If you’re passionate about culinary arts, you might be asking yourself how to become a chef in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan hospitality industry is always in demand of new talent. Getting a chef job will give you access to working directly with multiple personnel in the hotels and restaurants. The experience you can receive in chef jobs from preparing cuisines for food enthusiasts will certainly feel rewarding. So today, let us discuss the path to becoming a chef in Sri Lanka, step by step.
1. Culinary Schooling
The first step to getting ready for any job is to receive the necessary training and education for the job. The same goes for chefs. Culinary school is the best method to learn how to prepare cuisines to perfection. The most popular culinary school you can attend in Sri Lanka is the Ceylon Hotel School, also known as the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management. (SLITHM) You can also attend other institutes such as the Swiss Lanka Hotel School, Colombo International Hotel School, and William Angliss Institute.
Once you attend these schools, you will be given comprehensive training on how to cook multiple dishes and cuisines and the recipes. You will also gain an understanding of how to present food in an attractive, organized manner. In addition to that, you will receive training on how to communicate with customers and staff.
2. Receive related education
On top of your training, it’s best if you can receive educational qualifications related to your field. There are several hotel management degrees and diplomas you can pursue where you can gain theoretical knowledge. Many universities in Sri Lanka offer these courses. By pursuing an education in hotel management, you can become a head chef in less period of time, combining your skills and knowledge. You can become a restaurant cook, become a baker, or even become a head chef if you have the right knowledge to apply to your work.
3. Complete your training
Once you have completed your education and culinary school training, you must attend training at a hotel for a period of 6 months. This is professional cookery training where you will actively engage with the kitchen staff. Your work can be presented to customers and staff for tasting as well. During this period you can gain experience working in the field and get used to the nature of work. It will certainly help when you proceed with your career to become a head chef someday.
4. Apply for the job
Once your training is completed, you can either choose to continue working at the same hotel or apply to different hotels that you desire to work in. There are many reputed, well-recognized hotels and hotel chains in Sri Lanka. You can find vacancies for chefs, commis, sous chefs, and more on ikmanJOBS. You can include your educational qualifications and training in your CV in addition to other information.
5. Available career paths
Your career path will begin as a kitchen helper or a commi, but you have a long way ahead of you. Let’s discuss the salary ranges and the requirements for you to become a head chef, sous chef, commi, or kitchen helper.
Kitchen Helper
A kitchen helper needs to possess at least 6 months of experience, and educational qualifications or completion of the training at hotel school. Good communication skills are an advantage, and your salary will be based on your experience and skills. You might sometimes receive food and accommodation as well. The salary range for a kitchen helper is around LKR 30,000- 40,000.
Commi
A commi chef requires around 1-2 years of experience and hotel school training. Usually, commis should possess good communication skills. Their salaries range from LKR 15,000 to 65,000 depending on the level of experience and if the designation is Commi I, Commi II, or Commi III level. Food and accommodation are given in most hotels, so keep an eye out for such deals.
Sous chef
A sous chef assists a head chef in the operations and therefore requires a significant level of experience. Ideally, he should possess more than 2 years of experience along with training. Great communication skills are necessary to carry out this job. The salary range varies between LKR 35,000 to 85,000. You can choose to work as a sous chef either for a hotel or a restaurant.
Head chef
After 3 or more years of experience, you can start applying to work as a head chef. A head chef’s responsibilities are much broader as they need to spearhead the operations in the kitchen, including curating menus, quality control, and stock assessments. You will need a lot of experience and skills to become a head chef. The salary for a head chef ranges from LKR 80,000 to 120,000 or more depending on where you work and your level of experience.
Now that you have a good understanding of how to become a chef in Sri Lanka, go ahead and register yourself for the hotel school to lay your foundation. If you’re already experienced and looking for a job in culinary arts, you might find many vacancies on ikmanJOBS worth your while. We wish you all the best in your journey to becoming a chef.