a chef, you will often have to work your way up the ranks among a team. There are, in fact, various different chef roles in the kitchens of today, so it is worth thinking about which you aspire to fulfil.

Commis Chef

The first role you are likely to take on is that of Commis Chef. This is a junior chef in training who is still learning from their other team members. Commis Chef reports to Chef de Partie.

Chef de Partie

A Chef de Partie is responsible for covering a specific area of the kitchen, whether it be working with fish, grills or vegetables. In larger kitchens, this may comprise a team with junior and senior chefs.

Sous Chef

A Sous Chef is ‘second in command', being actively involved in the running of the kitchen, often filling in for the Head Chef.

Head Chef

The Head Chef runs the kitchen, managing the entire kitchen team, working with suppliers and managers and, often, creating menus.

Executive Chef

Finally, there is the Executive Chef. The Executive Chef is the kitchen's most senior position and the title holder usually oversees multiple departments and outlets. Executive Chefs are responsible for staff recruitment and development, as well as all costings and kitchen finances. They're also responsible for ongoing menu ideation, development and the culinary innovation.

Become a Chef In India: Top Colleges and Courses

A job as a chef may be the appropriate decision for you if you are passionate about cooking and believe food preparation to be an art form.

Top Culinary Arts courses to become a Chef in India (UG):

·       Bachelors in Hospitality Management - Culinary Specialisation

·       BVoc in Bakery and Cookery

·       BA in Culinary Arts

·       Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts

·       BVoc in Culinary Operations

·       BSc in Culinary Science

·       BHM with Culinary Arts

·       BA in International Culinary Arts

Top Diploma courses to become a Chef in India:

·       Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics and Hospital Food Service

·       Diploma in Culinary Arts of Italian Cuisine

·       Post Graduate Diploma in Culinary Arts

·       Post Graduate Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery

·       Diploma in Food And Beverage Service (UG course)

·       Post Graduate Diploma in Bakery Science and Technology

·       Diploma in Hotel Management (Food and Beverage Service)

·       Diploma in Food Production and Patisserie

There are approximately 347 colleges in India that offer Culinary Arts courses, out of which about 209 are private, 55 are public and rest are public-private. They offer full-time, distance-learning, part-time and online modes of study.

Chef Salary In India: Company Wise

Chef Salary In India: By Experience

People Also Read:

Top Colleges In India offering BHM Courses –

After completing 12th, Bachelor of management can be considered the next but most important step in your journey to become a chef. However choosing the right colleges is as importnat as choosing the right course. Listed below are some of the most prominent BHM colleges in india. Kindly go through the colleges to gain a better understanding of their course fees and admission process . 

Top Private Colleges 

Top Government Colleges

Chefs are in high demand all throughout the world. People are becoming more interested in sampling a range of cuisines and delicacies at various lounges and cafes as the hotel and restaurant culture grows. The practise of sharing stories on social media has fueled the industry's expansion even further. Today, many people are interested in becoming a social media influencer, food blogger, or vlogger.

Top Skills for Chefs

·       Cooking

·       Kitchen

·       Restaurant

·       Indian Cuisine

·       Food

·       Hotel Management

·       Continental

·       Indian

·       Menu Planning

·       Tandoor

·       Food Production

·       Hospitality

·       Hotel

·       Management

·       Chinese

Employment Opportunities for a Chef:

The food service industry is a flourishing one in the present day. You'll be able to find restaurants, bakeries, hotels and private clubs in almost all parts of your city. With growing competition, there has also been an enormous increase in demand.

There are many opportunities for chefs to find employment. Besides restaurants and hotel dining, culinary professionals can find jobs in conventional and non-conventional establishments as well as private and public locations.

Being a chef could open many career opportunities, especially in the following areas:

Restaurants -  A chef oversees a restaurants kitchen. A chef plans the menu, maintains the budget, prices menu items, prepares food, purchases supplies, ensures quality of service, ensures safety, and manages staff. There is a lot of work that goes into becoming a chef.

Hotels – A chef or cook plans, prepares and cooks food by using a variety of cooking techniques. A chef usually works in a hotel or a restaurant.Hotel Cook salary in India ranges between ₹ 0.2 Lakhs to ₹ 27.9 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 1.2 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 29 salaries received from Hotel Cooks.

Food Processing Companies –Set up and stock stations with all necessary supplies.Prepare food for service (e.g., chopping vegetables or preparing sauces)Average salary for a Chef in Food Processing companies is ₹2.2 Lakhs per year (₹18.3k per month). Salary estimates are based on 138 salaries received from various Chefs.

Entrepreneurship-  In simple terms, Chefpreneur is a mix of Chef and Entrepreneur. It sounds simple when you read or heard this term, but it is actually nothing less than a daunting task. I always wanted to be a chef.

Food Manufacturing- Assist Chef with creation and preparation. Ensure that food handling and hygiene regulations are followed in accordance with NEA Standards. Prepare and cook dishes in the menu according to restaurant's standards of quality, recipe, consistency and time lines. Ensure all equipment are cleaned and kept properly.

Airlines- Job of an Airlines Chef assures that pretty well. Her Job profile is to prepare delicacies for passengers, who are the airline's clients. During the journey, the chef prepares delicious cuisines and refreshments as ordered by the passengers to make them feel more comfortable and at home

Cruise liners-  Chef responsibilities are to plan a menu, prepare the kitchen for each meal service, cook food for each meal, manage the inventory of food supplies and cooking equipment, clean the kitchen and equipment after each meal service, and plan accordingly for guest dietary restrictions

Catering in Confectioneries- Oversee food preparation and transportation for events; create menus; coordinate logistics, including the set-up and clean-up for the event

Resorts- Responsible for the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality, presentation and flavour for the dining rooms, banquets and other food facilities, resulting in outstanding guest satisfaction.

