How to Start a Career as a Chef: Course Guide

Have you ever watched cooking shows with wide-eyed fascination? Found yourself plating food like you’re on MasterChef? Or maybe you’ve spent hours experimenting in the kitchen, not just for fun, but because you love feeding people and watching their eyes light up? If so, you’re already halfway to wearing the chef’s hat.

A career as a chef is where passion meets precision, as the world of culinary arts is thrilling, fast-paced, and deeply creative. It’s where fire meets finesse. Where a single dish can tell a story, spark a memory, and craft experiences that people remember long after the last bite. Whether you dream of running your own gourmet kitchen, becoming a celebrity chef, or mastering cuisines from every corner of the world, the first step is the right course for chef aspirants.

At the Sheila Raheja Institute of Hotel Management (SRIHM), your journey begins with fire, flair, and a whole lot of flavour. It is not just about mastering techniques. It’s about shaping future chefs with global vision, professional confidence, and a refined culinary identity. This is where curious minds, steady hands, and bold ideas are shaped into professionals who are ready to plate their passion and serve it to the world.

The Chef Course That Starts It All: BA In Culinary Arts

Behind every great chef is a strong foundation, and that’s precisely what the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts programme at SRIHM provides. A chef course equips students with technical culinary skills, creative techniques, and knowledge of food safety, nutrition, kitchen management, and presentation.

What You’ll Learn

Across six semesters, students delve into a range of topics, including knife skills and kitchen operations, world cuisines, food presentation, restaurant planning, and even business and entrepreneurship. 

The curriculum balances:

• Theory & Technique – Understand the science behind food, nutrition, and gastronomy
• Global Exposure – Learn international cuisines and trends
• Managerial & Entrepreneurial Skills – Get business-ready with modules on cost control, event planning, and menu engineering
• Creative Expression – Create your own recipes, design plating, and innovate with flavour combinations

Whether you see yourself as a chef de cuisine, a food stylist, or a culinary entrepreneur, this course is designed to help you find your flavour.

Course Duration

• Three Years (Six Semesters)
• Full-time undergraduate degree recognised and industry-relevant
• Includes both academic and experiential learning with industry internships

For Whom Is This Course?

Anyone with a passion for food, creativity in the kitchen, and the desire to work in a fast-paced, exciting industry. It’s perfect for:

• Those who want to start a culinary career
• Future restaurateurs or café owners
• Those dreaming of Michelin stars or media fame

Admission Essentials

• Eligibility: HSC (12th Std.) or equivalent
• Selection: Based on an aptitude test, personal interview, and your enthusiasm for the culinary arts

From Curiosity to Culinary Mastery

At SRIHM, culinary education isn’t limited to textbooks and recipe cards. It’s a lived, vibrant journey. Students are mentored not just as future chefs, but as storytellers, thinkers, innovators, and leaders in the kitchen. Here’s how that journey unfolds.

Learning in World-Class Infrastructure

Training in a professional kitchen is entirely different and SRIHM understands that. The institute offers:

• Quality and advanced training kitchens designed for foundational to advanced skills
• A gourmet studio and live demonstration kitchen that mimics real restaurant environments
• A mock restaurant and bakery lab for simulating fine-dine and casual service experiences
• Smart classrooms, state-of-the-art gymnasium, library, computer labs, and spacious lockers.

Mentorship That Goes Beyond the Syllabus

One of the biggest strengths at SRIHM is its faculty. Chefs who’ve run five-star kitchens. Experts who’ve judged competitions. Mentors who give you the confidence to experiment and fail forward.

What does this look like in practice?

• Personalised guidance during practical
• Real-time feedback in tasting sessions
• Masterclasses with visiting chefs and industry specialists
• Opportunities to work on live events, food festivals, and in-house pop-ups

It’s a place where you’re encouraged to try new things, understand the ‘why’ behind every method, and slowly build a culinary identity of your own.

Industry Exposure Through Internships

Classrooms are only one part of the story. Real learning happens when students step into professional kitchens. Students undertake internships in leading hotels, restaurants and kitchens. 

This experience is more than just a résumé-builder. It helps you:

• Build stamina and resilience
• Understand kitchen hierarchy and workflow
• Learn guest interaction and team coordination
• Clarify your long-term career preferences

Your Path from Student to Kitchen Leader

Complete SRIHM knowing:

• How to balance flavours, cost dishes, and design menus
• How to work efficiently in a high-pressure kitchen
• How to present dishes beautifully and consistently
• How to manage a team, maintain grooming standards, and adapt to global food trends

Graduates move into roles as sous chefs, executive chefs, pastry heads, and even boutique bakery owners. Many receive placement offers during internships, giving them a head start on their professional journey.

At Sheila Raheja Institute of Hotel Management, we don’t just teach cooking. We nurture chefs who think, feel, and lead. Who understand business, creativity, and hospitality, and who are ready to create memorable experiences with every dish. So, if you’re ready to transform your passion into a career, to learn while you create, and to master your craft under expert guidance, begin your chef’s journey at SRIHM.