Hi All, welcome to Brain Checker’s blog, in today’s article we will be talking about Career in Culinary Arts | Eligibility | Exam | Scope. I am Keya Raje, a Counseling Psychologist and Co-Founder, Brain Checker, I have been working as a Career Counselor and Mental Health Professional for last 10+Years. In this article, we will be talking about Career in Culinary Arts | Eligibility | Exam | Scope. So let’s begin.
Culinary arts term encompasses many professional titles. With a formal culinary arts education background, you can work as a sous chef, prep cook, pastry chef, or head chef. As a cook, you’ll be handling and preparing food during each work shift. These professionals also season, cook, and bake a wide variety of food including appetizers, entrees, and desserts. They work under the direction of chefs, head cooks, and food service managers. Chefs and head cooks, specifically, oversee the food preparation in kitchens. They handle food management and direct staff.
Article Contents
Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Culinary Arts
The candidates applying for culinary arts courses must satisfy the following eligibility criteria.
Culinary Arts Eligibility Criteria at Undergraduate level
- The candidates should have passed Class 12 from a recognized board.
- Candidates from any stream can apply for undergraduate culinary arts courses.
- Some colleges shortlist candidates through entrance exams or academic records and then call them for a personal interview.
- Direct admission is provided by a few colleges.
Culinary Arts Eligibility Criteria at Postgraduate level
- Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in any stream from a reputed university.
- Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in hotel management will be given preference during admission.
- They must have passed the degree in first-class to opt for post-graduation studies.
Entrance Exam for Culinary Arts
- NCHMCT JEE– National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology Joint Entrance Examination is a national-level entrance exam conducted for shortlisting candidates and granting admission. Based on the student’s performance he/she will be given an All India Rank which will then be used to allot them colleges and Universities. An interview is conducted before granting admissions.
- GNIHM JET– All India Level Entrance Exam is an offline entrance exam conducted by the Guru Nanak Institute of Hotel Management to offer admissions to students in hospitality courses. It takes place in September. 120 questions are asked and have to be answered within 2 hours. English, aptitude, general knowledge, and current affairs are tested. Candidates who clear are offered admissions.
- IIHMCA CEE– The Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Culinary Arts Common Entrance Examination is conducted to test the candidates’ General Knowledge, General English test, reasoning, and numerical ability. Candidates who pass the exam are granted admission to undergraduate culinary courses.
Subjects Covered Under Culinary Arts Course
Subject titles differ between colleges. Undergraduate culinary arts courses for three years contain the following topics,
- Introduction to Hospitality
- Culinary Skills
- Indian Cuisine
- Baking Skills
- Food Commodities
- Gastronomy
- Food Management Facilities
- Personality Development
- French Cuisine
- Cheese and Wine
- Food and Beverage Service
- Leadership and Management
- World Cuisines
- Food Styling and Presentation
Scope of Culinary Arts in India and Abroad
Aspirants should be able to use critical and creative thinking to solve problems and make decisions to complete a task. Cooperation in a working environment is needed. Culinary Arts students who can easily adapt to change and possess ethical, responsible behavior are selected. There is a bright future for culinary arts aspirants, but the domain demands highly educated professionals. It is much more than just preparing a delicious meal. Those who want to become entrepreneurs can begin their hotel, restaurant, or café. There are always hungry people and foodies everywhere. The job opportunities are high, and the field is competitive.
It is an open room for creative, passionate, and dedicated people. Colleges, universities, hotels, clubs, railways, airlines, catering businesses, and bars hire them. Culinary arts are a great career that offers a chance for you to work around the world. You get to get in touch with renowned chefs and get trained under them, this happens with experience as a culinary artist.
Exclusive and dedicated Bachelor’s Degree in Culinary Arts and Science is designed to offer you a wide range of culinary arts careers as:
- Specialty Chefs
- Specialty Bakers
- Pastry Professionals
- Food Photographer
- Concept Developer
- Food Blogger
- Chef Manager
- Food Entrepreneur
- Kitchen Designer
Specialty Chef and Cooks use a large supply of kitchen equipment like grills, slicers, and blenders. Oftentimes, a cook’s role is identified by the ingredient they prepare or the type of cooking they do like vegetable cook, fry cook, or grill cook.
