Demanded trade
Cook - refers to one of those specialties, having mastered which you are guaranteed to be provided with work. At the same time, there is always the prospect of career growth and active self-development! Our article is devoted to the features of the profession, as well as the question: where can you get a chef’s profession in Moscow.
The demand for good specialists is constantly growing in the catering services market. Getting a specialized education in this field means making a good investment in your future. According to the classification of the chef profession accepted in Russia, Moscow educational institutions train specialists at the following levels: cook-confectioner,
Chef,
cook-cook, cook-technologist.
If desired, such a specialist can make his own career. Moreover, now more and more establishments are constantly opening that require high-level culinary specialists.
Where can you realize yourself?
It is better to start professional promotion in chain restaurants, cafes, sushi bars, pizzerias, where you can gain sufficient experience. New points are opening within the networks, where new qualified employees are recruited, which means there is an opportunity for career growth.
Beginning chefs are suitable for vacancies in the culinary departments of chain hypermarkets, where the work experience requirements are minimal. Those who are at the beginning of their careers have the opportunity to earn good money right away. So, the salary of an assistant cook is about 20-25 thousand rubles, a cook with up to 30 thousand experience, a chef with a name - reaches 50-70 thousand rubles per month. So novice specialists have something to strive for.
The profession of a cook can be obtained in educational institutions of different levels.
Many are sure that this specialty can only be mastered in educational institutions of primary and secondary vocational training. However, today higher education programs in this area are also offered at universities of the 4th level of accreditation.
Universities
- Moscow State Technological Academy (MGTA).
- Moscow State University of Food Production (MSUPP).
- Moscow State University of Service (MGUS).
- Russian Correspondence Institute of Textile Industry (RosZITLP).
Educational centers
- VIP master.
- Business Academy “MBA CITY”.
The courses are designed for different levels of training: there are various programs that help improve the skills of specialists, as well as beginners. Students receive the most complete education by standard standards, which is relevant in a modern format.
- Center prof. training "Plus"
Engaged in professional training, advanced training and retraining of unemployed citizens.
Provides services to corporate and private customers.
Colleges and technical schools
Chef professions are taught not only at universities. There are many colleges and technical schools in Moscow that teach specialties such as cook and pastry chef. They accept school leavers after 9th and 11th grades. These educational institutions guarantee their graduates thorough knowledge and 100% employment, as they practice concluding contracts with Moscow public catering chains and well-known restaurants.
Main building: Structural unit "Yaroslavskoye"
Details
Training to become a chef is quite a long job. To become a certified chef, you need, as they used to say, to enroll in a cook school. There are no problems with this in Moscow.
The capital offers many options to study to become a cook after the 9th grade, only the name vocational school is already somewhat outdated and now vocational education institutions are most often called colleges. But in general, cook schools are being replaced by secondary specialized educational institutions - culinary colleges.
You can undergo training as a chef after 9th grade in the same way as after 11th grade. Nowadays, branching in preparation is practiced. They train mid-level specialists and skilled workers. The working level is trained according to a shortened and simplified program, while the middle level is already given more in-depth knowledge. School for a cook is the shortest route to the profession.
As a rule, a cook is considered a working profession, because he performs physically difficult work that requires a lot of practical training and, as they say, golden hands. To become an excellent cook, you need to devote a lot of time to work - directly preparing food. But a chef can get a better education and even go to university. In colleges and universities, as a rule, they do not train chefs, but train them to become food production technologists.
For example, the Khimki Technical School of Intersectoral Cooperation trains food service technologists - this is not a vocational school for cooks, but much more. Education based on 11 classes takes 2.5 years. Since the secondary school is obliged to provide students with a secondary education, those general education subjects that are in the high school school curriculum are taught in the secondary school. From here, more time will be spent on training.
Chef schools with employment
Many chef schools in Moscow practice assistance in finding employment after graduation, for example, State Budgetary Educational Institution No. 37 “Tsaritsyno”, many of whose students find work during their internship at catering enterprises. Of course, if this practice is successful.
