Studying Culinary Arts

Food-wise, Switzerland is synonymous with cheese and chocolates. But the country has also brought to the world dishes like muesli, fondue, Milchesuppe and Rösti. Swiss cuisine is heavily influenced by French, German, Italian and Belgian cuisines, owning to its proximity to these countries. This, coupled with the fact that the country is a popular tourist hotspot, makes it the one of best places to train as a chef.

Classrooms take the form of industry standard kitchens and learning is largely driven by practical application. These vocational courses include 4-6 month paid internships where you would be working at 5-star hotels and restaurants, including the likes of Ritz Paris. In addition to paid placements, students on these courses also get to attend workshops delivered by celebrity chefs, and visit restaurants, resorts and hotels.

Some of the most sought-after higher education institutions running programmes in hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts and management subjects are:

• Business and Hotel Management School
• Culinary Arts Academy
• Swiss Hotel Management School
• César Ritz Colleges Switzerland
• Hotel and Tourism Management Institute Switzerland

Salary and Career Prospects

Culinary arts graduates find work in restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, catering and food and beverage manufacturing companies.

Some of the roles they take up are Chef de Partie, Chef de Bar, Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine.

Salaries vary based on experience, qualifications, skills and location. As a guide, culinary arts professionals earn around CHF 55,000 a year (38 lakhs INR). With experience, this could go up to CHF 100,000 a year (69 lakhs INR)

Why study in Switzerland?

Switzerland is a dream destination for travellers and holidaymakers from all over the world. It is a very beautiful country and its scenic landscapes, snow-capped Alps, lakes and forests draw millions of tourists every year.

In addition to its natural beauty, Switzerland has a lot to offer in terms of outdoor sports, shopping, dining and leisure activities. It is a hub for luxury fashion and accessories (Swiss watches), artisans devices (Swiss clocks) and food and gastronomy (cheese and chocolates). Switzerland is also a major centre for banking, insurance, financial services, international diplomacy and technology.

Switzerland has some of the world’s highest concentration of ski resorts, spas, artisan shops and high-end restaurants and hotels.

The country’s official languages are French, German and Italian, although English is widely spoken.

Most international students are able to apply to stay back for a further 6 months after completing their studies.