If you are passionate about the culinary arts, you may be wondering how to be a chef in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan hospitality industry is always in demand for fresh talent. Having a job as a chef gives you access to work directly with many employees in hotels and restaurants. The experience you can get in chef jobs preparing kitchens for foodies will surely be rewarding. So today let’s discuss the step by step path to becoming a chef in Sri Lanka.
Available career paths and what are the needed to become as Chef
Culinary education
The first step in preparing for any job is to get the training and education needed for the job. The same goes for chefs. Cooking school is the best way to learn how to prepare cuisine to perfection. The most famous culinary school you can attend in Sri Lanka is the Ceylon School of Hospitality, also known as the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management. (SLITHM) You can also attend other institutes such as Swiss Lanka Hotel School, Colombo International Hotel School and William Angliss Institute.
Once you are enrolled in these schools, you will receive comprehensive training on how to cook many dishes, cuisines, and recipes. You will also gain an understanding of how to present food in an attractive and organized manner. Furthermore, you will receive training on how to communicate with clients and staff.
Receive relevant education
In addition to your training, it is best if you have educational qualifications related to your field. There are different hotel management degrees and diplomas you can get where you can gain theoretical knowledge. Many private and government universities in Sri Lanka offer these courses. By getting a hotel management education, you can become a chef in less time, combining your skills and knowledge. You can become a chef in a restaurant, become a baker, or even become a chef if you have the right knowledge to apply to your job.
Complete your training
Once you have completed your education and training in a culinary school, you must attend training in a hotel for a period of 6 months. This is a professional kitchen training where you will be actively involved with the kitchen staff. Your work can also be presented to clients and employees to try out. During this period, you can gain experience in field work and get used to the nature of the job. It will definitely help you to continue your career and become a chef one day.
Apply for the job
Once you have completed your training, you can choose to continue working in the same hotel or apply to different hotels that you would like to work for. There are many reputable and famous hotels and hotel chains in Sri Lanka. You can find job opportunities for Chefs, Generals, Senior Chefs and more on topjobs.lk and more job providing webpages. You can include your educational qualifications and training in your CV along with other information.
Available career paths
You will start your career as a kitchen or commissary assistant, but you have a long way to go. Let’s discuss the salary ranges and requirements for becoming a Head Chef, Assistant Chef, Commi, or Kitchen Assistant.
Kitchen helper
The Kitchen Assistant must possess at least 6 months of experience and educational qualifications or have completed hotel school training. Good communication skills are a plus. Your salary will be dependent on your career experience and skills. Sometimes you can also get food and housing. Kitchen assistant salary range is between LKR 30,000 to 40,000.
Commi chef
A Commi chef requires approximately 1-2 years of experience and training in a hospitality school. Commis should generally possess good communication skills. Their salaries range from LKR 15,000 to LKR 65,000 depending on the level of experience and whether the appointment is at Commi I, Commi II or Commi III level. Food and accommodations are offered at most hotels, so keep an eye out for these deals.
Stock cooker
The Head Chef assists the Head Chef in operations and therefore requires a high level of expertise. Ideally you should possess 2+ years of experience combined with training. Great communication skills are required to carry out this job. The salary range is between LKR 35,000-85,000. You can choose to work as a chef in either a hotel or a restaurant.
Chef
After 3 or more years of career experience, you can start applying to work as a head chef position. A chef’s responsibilities are much broader, as they must lead operations in the kitchen, including menu selection, quality control, and inventory evaluations. You will need a lot of experience and skills to become a chef. The salary of a chef ranges from LKR 80,000 to LKR 120,000 or more, depending on where you work and your experience level.
Now that you have a good understanding of how to become a chef in Sri Lanka, go ahead and enroll in a hotel school to lay your foundation. If you already have experience and are looking for a job in the culinary arts, you may find many worthwhile job opportunities on topjobs and etc. We wish you all the best on your journey to becoming a chef.
What are the qualities of a good Chef ?
Sure, you need to know how to cook, but being a chef is about more than just putting food on a plate. You also need to develop and master some basic skills. We’ve worked with chefs to develop a list of the top 10 skills to help prepare you for a successful career as a chef.
- The desire to learn
Becoming a chef can be a hands-on learning experience, and as they say, practice makes perfect. You must master the flavors and techniques of different dishes, which can take time and a lot of energy. To become a good chef, you must be open to continuous learning.
- A true passion
The life of a chef is demanding, because the busiest working days are often the ones when others celebrate: Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, to name a few. So you must have a genuine desire to be the person who makes the dining experiences of others special. Protecting and encouraging your passion for all things cooking will keep your artistic style alive and help you enjoy your work.
- Organization
We know kitchens can be a very busy environment to work in, so it is essential that you have the ability to always work in a clean and tidy manner.
Take the time to de-clutter as you go so you don’t feel overwhelmed in your department, clear your surfaces, and put everything back in its place. Stay organized to stay in control. As you advance in your career, having excellent organizational skills will ensure you manage staff effectively and help you control all aspects of the kitchen, from work flow to serving dishes.
- The ability to multitask skillfully
There can be too much food on the plate to make a complete dish. I now think this dish belongs on a table with three other entrees, plus sides. If this table also has appetizers, there are probably four other previous dishes to consider how and when to pair that dish. Being able to think of everything at once, and to understand and know what each section of the kitchen is working on, is a very difficult skill to master. The chef will be able to do this very well and they will also understand and know what the customers are facing and what the reception team is doing at any time during the service.
- Creativity
Becoming a chef requires more than just following a recipe. The chef will be creative in terms of making the menu, how the dish looks on the plate, and how it tastes for customers. They will also be creative in planning how the kitchen will function. Some chefs will take care of the decor, cutlery, and seating arrangements in a restaurant. A chef’s creative reputation often attracts customers, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your creativity!
- Time management
Time management is also important for any vacancy and any job position in the world.
- Teamwork
A professional kitchen can be a melting pot of people, where many people from different backgrounds are brought together by a shared love of cooking. The ability to work and get along with your team is an essential skill for a professional career as a chef. Being a chef in the kitchen is like being a cog in a machine, everyone has a role to play for the success of the service. You and the rest of your team will have to work well together to make this happen.
- Leadership skills
In addition to being a team player, experienced chefs must know how to lead a team and bring out the best in them. The chef is responsible for the kitchen, so he must be able to give instructions and follow them on the spot. At the same time, they need to maintain a cheerful atmosphere in the kitchen. They may also need to instruct and train junior staff on duty, while also making sure everything runs smoothly.
- Flexibility
Chefs will frequently receive feedback from other chefs, colleagues, and customers about the food they produce, and not all feedback will be positive. You must be able to handle criticism, look at it honestly, and decide whether it is true or not.
- Resistance
This ability may surprise you, but chefs must have an excellent level of physical and mental fitness. Working in the kitchen can be very physically demanding: working long shifts on your feet in high temperatures and without many breaks is difficult. Furthermore, the mental energy required to handle the pressure and stay on top of your game, your department and your kitchen, can be overwhelming. An experienced chef has excellent stamina to stay focused and produce dishes for customers consistently.
Read Also , How becoming as a your dream career pathways