The food industry offers career opportunities beyond cooking. If one is passionate about food, but don’t fancy spending innumerable hours in the kitchen various options are available. Careers related to food may not have been a student’s first option, but due to a combination of factors like young working population with evolved tastes, wealth of international exposure, Food and Beverage (F&B) industry in India is cooking up a storm. The F&B retail industry in India is estimated to be worth US$ 6million and has been growing at a rate of 35% pa for the last 2years.
Different opportunities beyond cooking:
A career in this industry is not just confined to cooking. Offshoots like
1. Food critiquing and writing,
2. Food styling,
3. Catering,
4. Food tasting and
5. Food photography are gaining in popularity
1. Food writer/ Critic:
Writing about food is a rewarding option for those with a combine passion for writing and learning. Food writing like all other writing aims to stimulate the senses of the reader, and involves more than just sharing a recipe.
Skills Required:
A food writer needs to constantly refine his skills and re-educate himself. One has to study everyday to keep up with the trends and be updated on food facts. It takes knowledge, hard work, consistent research, perseverance, an open mind, unwavering passion, in order to grow as a food writer. The career is ideal for those, who learn from observation.
Basic qualifications:
There is no formal training course to be certified as a food writer.
Career Prospects:
There are many opportunities for aspiring food writers.
· One could either join a publication as a full time journalist and specialise in food features or
· Freelance for publication
· One could even experiment oneself with blogging
Remuneration:
Food writing is a gratifying experience, but there is limited scope in terms of money unless you have a full time job with a publication.
· If you are an employee of a publication, as a full time journalist your salary will be approx as much as a MBA graduate would earn.
· As a freelancer, it depends on how much work you can do. Salary may be between Rs.1000/ for an assignment to five figure salary pm.
2. Food Photography:
Food photography involves bringing the magic of food alive. It isn’t easy to make wholesome food look appealing in a two-dimension photography. Photographs have very little time to shoot, because the food essentially looks good for just a few moments.
Basic qualifications:
Food is bit like micro landscape; one needs a strong sense of colour and composition and good photography skills. To be a good food photographer, knowledge about food, a good aesthetic sense, and patience and perseverance are must haves. One needs to have excellent aesthetic sense, as food has to be shot with props like crockery, table linen, and cutlery, among other things. There are no courses that offer a specialisation in food photography in India. A course in basic photography applies to food photography. After picking up the basics of photography and studio lighting, one can gain a better understanding of the subject. Personal initiative and practice will help in the long run.
Career Prospects:
A photographer’s clients could comprise hotels, restaurants, magazines, an advertising agencies. Competition isn’t very fierce. There is a shortage of good food photographers in Indian cities. One may approach lifestyle magazines, hotels, and ad agencies to showcase your work and earn assignments. The requirement for good visuals is definitely on the rise. There is a growing interest in exotic food. The future can only open more possibilities.
Remuneration:
· Food photographers are rarely hired as employees. The profession involves little investment on one’s part, as you need to own a professional camera and the right equipment.
· Payment for a day’s shoot is usually Rs.5000/ upwards.
· One may expect Rs.5000/ to rs.8000/ a day, to about Rs.50000/ to Rs.60000/ a day. But it depends upon your position in the market.
3. Food Styling:
A food stylist works hand in glove with the food photographer, preparing, placing, arranging and garnishing the food. Food styling is like make-up for food to make it look more appealing. A food stylist with over 10years of experience working as a chef and a food researcher and writer.
Basic qualifications:
Stylists check for thumbprints, lint and stray elements. It is the job of the stylist to cook, pick or select just the right thing for a photograph. Sound knowledge of international cuisines is a must. The ideal way to pursue a career in this field is to study Hotel Management, and use your knowledge about food and your aesthetic sense to make a mark in this niche area.
Career Prospects:
The media industry is booming, and lifestyle related domains like food will definitely grow in proportion. With new restaurants opening their doors, and businesses pumping more money into advertising efforts, there is no dearth of work for skilled photographers and stylists. The demand continues to rise.
Remuneration:
The job may demand little investment in terms of having a collection of classy crockery, cutlery and background material. Food stylists can expect a couple of thousand rupees for a day’s work. Once you’ve established your name in the food industry you can put your own price tag to your talent.
Conclusion:
A career in the food industry is not only gastronomically pleasing, but can also be economically rewarding and personally satisfying option, whether one opts to pursue Writing, Teaching, Styling or Catering.
