Career in Food Production & Catering

By Richha Bhatnagar

Food is an important ingredient to a healthy and happy life, and now it offers some excellent career avenues as well. Be it cooking or eating, people are passionate about food and are on a constant look out for new and interesting options. Nowadays, the trend of eating out, ordering food from outside, and munching on ready to eat options is becoming increasing popular.

 If you love cooking, and also enjoy working and interacting with people, innovative- food production & catering can be a great career for you. Food is important to the success of any party, marriage, or any celebration for that matter, and this has boosted the career prospects in food production & catering. Aspirants who strive for a career in the food production and catering industry can get ample opportunities to work.

 Presently, the hospitality sector is all about teamwork, customer service, food hygiene, pleasing personality, and most importantly efficient kitchen skills. Quality training and hands-on experience in the field can enhance your qualifications and experience in the industry to carve out a long and successful career.

 Experts believe that sound knowledge of the field, formal training and practical experience are the key enablers to climb the success ladder.

Skills required:

• Good level of stamina as most of the catering jobs involve working in busy, hot and pressurized kitchens where you have to stay alert
• Good communication and multi-tasking skills
• Passion for food
• Dedication to work long hours

 Eligibility criteria:

• Minimum age of the candidate should be 16 years and not more than 25 years
• Should have passed Class X with English as a medium of instruction
• Prior experience in Food / Culinary industry is recommended but not necessary

 Training requirements and knowledge:

 If you are planning to opt for the food production & catering industry, then you must have a knack for good food, thorough knowledge of food service and a mindset to understand the management techniques. Here you can learn on the job, begin as kitchen helpers, advancing to the position of cook or chef, or you can also start your own catering business. To get proper training and skills, you can opt for various courses tailor-made for the food production & catering industry.

 Job conditions and remuneration:

 You can find ample opportunities in industries like

• Hotels
• Airlines
• Food research laboratories
• Food wholesalers
• Catering establishments
• Retailers and restaurants
• Food processing companies

You can also set up your own food production company and catering business. All you need is good liasoning in the industry, besides production and catering of tasty and hygienic food. You can also create new and innovative food options for people who are keen on diet and health food.

Beginners can start working at a junior level, such as kitchen assistants or kitchen porters, whereas a trained professional with prior experience can hold senior positions. An entry level professional can earn from 8,000 to 12,000 per month, while professionals with experience can earn Rs 15,000 to 25,000 and the level of remuneration increases as you gain expertise in the field.

Institutes that offer courses in food production and catering are mentioned below:

• Cradle of Management Institute & Cradle ITC
• International Institute of Hotel Management - Delhi
• LBIIHM, Delhi
• Sanskriti Group of Institutions
• Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition

For the detailed list of institutes, click here