Tossing up a dream job

Kamal Kumar 

Job hunting can be very frustrating at times. After going through several rounds of interviews, taking as many exams, filling application forms and spending hours to confirm an offer letter, you realise it is an unavoidable grind. 

All you wish for is a job that promises a handsome salary and a decent lifestyle. 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.

Airlines chefs have several responsibilities assigned to them. They coordinate with the management team and also make the menu look more attractive and inclusive. Keeping in mind people’s preferences for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, they design the menu to please all on board. 

Besides honing their culinary skills, chefs also have to work on their body language, personality and communications skills. They should be able to convince the passenger to try new additions on the menu. They should, at all times, feel motivated to experiment with food. For that formal culinary training is important. A degree from a hotel management institute helps them improve their chances of growth in the industry. Since, it is not possible to have all ingredients on board at all times, chefs should know the next best alternatives to dishes ordered by passengers.

It is advisable to gain on-ground experience and then graduate to become a chef on airlines. 

Skills required

A culinary certification or bachelor’s degree in hospitality are prerequisites to working as an airline chef. After receiving the degree, one also has to gain experience in a restaurant. The first stage in the hierarchy is the line cook. A senior chef will mentor the trainee chefs about the importance of safety while cooking and menu planning. The chef must be enthusiastic to polish their cooking and kitchen skills. Also, she should know the importance of teamwork and how to work in coordination with other teams. Equally important is to know how to maintain hygiene standards and oversee kitchen operations on-board. At the same time, she should  know how to deal with an emergency situation.

Training comes handy

Formal training at an institution helps one understand the working of the hospitality industry. One gets the required guidance on how to grow in the highly competitive field.  Thus, it is important to go for a reputed training institution. Brand name of the institute shines in the resume and makes it easier for one to land up with a job. Internship at a restaurant is important to earn hands-on experience to realise one’s strengths and weaknesses. Programmes at colleges and culinary schools typically last from one to four years, depending on extensiveness and level of the course, i.e. if it is a certificate course or a degree course. The length of an apprenticeship is determined by the executive chef's requirements and the student's goals.

Remuneration

Starting salary after getting a degree from a reputed institute ranges between Rs 20,000 and 30,000 and it can increase according to your experience and hard work.

The writer is director, Lakshay Bhartee International Institute of Hotel Management

Institutes offering courses 

• Culinary academy of India, Hyderabad. 
• Institute of Hotel Management, New Delhi.
• Oberoi Centre of Learning and Development, New Delhi.
• International Institute of Culinary Arts, New Delhi.
• Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition, Goa. 
• Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Bangalore
• The Taj Group's Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad.
• Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal.

Career opportunities

An airlines chef can explore the many available growth opportunities. She can be assigned a duty on the first-class cabin. In the Middle East, the competition between the airlines to provide better VIP services is fierce.  An experienced in-flight chef may later choose to work on the ground in a VIP lounge or make the transition of working onboard private jets or yachts.