Indian Students Turn to French Cooking Schools for Fine-Dining Careers

French cooking schools fuel fine-dining dreams of India’s young chefs

Students in India are turning to French cooking schools to acquire culinary expertise as they prepare for opportunities in the country’s growing fine-dining sector. Many of these students hope to use their training to open their own restaurants in India.

India remains fiercely proud of its culinary traditions, but its food industry is increasingly open to foreign influences, including French cooking methods and training. French cooking schools are attracting students who want to build careers and make their mark in the country’s expanding fine-dining sector.

Ambitions shaped by social media

“Ten or 15 years ago, there were far fewer young people dreaming of becoming chefs,” said Aabhas Jain, director of bakery and pastry training at Ecole Ducasse, a French culinary school also operating in India. “But with the rise of social media … today’s students have greater ambitions in this profession,” added Jain, 36, who is also part of the Indian School of Hospitality in Gurugram, just outside New Delhi.

The growing ambition among students reflects a change in how a career as a chef is viewed, according to Jain’s assessment. Their interest is tied not only to acquiring French culinary expertise but also to plans for building their own restaurants in India.

Demand from India’s growing hospitality sector

The demand for high-end hospitality workers is immense in the world’s most populous country, according to the source. Economic growth and the rise of a middle class that travels more are fuelling that demand. This group is also increasingly eating at plush establishments, creating further need for workers trained for the high-end hospitality sector.

Source: South China Morning Post