Following institutes are included in our latest comparison Offering Hotel Management Course:
1) Oberoi centre of Learning and Development
1) Indian Institute of Hotel Management (Taj Group)
2) Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration
3) FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management
4) Chef College
5) Monarch College
6) IASE University (Distance Learning)
7) Rizvi college of Hotel Management
8) Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hospitality Management
9) Global Institute of Management studies (GIMS)
10) Kohinoor College of Hospitality Management
Hotel Management College Comparison
Click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering Hotel Management course
Different opportunities beyond cooking:
A career in this industry is not just confined to cooking. Offshoots like
1. Food critiquing and writing,
2. Food styling,
3. Catering,
4. Food tasting and
5. Food photography are gaining in popularity
1. Food writer/ Critic:
Writing about food is a rewarding option for those with a combine passion for writing and learning. Food writing like all other writing aims to stimulate the senses of the reader, and involves more than just sharing a recipe.
Skills Required:
A food writer needs to constantly refine his skills and re-educate himself. One has to study everyday to keep up with the trends and be updated on food facts. It takes knowledge, hard work, consistent research, perseverance, an open mind, unwavering passion, in order to grow as a food writer. The career is ideal for those, who learn from observation.
Basic qualifications:
There is no formal training course to be certified as a food writer.
Career Prospects:
There are many opportunities for aspiring food writers.
· One could either join a publication as a full time journalist and specialise in food features or
· Freelance for publication
· One could even experiment oneself with blogging
Remuneration:
Food writing is a gratifying experience, but there is limited scope in terms of money unless you have a full time job with a publication.
· If you are an employee of a publication, as a full time journalist your salary will be approx as much as a MBA graduate would earn.
· As a freelancer, it depends on how much work you can do. Salary may be between Rs.1000/ for an assignment to five figure salary pm.
2. Food Photography:
Food photography involves bringing the magic of food alive. It isn’t easy to make wholesome food look appealing in a two-dimension photography. Photographs have very little time to shoot, because the food essentially looks good for just a few moments.
Basic qualifications:
Food is bit like micro landscape; one needs a strong sense of colour and composition and good photography skills. To be a good food photographer, knowledge about food, a good aesthetic sense, and patience and perseverance are must haves. One needs to have excellent aesthetic sense, as food has to be shot with props like crockery, table linen, and cutlery, among other things. There are no courses that offer a specialisation in food photography in India. A course in basic photography applies to food photography. After picking up the basics of photography and studio lighting, one can gain a better understanding of the subject. Personal initiative and practice will help in the long run.
Career Prospects:
A photographer’s clients could comprise hotels, restaurants, magazines, an advertising agencies. Competition isn’t very fierce. There is a shortage of good food photographers in Indian cities. One may approach lifestyle magazines, hotels, and ad agencies to showcase your work and earn assignments. The requirement for good visuals is definitely on the rise. There is a growing interest in exotic food. The future can only open more possibilities.
Remuneration:
· Food photographers are rarely hired as employees. The profession involves little investment on one’s part, as you need to own a professional camera and the right equipment.
· Payment for a day’s shoot is usually Rs.5000/ upwards.
· One may expect Rs.5000/ to rs.8000/ a day, to about Rs.50000/ to Rs.60000/ a day. But it depends upon your position in the market.
3. Food Styling:
A food stylist works hand in glove with the food photographer, preparing, placing, arranging and garnishing the food. Food styling is like make-up for food to make it look more appealing. A food stylist with over 10years of experience working as a chef and a food researcher and writer.
Basic qualifications:
Stylists check for thumbprints, lint and stray elements. It is the job of the stylist to cook, pick or select just the right thing for a photograph. Sound knowledge of international cuisines is a must. The ideal way to pursue a career in this field is to study Hotel Management, and use your knowledge about food and your aesthetic sense to make a mark in this niche area.
Career Prospects:
The media industry is booming, and lifestyle related domains like food will definitely grow in proportion. With new restaurants opening their doors, and businesses pumping more money into advertising efforts, there is no dearth of work for skilled photographers and stylists. The demand continues to rise.
Remuneration:
The job may demand little investment in terms of having a collection of classy crockery, cutlery and background material. Food stylists can expect a couple of thousand rupees for a day’s work. Once you’ve established your name in the food industry you can put your own price tag to your talent.
Conclusion:
A career in the food industry is not only gastronomically pleasing, but can also be economically rewarding and personally satisfying option, whether one opts to pursue Writing, Teaching, Styling or Catering.
Following institutes are included in our latest comparison Offering Hotel Management Course:
1) Oberoi centre of Learning and Development
1) Indian Institute of Hotel Management (Taj Group)
2) Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration
3) FHRAI Institute of Hospitality Management
4) Chef College
5) Monarch College
6) IASE University (Distance Learning)
7) Rizvi college of Hotel Management
8) Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Hospitality Management
9) Global Institute of Management studies (GIMS)
10) Kohinoor College of Hospitality Management
Hotel Management College Comparison
Click here to read India’s first head-to-head comparison of Institutions offering Hotel Management course