To successfully go to school to become a cook, you need to understand that this work is not easy and it suits you. A cook is a person who not only prepares food, but can also apply his creative inclinations in his chosen work. Creating new dishes, surprising visitors with the unusual taste of familiar dishes, creating truly works worthy of the name of art objects from ordinary potatoes or spinach is far from easy. So this profession is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.
College graduates are able to select suitable production tools and the necessary equipment for preparing dishes and culinary masterpieces, side dishes and preparing raw materials for production; they use various technologies to prepare dishes and evaluate the quality of the finished product. Also, in secondary schools the basics of nutritional physiology, proper organization of production are taught, commodity science of food products, and calculation of dishes are studied. In addition to basic subjects, such as cooking or technology for preparing food and dishes, rules for the use and operation of kitchen equipment.
Moscow secondary schools are mainly equipped with modern teaching and laboratory equipment. The following colleges and schools for chefs in Moscow can be mentioned as exemplary:
- 51 College of Confectionery Production
- 3 College of Services
- 32 College of Services
- 22 College of Economics and Technology
- 44 College of Services
- Moscow Technological College of Nutrition of the Russian State Trade and Economic University
- 33 Food College
- 39 Polytechnic College.
This is only a small part of the colleges where you can get this profession.
By choosing this specialty, you will not only get a good craft in your hands, which will feed you not only figuratively, but also in the literal sense. The skills you learn in college will help you in life. The ability to cook well is a great advantage, not only for women, but also for men. Everyone loves to eat delicious food, and a competent chef will not only be able to feed you delicious food, but also feed you correctly. By using only quality products and processing them properly. Quickly, tasty and elegantly, the chef will do what others will pore over for long hours and with questionable results. Therefore, enrolling in a chef school in Moscow, where masters of this profession are trained, is a worthy choice in all aspects.
As far as I know, universities do not train chefs. Specialists in a related specialty with higher education are trained at food industry institutes. And chefs, as a rule, are trained in vocational schools at various courses.
An interesting and delicious profession - a cook! In Ukraine, more than 500 educational institutions train specialists in this profile. You can enroll in most of them after the 9th grade, but it is better (to learn directly the skills of this most important and wise science - the skill of preparing salads and snacks) after receiving a complete secondary education. With the exception of a few of the most prestigious higher vocational schools, there is no competition in them, due to the fact that the number of applicants is approximately equal to the number of budget places. However, contract training is also provided, the cost of which ranges from 12,000 to 16,000 hryvnia.
As a rule, except for the interview, where the applicant must explain to the selection committee as beautifully and convincingly as possible the reason that made him choose this particular type of professional activity, nothing else will be required. If your tongue hangs well, and you become a chef solely at the call of your soul and heart, the last thing you should pay attention to is the dress code that is not too strict, but always businesslike, and with some zest. Thus, you will certainly win the sympathy of the teachers, and you will certainly be enrolled as a student.
Good luck with your tests!
I have a friend, she is much older than me and has worked as a cook all her life. By the way, she didn’t study anywhere. You can study to become a cook without exams, that is, without exams at all, for example, these could be courses to become a cook. You can get a chef's profession without studying at a University or Institute. Why then aren’t all of them chefs?!
To become a chef, there is no need to go to college. For this purpose, there are schools where they accept students without passing exams, obviously so that they have money to pay for training.
A friend of mine studies at such a school. The training is not difficult, the main thing is the practice of the chefs. They cut their teeth in school in canteens, then go to courses for top chefs, and then to restaurants.
You can enroll in chef courses without passing any subjects, absolutely without exams. There are no institutes that train specifically to become chefs; they have completely different names of specialties, and there you have to pass the Unified State Exam. Here the subjects will depend on the chosen specialty, but the specialty will not sound like a chef.
To become a chef, you don’t even have to complete all 11 grades at school. It is enough to enter a vocational school after 9th grade. They enroll everyone there with any school certificate, the main thing is that they have completed 9 classes and paid money for training. And there will be an exam. But already at the end of training.
