Today, hotel management students are looking to work with the world’s leading establishments and restaurants. The field not only provides an opportunity to learn cuisines of different countries, it also makes for a lucrative career option, says Hemant Kochar
Hospitality industry today, is just not about providing accommodation, food, beverage and recreational services like health club, spa and lot more to the guest. It also include airlines, cruise lines and restaurants. Hence, the career opportunities are not limited in the industry. One can even work with international establishments. A career as a global chef is perfect for all those who have knowledge about food.
The students will learn to cook different cuisines from across the globe. This course will even give the perfect information about all kinds of beverages present in different parts of the world. The best part of cooking school is of course the food. Cooking teach important aspects like sanitation, food preparation and food processing. Here the students learn various types of cooking techniques, food safety, food storage, nutrition, presentation. If the student handles this career properly it can be rewarding.
International cookery is largely an invention of the multinational hotel chains. It is an assembly of dishes largely drawn from the classic French and Italian range. Nowadays, all over the world, different types of cuisines are available which reflects different culture as well as food habits of people from different nations. International cuisine is is all about combinations of food that may be comprised of global, continental, national, State or local regions.
This course is designed to instruct the students in the basic principles of sanitation and sanitary requirements, storing, pre-preparation and cooking and handling foods in commercial kitchen. Special emphasis is given to time-temperature control, cross-contamination, and personal hygiene. This qualification provides one with the practical skills and knowledge needed to plan, supervise and control the operations of hospitality establishments. Students will learn skills in effective communication, leading and managing people, preparing and managing budgets, managing workplace relations and planning and establishing systems and procedure. The course provides the students with an explanation of the development of cuisines as well as a historical background and recipes from the cookery of Europe, Africa, the Middle East Asia, Australia and latin America.
Opportunities
Many opportunities exist in hospitality and cookery related fields as a result of undertaking one of the study programmes. The students can work as:
Kitchen hand
Commercial cook
Professional cookery apprentice
Supervisor/manager in a venue with a food and beverages focus.
An international cooking school best suited to the needs is the important first step in a successful career in the food industry. An international cooking school offers training in professional cooking techniques, food-related business principles and preparing international and regional cuisine. Many of the schools also offer instruction in areas such as baking and pastry, wine, catering management and nutrition.
As the name implies, international cooking offers or require internship, externship that provide the opportunity to study the cuisine of another country while living and working there. Typically, these programs last two to four years and a lot for advanced study. Students who complete shorter, specialized programs at professional cooking schools often earn diplomas or certificates, generally within a year or two.
On the job training and career placement are the other areas to investigate when choosing an international cooking school. A school with a career office will usually help students find work after graduation and allow on-campus recruiting. Some cooking programs require students to work in an on-campus restaurant or professional kitchen prior to graduation. Diploma in Professional Cookery gain skills in food preparation, cooking and serving food along with training in bakery and patisserie skills.
The overall purpose of this programme is to prepare students for the reality of working in Catering and Hospitality Industry, including theory and practical components covering food preparation, cooking principles and practice and food and safety hygiene. Students are encouraged to seek part-time employment in hotel kitchens while studying. This contributes to gaining valuable "hands on" training and skill enhancement in this industry setting. Mission is to prepare chefs, employable in star category hotel kitchens.
Diploma in food preparation and cooking components of the course, where students gain basic and advanced levels of knowledge and practical skills in cookery. After teaching all the important things to their students, for few days Internship-full time work in a hotel kitchen. Under this course students are taught many things.
Students will be qualified to undertake a range of operational activities within the hospitality industry, leading to employment as a cook or a career in professional cookery. This course will provide skills for employment as a cook or may lead to a career in professional cookery in restaurant service, banquet and function preparation, club and hotel or in hospital meal preparation.
(The writer is director of Madhuban Academy of Hospitality Administration & Research)