By Harleen Kaur:
Food has always been a part of our lives and yet until few years ago any jobs in the food industry would have been looked down upon. Once viewed as a chore or hobby, cooking is now regarded as a highly skilled line of work within a multi billion dollar industry. A combination of factors like an increasingly affluent middle class, a growing, young working population with evolved tastes and an eagerness for new culinary experiences, the pervasive trend of eating out and fine dining as a leisure activity, and a wealth of international exposure, the food and beverage industry in India is cooking up a storm. The food industry now offers a buffet of options like food critiquing and writing, food styling, catering, food tasting, and food photography etc.
Though the word culinary has always been related to cooking or preparing meals, culinary arts is not about only cooking or only food. The hiss of adding ingredients in hot oil, the aroma to increase anticipation, the burst of color in presentation and the texture of food as it melts in your mouth are all part of this art that stimulates almost all your senses and like any other art it may be practiced for gaining personal/professional(sometimes both) satisfaction. Though this art may or may not require professional training it is something that is being recognized slowly. Also as art meets science culinary skills are now being mixed with knowledge of nutrition and balanced diet.
Success in this field is, however, not as easily achieved. Great chefs are a true rarity, and as with any profession where the demand for the truly gifted is high and the number of people able to fill the spot are few, one who truly excels in a given field will themselves in a very enviable position. Keep in mind, the key here is an individual who excels. In order to achieve great success in a culinary arts career one must make a very concerted effort and passion to become highly skilled at the profession.
Now, one may say that is a bit of a stretch when one brings up the topic of a culinary arts career, but the reality is that personal satisfaction can only come from a living a life that is truly enjoyed; a career in a field that one loves is part of what will lead to this. To have a career in culinary arts, you have to be pretty serious about cooking and have a lot of love for the job. To be a top-notch chef, you will probably need to go to a culinary college of some sort. You can find a culinary arts academy just about anywhere in the world. One culinary arts academy will be more prestigious than another, and the education may be better at still another school. Finding the right culinary arts academy for you involves a little detective work. A lot of information, both good and bad, regarding a specific culinary arts academy can be found online.A degree today can open the doors to your desired job assuring you a career and respect from colleagues and bosses alike. It is important that you learn the cooking trade professionally to help you perform better and create your own signature dishes in the future. So, start looking today for a culinary arts cooking school and turn your lifelong dreams into reality.
Food for thought: There is no such thing as wrong food and there is no love sincerer than the love of food.
Image courtesy: http://www.sharwoods.com/indian/chef/