It is a matter of conjecture, whether chefs are born or made. The growth in hospitality industry has given rise to a growing demand for professional chefs. Here are some excerpts by Executive Chef Debojyoti Sarkar about this profession.

Q. What ingredients go into making of a good Chef?

1. Intelligence 2. Presence of mind 3. Visualization of cooking chemistry 4. Patients, for right texture & quality 5. Understanding the guest’s demand 6.Creation 7. Good Organizer 8. Good coordinator 9. Understand subordinate staff.

Q. Would you like to take some fresher as your assistant or someone with professional training?

Fresher will be the right choice – as one can mould the person as per requirement.

Q. How a fresher should sharpen his/ her culinary skills?

By proper guidance from the senior as well from the juniors too. Learning is a process which has no limit, same as never ending work.

Q.Tell us about the prospects in terms of financial satisfaction.

Slow and steady makes the base strong, which leads to your satisfaction in knowledge and finance.

Q. As a Chef what are your plans ahead? How satisfied are you with your choice of career?

Plans are always to grow with a good company, so that both are beneficiary. I am proud of my profession as a chef, i cherish all the success i have achieved so far as a Chef.

Q. What are the best institutes that an aspirant should target?

Institutes are all good, only the problems are with the atmosphere / surroundings make it different.

Q. Apart from creativity, what is the quotient that is required to become a successful Chef? How can we determine the rate of success in this field?

If any one wants do something in his life then no one can stop him to do it. Same way if your aim is clear to become a chef – slog out to reach the target, time will make you a Chef. Understand the chemical composition of ingredients, feel the test before getting into cooking. You may get success or failure and that’s called experimenting. This way you step into the channel of success. Now we have big market for Chef’s, and rate can be around 80% success. Remember -  “All Cooks cannot be Chef’s, but all Chef’s can be a Cook.”