You need to know that the responsibilities for different work environments vary. For example, restaurant cooks may order supplies, adjust menu prices, and help plan the daily menu with the head chef. Fast-food chefs may prepare a limited selection of food items, such as burgers and fried chicken or if you are a pastry professional you will work in pastry Organisations or outlets with a skill set developed towards artisan cakes and pastries. If you work as a personal chef, you will be in charge of preparing and overseeing menus, a client’s dietary needs, and personal tastes. They are typically self-employed or through an agency and work for one full-time client.
Job Profiles in Culinary Arts
There is a great demand for esteemed job profiles in culinary arts. There is always a search for important or head cooks who can manage the kitchen and everything. They plan the menus of a restaurant, supervise the preparation, and indulge in developing new recipes. Service-minded people who love their art are required in the recruiting areas. Different job profiles like executive chef, sous chef, and pastry chef are also offered to culinary arts graduates. Some of the eminent job profiles in culinary arts with their job description:
| Job Profile | Description |
| Executive Chef | An executive chef creates and maintains menus and develops recipes. He/ she also manages the kitchen operations. |
| Banquet Chef | Plans, controls, and organizes the employees in the banquet kitchen. The food preparation of the banquet event and catering event is taken care of by the banquet chef. |
| Food Production Manager | They ensures that manufacturing processes run efficiently. Estimates and negotiates budgets and timescales with clients. |
| Catering Director | The catering is coordinated and supervised by the catering director. |
| Nutritionists | Healthy eating is advised by them. Evaluate the dietary needs of a patient or client and change their food habit accordingly. |
| Food Critic | Reviews on food are given by a food critic so that the reader knows about the quality of service and food of a restaurant. |
| Food Scientist | Food scientists research and develop different ingredients and foods to make sure that it is safe for humans. |
Average Salary Offered to Culinary Arts Student
Salary is as important as job satisfaction in the case of a career and job search. Pay becomes an important indicator of status and success. Before choosing a course, it is important to note the salary it can bring. The average salaries of popular positions in culinary arts are as follows
| Job Profile | Salary |
| Executive Chef | Rs. 6-10 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Food Stylist | Rs. 1-3 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Food Critic | Rs 6-8 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Food Production Manager | Rs 1-4 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Catering Director | Rs. 2-5 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Nutritionist | Rs. 3-6 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
| Food Scientist | Rs. 5-6 lakh p.a. (Approx.) |
Work Environment
Most culinary arts professionals work in kitchen environments of various settings. They may work in the kitchens of hotels, specialty standalone restaurants, cafeterias, fast-food chains, or private households. However, it is estimated that 69% of chefs and cooks work in restaurants.
Duties for chefs vary depending on their work environment, the facilities’ size, and the service needed. However, all work settings require culinary professionals to use sanitization and handling procedures. They will also need to store foods in the correct designated areas and at the correct temperatures. Most culinary arts professionals work full-time. Many cooks and chefs may have to work early mornings, weekends, evenings, and holidays. If you work in an institutional cafeteria, schedules are usually more traditional. School cooks typically have off during the summer months. Resorts restaurants may also only offer seasonal employment.
Required Skillset for Culinary Arts
- Understanding– Understanding the cuisine, you work on and knowledge on dividing duties, management and execution must be learned. Keep gathering knowledge about different cuisines and keep experimenting.
- Time Management– A chef must know how to manage time. There are deadlines for tasks that happen to be too short at times. The chef must be prepared physically and mentally to work for hours at the same speed. It is more challenging than it sounds but, rewarding in the end.
- Math and Accounting– Short- and long-term budgeting, cash flow management are skills employers expect from a culinary arts graduate. May it be hospital management or any other industry these skills are mandatory.
- Communication– Ineffective communication can spoil a dish, can ruin a career, and can grab a life. Culinary art professionals must know how to communicate effectively with their colleagues. Communication along with listening skills is principal in their workplace.
- Organization– Food management, food preparation, food presentation, and other culinary arts need to organize perfectly. Though culinary artists multitask most of the time it is the foremost rule that they keep things organized compellingly.
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