Studying Swiss Pastry and Chocolate Arts

If you’ve always fancied yourself as a chocolate maker or pastry baker, then Switzerland is the perfect destination for you.By sprouting brands like Lindt, Toblerone and Nestle, Switzerland wears the crown when it comes to producing some of the world’s best chocolates and desserts.

Swiss universities and institutions offer specialised programmes in pastry and chocolate making. 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 some of the best confectionary companies and 5-star hotels and restaurants. In addition to paid placements, students on these courses also get to attend workshops delivered by celebrity chefs, and visit restaurants and chocolate laboratories and factories.

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

Swiss pastry and chocolate arts graduates find employment in restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, catering and confectionary manufacturing companies.

Some of the roles they take up are Pastry Chef, Chef de PartiePâtisserie, Baker, Executive Chef and Chocolatier.

Salaries vary based on experience, qualifications, skills and location. As a guide, Swiss pastry and chocolate arts professionals earn around CHF 54,000 a year (38 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.