To be honest, they wanted to lure me into chef courses when I was studying at a programming course, but there was no talk of taking any exams on various topics there. It’s enough to just sign up, attend and pay for these courses accordingly. So Even if you don’t have a knack for cooking, absolutely anyone can take a chef’s course if they have the desire)
People study to become cooks in vocational schools (vocational schools) and in special courses.
When signing up for courses, a person does not pass any exams, he only pays money.
When entering a vocational school to become a chef, there is also no need to take exams.
After completing your studies, you will still have to pass certain exams or tests.
To master the profession of a cook, you do not need to enroll in any institute; you only need to graduate from college. But at the school, you don’t need to take any exams; on average, you’ll have to pay about 30 thousand for training, and after studying for about half a year, you’ll be given certificates for mastering a new profession as a cook.
In our country, you can study to become a cook at a vocational school after nine years of school. Accepted without exams. There are budget places and contract places. Chef courses are also entered without exams. The main thing is to have a desire and love for your chosen profession. But if you want, for example, to enroll as a catering technologist at a higher educational institution, then you can go to the websites of these institutions and look at the requirements for admission.
Cook and pastry chef are one of the most popular professions abroad and in Russia. Cooking training is worth taking abroad at well-known schools or universities, although it will require financial investments and a desire for success from you. Such a serious attitude towards these specialties is associated with great career prospects, the creative component of this profession and the high level of pay for chefs and leading confectioners.
Career prospects
Before you get a chef's education in Europe or the USA, you should carefully study what exactly is meant by the concept of “cook”. It is understood that this is a person who not only knows how to deliciously cook a certain number of dishes, but also is able to quickly master the menu of any restaurant, be it French, Italian or any other.
A pastry chef is a specialist with a narrower profile. He specializes in chocolate, creams, cakes, pastries and candies and has a certificate or diploma confirming his knowledge in the field.
Before becoming a chef, whose work will be evaluated by restaurant critics and those who award Michelin stars, you need to undergo a long internship and work as a junior chef or cook in one of the workshops. But having a high-quality specialized education, you can bypass many years of work as assistants and become straight away sous-chef or head cook of a small cafe, and eventually a restaurant.
The chef completely organizes the work of the kitchen, where at least 3-5 people can work, and is responsible for the quality and appearance all food served in a restaurant or cafe. This is always a leader who has undergone professional training as a chef in famous culinary schools and internships in famous restaurants or with famous chefs.
That is why cooking training involves:
- gaining knowledge of international cuisine (especially French and Italian);
- culinary design skills;
- understanding the principles of healthy eating;
- management knowledge and ability to communicate with people;
- readiness for stress and high competition.
Where can I get a chef's education?
Chef training is mainly carried out abroad in international culinary schools. In Russia, unfortunately, this profession is still taught only in accelerated courses or in culinary schools, but this is not enough to obtain international level knowledge and a serious career. In general, if you ask yourself the question: “Where should I go to study to become a chef?”, then you should pay attention exclusively to foreign universities.
The most famous culinary schools in the world:
- (France, Spain, UK, Australia, Canada, etc.);
- International Culinary Institute ICI (Switzerland);
- (Switzerland);
- (Italy);
- (USA) and many others.
Training to become a chef lasts about 9 months, and if you want to become a highly qualified specialist and receive a Bachelor's degree in culinary arts, then it takes 3-4 years. During their studies, students master a wide variety of international cuisines, constantly practicing and undergoing internships. The program necessarily includes demonstration classes, when leading chefs show students their skills and teach basic techniques for working in the kitchen. Studying to be a chef is one of the most exciting things in life, during which you actively communicate with other students, the teacher and gain practical experience.
At the very end of the course, students must pass an exam that evaluates their dishes, presentation, cleanliness and speed of preparation.
The price of training for a chef starts from 10-20 thousand euros per year.
If you are interested in studying at one of the culinary schools, STUDIES&CAREERS will organize an introductory tour to any of them so that you can personally observe the learning process, visit educational and student campuses, meet teachers and communicate with students.
The chefs of the best restaurants in the world are almost as famous as rock stars. They build a menu and a team, the public comes to them, they get the respect of their colleagues and good salaries. The blog figured out how to get into the world league from scratch.
