Last Updated on July 28, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
Do you want to become a chef? If yes, culinary arts courses will be of help to you. Talking about culinary arts courses available in India, BCT & CA (Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts) is a very popular choice among culinary aspirants. In this article, you will be reading about BCT & CA course details, eligibility criteria, syllabus, admission process, further studies & courses, career prospects and job profiles.
Introduction
Culinary art is about all things cooking. It covers topics like food preparation, cooking, presentation of food and serving etiquette.
Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts course trains students in the above mentioned aspects and turn them into qualified professionals chefs, who are capable of working under supervised or independent setups (like Hotels, Resorts, Clubs, Restaurants, Bars etc).
The course is a holistic combination of catering technology and classic culinary arts. Pursuing this course is like getting best of both the worlds! One gets knowledge about modern day catering practices as well as culinary art aspects.
If you want to become a professional chef at high profile Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants and other such setups, BCT and CT course will be of help to you. Another good alternative option available in front of chef aspirants includes- BA in Culinary Arts.
Let us check out vital course details now-
Course details
BCT and CA stands for Bachelor of Catering Technology and Culinary Arts. It is an undergraduate level Bachelor’s Degree program.
Duration: Course duration is 3 years. Academic program is divided into 3 academic years. The academic program consists of classroom lectures as well as kitchen training and soft skill sessions.
Evaluation is done at the end of each academic year. Depending upon the institute, internal assessment may also be present. Evaluation is done through written test as well as practical examination.
Eligibility criteria
Students who have passed 10+2 board examination (any stream- Science/Commerce/Arts) from a recognized board are eligible to pursue this course. Minimum aggregate marks criteria may apply in case of some institutes (around 50% marks, may vary from one institute to another).
Admission process
Admission process may vary from one institute to another. Some institutes follow direct admission process. Some other institutes follow merit based admission process. When it comes to merit based admission, performance of a student in relevant entrance test and interview is taken into consideration. Seats are allotted to deserving candidates on the basis of merit marks scored by them.
Syllabus
When it comes to Culinary Arts courses, core subjects remain the same, irrespective of the program (BA, Diploma, BCT & CA etc). Let us check out the core subjects to get a better idea about the course structure.
- Food Production
- Food and Beverage Services
- Communication Skills
- Hygiene and Sanitation
- Kitchen Training
- Food and Beverage Matching
- Management and Organizational Behaviour
- Baking and Patisserie
- Material Management
- Culinary Art and Concepts
Note: Only important core subjects have been mentioned above. Along with classroom lectures, most of the above mentioned subjects also have kitchen training sessions associated with them.
Career prospects and job opportunities
Prominent places where BCT & CA graduates may find a job include-
- Hotels
- Resorts
- Clubs
- Bars
- Restaurants
- Cafeterias
- Catering firms
- Cruise lines
In the beginning, one may work at any of the above mentioned setup as a trainee chef. With time, one may rise through ranks, like- Chef, Sous-Chef (second in command of kitchen) and finally become an Executive Chef!
If working under someone is not your cup of tea, you may start your own venture. Having entrepreneurship skills and access to financial resources will help you start your own Hotel, Restaurant, Cafeteria, Club or Catering Service!
Also read:
Culinary Arts courses after 12th
After pursuing relevant management programs, such as MBA in Hotel Management, one may take on management related jobs in hotel management, hospitality and catering sectors.
Salary
Starting salary depends on numerous factors. Prominent ones are- profile of the employer, job location, skills of the employee etc. Average starting salary is around 15-30K Rupees per month. When it comes to self employment, earnings could be more or less than the above mentioned figures.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.