Do you love food? Actually, who doesn’t? But did you know that you could actually make a living working with food? Cooking is a skill that everyone must acquire practically, but does it give you immense satisfaction to cook and serve others and also experiment with different ingredients and come up with your own recipes?
Imagine that you are the head chef at a restaurant, you would have to take on duties like cooking, planning menus, supervising, experimenting with ingredients and coming up with new recipes, hiring chefs for the kitchen, and so on. Then being a chef is something that you should definitely consider.
Read this blog and find out everything you need to know about how to become a chef, the skills you need, what you need to study, and much more!
A chef is a skilled professional cook and tradesman who specializes in a particular cuisine and is trained in all areas of food preparation. The term chef de cuisine, which refers to the manager or leader of a kitchen, is where the word “chef” originates. Both formal education from an institution and on-the-job training under an experienced chef are options for chefs.
Learn more: Career as a Food Service Manager
You should select Commerce, though you can also choose Science since students must have completed their 10+2 requirements from a recognized board in any field to be eligible for the Hotel Management program. However, if you want to study hotel management, you can enrol in any stream, such as arts or commerce.
| Course Name | Duration |
| Certificate Course in Food Production | 1.5 years |
| Certificate Course in Bakery | NA |
| Craft Course in Food Production | 1.5 years |
The eligibility criteria for the above-mentioned courses are based upon marks during 10+2 or equivalent from any field (Arts, Science or Commerce) from any recognized institution with English as one of the main subjects during the final year.
If you are really keen on learning about these topics, want hands-on exposure, and want to learn more about how you can become a Chef, check out the Clever Harvey Junior MBA- Entrepreneurship course.
How To Become A Chef After 10th?
If you want to know how to become a Chef after 10th, here are a few courses that you can take after clearing your 10th-grade examinations.
How To Become A Chef After 12th?
If you want to know how to become a Chef after 12th, here are a few undergraduate courses that you can take.
| Courses | Duration |
| Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) in Culinary | 3 years |
| B.Sc. in Catering Science and Hotel Management | 3 years |
| B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Management | 3 years |
| BA in Culinary Arts | 3 years |
If you want to know how to become a Chef, here are a few undergraduate courses that you can take abroad.
| Courses | Duration |
| B.Sc. in Catering Science and Hotel Management | 3 years |
| B.Sc. in Hospitality and Hotel Management | 3 years |
| BA in Culinary Arts | 3 years |
Many people now go into the culinary field after having completed their degree in other academic subjects like economics or history. Some change their career in their mid-40s too. Culinary institutions like Le Cordon Bleu provide a Diploma in Patisserie or the Full Diploma in Culinary arts which provide intensive training and real-life experience through internships.
Take up an internship: After earning any relevant degree, a person might launch their career by working as an intern for any renowned hotel chain or restaurant. The candidates will have clarity after completing the internship regarding how they want to proceed with this field and will be able to develop themselves properly. This will not only aid in acquiring practical experience in cooking but will also boost the necessary knowledge.
If you are really keen on learning about these topics, want hands-on exposure, and want to learn more about how you can become a Chef, check out the Clever Harvey Junior MBA- Entrepreneurship course.
Also read: Gaining Career Clarity just got a lot easier for your teen!
The average salary for a Chef is ₹5,14,200 per year (₹42,850 per month), which is ₹1,26,700 (+33%) higher than the national average salary in India.
A Chef can expect an average starting salary of ₹2,24,600 per year. Your salary can vary depending on the type of work you do as a chef. The highest salaries of chefs can exceed ₹25,00,000 per year.
| Country | Salary |
| USA | $47,690 |
| UK | £25,861 |
| Canada | CA$48,793 |
| Australia | A$182,000 |
| Paris | €93,757 |
| Switzerland | CHF 70,317 |
| New Zealand | NZ$59,800 |
That’s all you needed to know about being a chef. We hope this blog answered all your questions about how to become a chef, what you need to study and what preparation you would need. Good luck!
In any three-star hotel, a new hire might earn more than 2.5 lakhs annually. One can make more than 6 lakhs annually with the right abilities and expertise. Any hotel or restaurant’s sous chef will get at least 4 lakhs per year. For the executive chef, the possibilities are endless.
A fantastic approach to obtaining hands-on experience as a chef is to sign up for an apprenticeship at a nearby restaurant or kitchen. You could gain practical experience via an apprenticeship while also determining which specialties or fields of expertise are best for you.
There are no set age restrictions for beginning a career in cooking, and many people decide to do so later in life. However, since being a chef is unlike any other career role, the learning curve can be quite steep.
Cooking for a living, whether as a line cook, pastry chef, or any other position, is undoubtedly one of the most taxing professions in America. Long hours, poor compensation, and limited possibility for advancement make it stressful.
When you’re considering a career that would demand years of dedication to advance successfully, choosing a career path can seem pretty daunting. It takes years of experience and a lot of work to succeed as a chef in this highly competitive field.
Switzerland has the highest pay rates for chefs and head cooks worldwide between 2019 and 2020, per a report written up in 2022.
Prior to dinner, head chefs would assign important menu items and supervise the mise en place. In order to coordinate the kitchen personnel, monitor quality and production rates, and aid with cooking, chefs will discover that their tasks change substantially throughout the duration of the dinner service.
A chef oversees the preparation and cooking of food as well as the management of the kitchen personnel. The restaurant’s weekly food supply may be ordered by the chefs, who will keep up in contact with suppliers. They might design new menu items and collaborate with the general manager to establish corporate objectives.
Depending on the length of culinary school chosen, the culinary school can last anywhere from a few short months to four years. When you enroll, there are various options you can select and variables that can impact how long your studies will last. For instance, training to become a professional chef can last two to four years.
Being a chef and being a cook are not the same things? Well, a chef is someone who has received formal training from an educational institution. A chef is considered to be a higher rank as compared to a cook. A cook, however, may not do any of these, but just follow an already existing recipe.
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