In the West, such a person is called executive chef, head chef or simply chef. The closest thing to this concept is our executive director, but in the restaurant business. He is responsible for all the work of the kitchen and the popularity of the establishment as a whole. It’s not for nothing that famous chefs are brought from abroad, and the public flocks to them.
The position requires high-level cooking skills and professionalism in management and administration. Let's figure out how a beginner in cooking can gain skills, connections and experience.
Budget start
If you seriously decide to become a chef, you should get a secondary education. Young people who enter after the ninth grade study for three years and during this time receive a third, sometimes fourth, chef rank. The highest category is fifth. The first vocational education in Russia and most countries of the post-Soviet space can still be obtained free of charge. Colleges and technical schools accept students up to 30 years of age.
With their crust, you can go to work in a restaurant as an apprentice and start with peeling vegetables, preparing food and working in the back room.
Specialization
The fourth category and higher are obtained only with work experience. The time of transition from third to fourth usually depends on the decision of the authorities. When they trust you to prepare cold appetizers, then the level will rise.
To rise to the fifth step, you still need to learn. Either graduate from technical school, or take advanced training courses. The fifth category gives the right to work in a hot shop and look closely at new professional horizons.
The next step is to head one of the areas of a large restaurant production or become an assistant chef. All these people are called with beautiful French words. You can specialize in meat; a meat cook is called a rotisseur. On fish (poissonnier), soups (potage), vegetables and side dishes (entremetier or legumier). You can become a saucesier - the head of sauces in a restaurant kitchen. Or stay true to cold appetizers, but at a new level: come up with a menu, be responsible for quality and manage assistants. The salad specialist is called gardmange. Baking and confectionery is usually the responsibility of people with a pastry chef background.
Sous chefs work under the head chef. This path is for those who are more interested in developing production management skills and leadership qualities rather than improving in cooking.
As in any profession, the number of specializations is impressive. To reach the level of a managerial professional, you need the specialty of a chef-technologist and practice at a high level. Preferably internationally.
Grill cook or griller: prepares food over an open fire
Where to study in Russia
There are culinary colleges and technical schools in all regions. Look for places where learning is hands-on. The correct educational process for a chef is when, from the second year, theory and practice in a real kitchen become equal. Such educational institutions can be recognized by the high competition for admission.
For example, the capital’s college of hotel and restaurant workers “Tsaritsyno” has a good reputation among culinary educational institutions. There is also a competition of 3-4 people per place.
The next step in a traditional career is pursuing higher education. It is possible in absentia, in parallel with work. The Plekhanov Institute, the Commercial Academy in Moscow and universities in the regions will help you obtain the specialty “technological engineer”. And then - development through culinary schools and internships with the best masters you can get your hands on.
A less traditional career model: do without school at all. This is also possible. The first step is to get a training job in a restaurant without any qualifications or experience and go all the way up the rank ladder and choose your specialization.
This is an option for those who do not want to spend money and time on studying. Many restaurateurs give preference not to professionals, but to housewives who cook deliciously, even though they have never heard of a recipe book. Of course, for a career it’s good to constantly “mix” in the profession and accumulate certificates from courses, short-term schools and master classes.
In Paris, the culinary capital of the world, aspiring chefs are hired by prestigious restaurants and work there for free to learn. This practice is widespread throughout the world and opens up wide career opportunities for everyone, including our certified compatriots.
Entering the world stage
Having worked your way up to the level of a good specialized specialist capable of leading a small team, you can stop.
To gain international experience and create a name for yourself in the restaurant business, you need to join a team with the best in the business. If you don’t have connections and don’t catch opportunities, culinary schools will help out. Students from the right schools get their chance: the best teachers and internships in the same high-status institutions and in the most famous teams.
In Russia and the CIS this business is in its infancy. We have schools for professionals, but they do not provide a comprehensive approach to training and are designed for short-term professional development. What about management, leadership, personnel management?
International culinary schools
Classical culinary school is studied in Europe. These are France, Italy, Spain, and there are schools with a good reputation in London. The cuisines of these countries are a base to which you can add the study of any cuisine in the world.
