Career Choice: Chef/Cook, Chef/Cook Training Institutes in Nepal

A chef is a person who cooks professionally. In a professional kitchen setting, cooks and chefs are the mainstay of the food service industry. They work in different types of kitchen setting where their main task is to plan and cook different types of food. They usually work in places like restaurants, cafeterias, lunchrooms, hotels, and other places where foods are prepared and served. But is important to understand that though cook and chef are often used interchangeably, they are different concepts. technically speaking, a chef is someone who necessarily obtains a professional degree and prepares food in a professional setting. Where as a cook may not be professionally trained and may or may not be working in a professional setting. Cooks usually gain their expertise through on the job training and experience while chefs are trained professionally. chefs are usually the head cooks who organize and direct the overall activity of the kitchen which includes planning menus, ordering supplies for food, and supervising kitchen operations to make sure that the food quality and presentation is consistent.

Cooking is an art. Cooks create new dishes and improve familiar ones. When we talk about cook we only think about restaurants, but many cooks work in schools, colleges, hotels, hospitals, government agencies, the armed services, manufacturing plants, and private clubs. Becoming a chef can be a good career move. But as it has odd working hours its pursuer need to be ready to work till late night, on weekends and almost any other time when rest of the people are not working. As a chef or a cook one has to work under time constraint in pressure enduring hot environment, smoke and fumes.

If you want to be a cook on the job training will be sufficient for you. On the job training is very common in the service industry, but if you have a dream to become something more than a cook, you will definitely need to attend a college or university to get more in-depth knowledge of the culinary arts. And if your aim is to become an executive chef, along with your university degree you have to have an experience of about a decade in this sector. Executive chefs are incharge of almost everything on the kitchen. They are generally in charge of menu development, supervision of all food outlets and kitchens within the organization, ordering supplies, setting standards for all kitchen staff, coordinating efforts with the general manager and restaurant manager to promote a successful business model for the organization.

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The working condition and the role of cooks differs depending upon the size and status of the establishment for which they work. Cooks may work alone or as members of a team. Likewise, depending on the size of the facility, there may be several cooks, each responsible for a different part of the menu, or a different type of food. For example, there are fry cooks, vegetable cooks, pastry cooks, and other specialties. Similarly, Conditions in kitchens also varies depending on the size of the establishment. Big restaurants are air-conditioned and have convenient work areas and modern equipment's. While others, which are established on a smaller investment, are not so well equipped, and working conditions may be less desirable.

JOB PROSPECT
Once you graduate from your vocational school you can very easily get a job of a cook for the rate of establishment of restaurants, food cafes and hotels is increasing very rapidly. Due to the influence of global culture, Nepalese people's inclination towards continental food items has been increasing in the recent years. And with every new establishment the job prospect of a cook increases simultaneously. But though you easily get a job of a cook, it requires several years of experience to become the head cooks or chefs in a fine restaurant.

After several years of experience, cooks may decide to go into business as caterers or restaurant owners. And some cooks may also become vocational school teachers or trainers in institutes. Employment is expected to increase in a rapid rate for cooks and chefs in Nepal with the boom in tourism industry in the coming years. With the 'Tourism Year 2011', there will be new avenues created for professionals involved in the food services industry. Moreover, Population growth, higher average incomes, and more leisure time continue to fuel the trend of dining out in Nepal, which promises a good career for cooks and chefs in Nepal.

SALARY
The monthly earning of cooks, chefs and executive chefs differ greatly with the region of the country and the type of food service industry where they work. Salary scale of a cook or chef in an elegant five star or a three star hotel would definitely be greater than that of those who work in an average restaurant or cafeteria. Though the salary entirely depends upon the experience, skill and type of establishment where one works, the estimated salary for a fresher in Nepalese restaurants can range from 10000  to 20000 a month, while for an experienced cook or chef the salary can be as high as 150,000 a month. Similarly, the salary of an executive chef can be even higher. Some restaurant cooks and chefs receive tips from the evening's service, while some even get paid on per hour basis. But chefs who proceed to open up their own restaurant or work in management may earn a lot.

Institutes offering Chef/Cook classes as follows:
- Cook/Chef Training at Modern Hotel Training Center Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, 4363215,2315801
- Cook/Chef Training at Radission Hotel Training Center, Bagbazar, Kathmandu, 016913003, 985109362
- Cook/Chef Training at Sahara School of Hospitality Management, New Baneshwor , Kathmandu, 2040782, 016200575
- Cook/Chef Training at Triveni Training Center, Maitidevi , Kathmandu, 4416519, 9841387815
- Cook/Chef Training at Kamana Hotel Training Center, Koteshwor, Kathmandu, 4601878
- Cook/Chef Training at Excel Academy of Tourism & Hotel Management, Chahabil , Kathmandu, 4460956
- Cook/Chef Training at Global Institute of Hotel Management and and Tourism Technical Centre, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, 4484098, 213454
- Cook/Chef Training at Mountain Hotel Training Centre, Chahabil , Kathmandu, 016212336
- Cook/Chef Training at Abhiyan paryatan and Hotel Training Centre, Kupondole , Kathmandu, 5536057