THE FOOD AFICIONADO’S DREAM:

The society that we currently are a part of often pushes for a more visible and known career rather than one which might genuinely interest an individual. However, as they say, rather be the best in a mediocre career than being mediocre in an apparently good or best career. With this article we aim to clarify and figure out the multiple career options for people who are genuinely very interested in following their dream of being a culinary maverick.If you are a food aficionado then you are at the right place.

Cooking seems like an easy task to a lot of people but what they don’t understand is that it requires a huge skill set along with experience in order to be good at it. The culinary arts actually encompass a lot of fields which are not known to a lot of people. It isn’t just about just putting together a good meal but a lot more than that. In fact, most have learned how to plan meals, menus, and manage kitchens. Chefs and cooks receive their training either in restaurants or culinary schools. Chefs can eventually take on greater responsibilities with enough experience, such as ordering inventory, staffing cooking stations, being culinary mavericks and fulfilling orders.

Even then there is a need of formal education that provides information about recipes, nutritional value, nature and benefits of ingredients. Education is really important in order to understand the nuances of this are. Famous Culinarians are responsible for having made food products rise above their materialistic value and in order to establish a brilliant culture that is dominated by the freedom to explore different dimensions in every inch of edible food.

There are certain institutions that have added value to this art and are good if you want to pursue a career in this field.

Top Indian Institutes for Culinary Arts

Institutes	Courses	City	Website
1.Culinary Academy of India	Bachelor Of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts (BCT&CA), Post Graduate Diploma in Culinary Arts, The One and Half Year Craft Certificate Course in Food Production and Patisserie, Special Courses	Hyderabad	http://www.iactchefacademy.com/home.html
2.ITM School of Culinary Arts	Graduation, Post-graduation	Mumbai	https://www.itm.edu/ihm-bachelor-of-arts-in-international-culinary-arts
3.Institute of Hotel Management	4 Year BA (Honours) Culinary Arts	Aurangabad	http://www.ihmaurangabad.ac.in/
4.Welcome Group Academy of Culinary Arts	BA in Culinary Arts	Manipal	http://manipal.edu/wgsha.html

Top International Institutes for Culinary Arts

Institute	Courses	City, Country	Website
1.Institute of Culinary Education	Graduation, Post-graduation, Diploma	New York, US	https://www.ice.edu/
2.Culinary Institute of America	Graduation, Associate Degrees	New York, US	http://www.ciachef.edu/newyork/
3.Culinary Institute of America at Greystone	Graduation, Associate Degrees	California, US	http://www.ciachef.edu/california/
4.Le Cordon Bleu	Graduation, Post-graduation, Certificate Diploma	Australia	http://www.lecordonbleu.com.au/
5.The International Centre for Culinary Arts (ICCA)	Diploma	Dubai, UAE	http://www.iccadubai.ae/
6.New England Culinary Institute Montpelier	Graduation, Post-graduation, Internships	Vermont, US	http://www.neci.edu/
7.L’Academie de Cuisine Gaithersburg	–	Maryland, US	http://www.lacademie.com/
8.Johnson & Wales University Providence	Graduation, Post-graduation	Rhode Island, U. S	https://www1.jwu.edu/providence/
9.Culinary Arts Academy	Graduation, Post-graduate Diploma	Vitz Nau, Switzerland	http://www.culinaryartsswitzerland.com
10.Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts	Graduation, Diploma	Colorado, USA	http://www.escoffier.edu/

We are more often than not told that it’s a waste of time going in an unconventional field but this field has so much to offer. The career opportunities are vast, contrary to what we have been fed by the society.

The current jobs that one can get as once they enter the culinary arts stream are as follows:

1.Executive chef: This is the highest position in the culinary food chain. Here one is in charge of the kitchen and all the others working in chain. Here they will constantly be invigilating the work of the others and also set the menu. They also can choose to make a special dish on their whims and fancy as well as interact with the customers regarding feedback.

2.Sous chef: The right hand of the head chef, one usually requires some training to come to this position. They are also expected to always adhere and follow the rules laid down by the head chef. If there is any position empty in the kitchen including their bosses, they should be skilled enough to take it up.

3. Baker chef: This position can be in a hierarchy or completely independent as well. Those who choose this profession have to manage, own and work in a strict bakery-based setting where they control the food being produced.

4. Saucier: The saucier is only common in certain restaurants (originating in French cooking) and is in charge of making all sauces (and sometimes dishes that rely heavily on the sauce). It is a fairly prestigious position as a good saucier can make or break a dish.

5. Commis: This is what is deemed to be the lowest position in the kitchen and is generally the starting place for any aspirant chef. The commis does menial tasks like preparation (washing, chopping, etc.), but gains invaluable experience in all areas of the kitchen, from cooking to plating. By learning from others, the commis will be able to eventually move up and take on bigger responsibilities.The commis is just the beginning to building something great.

6. Sommelier: This is not really a cooking position, but is still is very important in the grand scheme of the restaurant. The sommelier is not required to handle food, but is instead charged with knowing which wine (or liquor) will best suit any dish as well as catering to the requirements of individual patrons when it comes to libations.A lot of consumers have been noted to choose there place of stay or choice of restaurants on the basis of the sommelier.

Of course, there are also plenty of positions available that don’t require you to be chained to the hierarchy of a formal kitchen. You may choose to start a catering business, become a personal chef to a family, or even become a dietician to give advice on healthy consumption and meal planning. But if your dream is to work in some of the top restaurants in the world and pursue your passion of being a food aficionado then even if you have to start at the bottom, you should consider some of the positions listed above as an alternative to throwing the dice by auditioning at the Food Network.