Important point: To study abroad you need to know at least English. And even better - the language of the country of study. Therefore, you need to decide on the geography of your specialization in advance. To learn or improve a language to a conversational level.
To figure out where to point your feet, think:
- Which countries' cuisine inspires you the most?
- What cities do you associate with great cuisine?
- Are you interested in achieving professionalism in any specific area, for example, becoming a Vietnamese cuisine guru and learning about Asian fusion?
Globalization is doing its job. Chefs from different cultures exchange experiences, recipes and ideas. Your weight as a chef will increase if you understand several culinary traditions at once.
International culinary academies provide more than a chef's diploma. They provide access to regional cuisine, top restaurants, work with celebrity chefs and practical knowledge of international cooking.
USA
Thus, American training programs develop a network of international partnerships and send their students to gain experience through work-study programs, where they combine work and study. They give their students the opportunity to travel and study cuisine in places around the world, and then also receive a diploma of higher culinary education (Culinary Arts Degree). And this is the main advantage of studying in the States.
Among the highest culinary schools in the United States they note: French Culinary Institute in New York and California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.
Europe
Thoughts of France, England and Italy are associated with a rich culinary heritage and noble traditions. European students learn to cook like they did three hundred years ago, they know classic “haute cuisine” recipes, which are poorly susceptible to modern trends and innovations.
The gold standard for chef training is the French culinary tradition. In Paris, he is supported by the most famous international culinary academy of the blue ribbon, Le Cordon Bleu.
Blue ribbon
When we talk about European culinary traditions, first of all we talk about Le Cordon Bleu schools. This is one of the most important culinary schools in the world, originally from France. The principles of classical French cooking are taught and promoted here.
Today, Le Cordon Bleu schools are open in 35 countries. 18 schools in the USA, several in Asia, New Zealand and three in Europe. All together they graduate 20 thousand people a year. Although not all students become professionals, some study simply to be able to cook well.
Important: branches in Paris, London and Ottawa are managed by the school itself. Establishments in other cities are opened as franchises, that is, they simply buy the brand and operate it themselves.
Types of culinary schools in Europe:
Commercial Hospitality and Restaurant Management Schools
They train professionals with international diplomas and qualifications that will be appreciated in restaurants around the world. The training programs develop students' skills in preparing and presenting food, introducing them to à la carte gastronomy, confectionery, and kitchen management. They study from one semester to two or three years, practice a lot, and train with famous chefs.
What is important for future chefs is that in Europe they pay a lot of attention to the development of communication and management skills, leadership qualities, and the ability to work in a team. As part of your studies, you can take a course in management and business management. This experience will take you to new career heights.
For example: BHMS Hotel Business School in Switzerland.
Commercial culinary arts schools that provide graduate degrees
They also give international diplomas as a cook, sous-chef, pastry chef, sommelier and open doors to popular restaurants in their countries. They teach international standards of cooking and provide specialization in local cuisine. There are no programs for restaurant managers.
For example: Academy of Chefs in Terni, Italy; Swiss Institute of Culinary Arts; Manchester City University.
Small private cooking schools
They accept amateurs who want to train as cooks and professional chefs. The popularity is based on teaching the intricacies of local cooking. To become a master of Catalan cuisine, of course, you need to go to Barcelona. And in Bolonia they teach the same Mediterranean classics, but in the Italian version. And so on.
Here are examples of such schools: Cook and Taste in Barcelona, International Cooking School in Bologna, Cooking ala Turka in Istanbul.
Canada
Canadian cities are multicultural by definition. The local cuisine is based on the traditions of the northern Indians and a mixture of gastronomic habits of Canadian residents who arrived from all over the world. French fusion and English gastronomy traditions shape Canada's colonial heritage. For example, they are very fond of Yorkshire pudding and dried venison according to ancient recipes from Indian tribes. The country's geography with harsh climatic conditions has added wild poultry meat and a love of smoked meat to the Canadian diet. The professionals at the Canadian culinary school know very well how to cook venison, fern or poutine - French fries with pieces of cheese and sauce.