Corporate Catering- As a banquet chef, you would be primarily responsible for the planning, organising, controlling and directing the work of employees in the Banquet Kitchen Department. Overseeing the food preparation of all banquet and catering event while ensuring superior quality and consistency at all times.

Bakeries- A Pastry Chef, or Dessert Chef, bakes various desserts in a kitchen within a restaurant or bakery. Their main duties include following recipes to create pastries, cookies and other baked goods, developing new and unique recipes to feature on the menu and keeping stock of the kitchen's inventory.

Chef Salary in India 2022:

Chef salary in India ranges between ₹ 0.2 Lakhs to ₹ 8.2 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 2.1 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 1.8k salaries received from Chefs.If you are a qualified chef, then the employment opportunities for you are near limitless. As per the National Restaurant of India (NRAI) report, there are more than 7 million chefs in India, and by 2024 more than 10 million will be employed in this sector. 

Chef salary in India can be classified in three categories based on the level of experience:

Culinary Courses:Top Recruiters 

After completing a degree or diploma programme, one can get good positions in a variety of hotels and restaurants in fields such as Food & Beverage. Candidates who complete culinary arts courses have various placement options. The colleges organise placement campaigns. In any three-star hotel, a rookie can earn more than Rs 2.5 LPA. Through abilities and experience, more than 6 LPA can be obtained. In any hotel or restaurant, the sous chef will make at least 4 LPA. The following are a handful of the top companies that hire Culinary Arts graduates:

How to Become a Chef In India: FAQ's

Q) How many hours does a chef need to work?

Ans. Normally, they follow shift timings.

On average, a chef has to work a minimum of 40 to 50 hours a week.

Festivals and holidays are very special and important days for business.

Q) What are the challenges for a chef in the initial days?

Ans. There is a lot of physical work, so it's not easy.

One needs to have good stamina.

Time management and complete deliveries are also challenges for a commis chef in the initial days.

Q) Is it mandatory to have a Bachelor in Culinary Arts to be a good chef?

Ans. It is not mandatory to have a formal education to become a good chef.

Rachael Ray, Ree Drummond, Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, and Tom Colicchio are some of the famous chefs who enjoy celebrity status without any formal education in the culinary field.

Having a formal education will make achieving a career in the culinary world easier and faster.

Q) What are the culinary courses available in India?

Ans. Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts, Bachelor of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, B.Sc. in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Diploma in Culinary Arts, etc.

1. After 10+2 higher secondary.
2. Some diploma courses are also available after 10th standard like Diploma in-
3. Food Production
4. Diploma in Catering Technology
5. Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery, etc.

Q) Which course is best for becoming a chef in India?

Ans. You can go for a diploma course in culinary arts or hotel & hospitality management after 10+2 to get into the culinary world. However, a formal Bachelor's degree like BHM and BCTCA has an edge as they open up more opportunities.

Q) What is the minimum qualification needed for becoming a chef in India?

Ans. The educational path to becoming a chef varies, but many students choose to complete a 3-year or 4-year culinary arts program. Undergraduate certificate and degree programs are the most common for being a chef. One can also go for an MBA program in hotel management. Depending on the course one wants to take, eligibility varies from 10th to 10+2 and Undergraduate degree,

Q) Is chef a promising career in India?

Ans. Yes, Earlier, Chef's Job was not considered a high esteem job in India; however, the trend has changed in the last decade. It is now considered art, and many youngsters show interest in mastering this art and making an exciting career in the hospitality industry. With the development of hotel management and the hospitality industry in India, chefs are in great demand.

Q) Can I become a chef without qualifications?

Ans. Although formal education is not mandatory to become a chef. However, a degree from a culinary or hotel management institute may offer exposure to a wide range of skills and ideas that you may not find yourself easily. A degree like BHM, BCTCA will be an advantage when looking for a job, as it provides background learning, and you can grow in your career much quicker.

Q) What are the typical work hours of a Chef in India?

Ans. Typically, the chef needs to follow specific shift timings. On average, a chef has to work a minimum of 40 to 50 hours a week. Unlike other professions Festivals and holidays are very special and important days for business and hence they end up working on these occasions.

Q) I have completed 10+2 and want to become a chef. Can I do it without a degree?

Ans. Yes, you can become a chef without a formal degree. However, it is better to have a formal education that will help you in the long run. If you don't want a degree course, you may go for a certification course provided by various colleges and institutes. A Full-time certification in food production is usually for one year with average course fees of around INR 30,000

Q) What is the admission process of the CAI Hyderabad BCTCA degree course?

Ans. The Osmania University, Hyderabad offers full-time three-year Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCTCA). The total intake is 60 every year. Candidates have to apply by paying application fees and appear for a national-level entrance exam. Admissions are offered based on overall performance in the entrance exam, group discussions, and personal interviews.

Q) Is English mandatory to become a chef in India?

Ans. English is not mandatory to go for a course in culinary art. However, if you are looking for formal education at a top college, they have English as a compulsory subject in qualifying exams or good command of the English language. Knowledge of English will help you achieve more and grow quickly; however, that is not a limiting factor if you want to make a Chef career.

Q) What are the various culinary courses available in India?

Ans. After 10+2 higher secondary. BA in Culinary Arts, Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) and Catering Technology, B.Sc. in Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Diploma in Culinary Arts, etc. Some diploma courses are also available after 10th standard like Diploma in Food Production, Diploma in Catering Technology and, Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery, etc.