How to Become A Chef in India After 12th
Published on 29 Apr, 2025
Students who are studying 12th or have passed 12th and want to become chefs have come to the right place. In this article, we will give you all the information about how to become a professional chef after 12th.
The field of culinary arts is full of creativity and enthusiasm. For those who are fond of eating food, becoming a chef can be more than a career, and they can make their successful career in this field.
It is a lifestyle that revolves around the innovation, precision, and passion of people who are fond of cooking. So let us know, what steps you have to take to become a chef in India after passing 12th, here you will get all the information from the course to the salary:
Why Choose a Career as a Chef?
The profession of chefs is growing rapidly in today's time, as chefs today not only work in hotels or kitchens, but they are also influencers, entrepreneurs, YouTubers, and many chefs are television personalities. India's hospitality and food service industry is also growing very fast today, due to which employment opportunities have also increased in both national and international markets.
A career as a chef provides:
- The chef can be creative according to his freedom.
- Opportunity to travel around the world
- Entrepreneurial opportunities (owning a restaurant, cafe, or cloud kitchen)
- Financial stability and growth
Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Chef After 12th
1. Identify your passion and interest in cooking
First of all you should identify your self-assessment. You should ask yourself a question: what kind of food do you like the most? Is it baking, Indian cuisine, continental cuisine or maybe molecular gastronomy? You should identify your interest and specialize in it, and it can be anything like Indian cuisine or continental cuisine.
2. Choose the right course
If you want to become a professional chef, then you must enroll in hotel management or culinary courses for this. Students can enroll in any of the following courses after passing 12th:
Hotel Management Degree Courses: These are usually courses of 3 to 4 years duration:
1. Bachelor’s Degree Programs (3-4 years)
- Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM)
- BA in Culinary Arts
- BSc in Hospitality Management
- BSc in Catering Science & Hotel Management
- BVoc in Bakery and Cookery
- BVoc in Culinary Operations
Hotel Management Diploma Courses, these are usually courses of 1 year to 2 years duration:
2. Diploma Programs (1–2 years)
For the students of Uttarakhand, Pal College of Technology and Management (PCTM) is one of the most prestigious colleges in Uttarakhand, offering hotel management programs. It is also renowned for its excellent infrastructure, experienced faculty, and strong industry linkages. Apart from the course, it also provides internship and placement assistance to the students.
3. Develop practical skills
You also need to develop your practical skills during your course, which includes knife handling, learning cooking techniques, food presentation, and kitchen hygiene. Pal College supports this through well-equipped training kitchens and regular workshops by industry experts.
4. Undertake internships and industrial training
Internships are a must to become a professional chef. They help you hone real-world culinary skills. This experience gives you insight into restaurant operations, food preparation under pressure, teamwork, and time management. Most of the reputed colleges, including Pal College, send their students to luxury hotel chains like Taj, Oberoi, ITC, and Marriott for internships, where students gain practical knowledge.
5. Get certified (optional but beneficial)
You should look into getting certified by international culinary bodies, although it is not mandatory, but it helps to enhance your resume. Certifications such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), or specialised cooking techniques offered by Le Cordon Bleu or ICCA Dubai can increase your chances of getting jobs worldwide.
Job Opportunities for Chefs in India
When you complete your hotel management course, you have many great career options. The most sought-after job positions in this field are given below:
1. Commis Chef (Entry-Level Chef)
This is for students who have recently completed their degree.
Here they assist the senior chef, and gradually take charge of the food sections as they gain experience.
Their starting salary is around ₹15,000 – ₹25,000 per month.
2. Chef de Partie (Station Chef)
- Under Chef de Partie (Station Chef), the chef has to manage the work in a particular area, which includes pastry, grilling, sauce and so on.
- The starting salary ranges from ₹30,000 – ₹45,000 per month.
3. Sous Chef (Second-in-Command)
- The Sous Chef primarily works under the head chef and oversees the entire kitchen team.
- Their starting salary ranges from ₹50,000 – ₹80,000 per month.
4. Executive Chef / Head Chef
- They oversee all kitchen operations, manage the food menu and food costing.
- They are usually the face of the culinary team of a restaurant or hotel.
- Their salary ranges from ₹1,00,000 – ₹2,50,000+ per month depending on experience and location.
5. Specialized roles
Apart from the above mentioned chef categories, there are other types of chefs, including pastry chef, bakery chef, molecular gastronomist, private chef, food stylist, their salary may vary depending on experience and employer.
Career Growth and International Opportunities
Being a chef can also give you recognition at the global level. Many chefs work in India for some time after completing their degree, after getting good experience they go abroad for jobs. Which includes Canada, Dubai, Australia, and many European countries, where the demand for Indian chefs is constantly increasing.
The college also provides placement to students in cruise lines, luxury resorts and international hotel chains. Also, chefs can start their own business by starting their own restaurant, cloud kitchen, food truck or even an online cooking channel.
Conclusion
Becoming a chef in India after passing 12th does not mean cooking food, but it is an art form that involves everything from cooking to food science and much more. If you get the right education and practical training, you can make a career in cooking in India as well as abroad.
If you are in the state of Uttarakhand and want to become a chef, there can be no better place for you than Pal College of Technology and Management. Whether you want to work in a 5 star hotel, or want to start your own restaurant, or you want to become a celebrity chef, Pal College provides you with all the support you need during your course.
