The world of culinary arts is growing more rapidly than ever before – bringing with it an abundance of opportunities. Those with a passion for food can explore career paths in a rich and varied scape that is growing at a phenomenal rate-or even choose to pursue their own venture and realise their entrepreneurial potential.

An education in culinary arts is your gateway into a multitude of possible career opportunities in numerous sectors. Mastering culinary arts enables you to pursue a variety of job paths, and takes you through some of the most colourful, invigorating and creative environments found across the globe. While it is often regarded as one of the most fast-paced and challenging industries, it’s also one of the most rewarding.

When it comes to food and cuisine, it’s not about having a fixed skillset – it’s about knowing how to gain new skills, learn from others, overcome challenges and push yourself further in everything you do. Our programme gives you a strong base on which to begin your journey, equipping you with a toolkit to build upon, and a mindset for success and the knowledge to pursue new heights.

Culinary arts graduates can choose from a plethora of opportunities. Alongside the more traditional chef, sous-chef, private chef and restaurateur pursuits, they also excel in catering, food media, food styling, beverage and mixology, marketing and public relations, event management, research and development, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Many aspirants often don’t know which exact stream they want to specialise in – or the first career they want to jump into following graduation from a culinary programme.

The best way forward for those who are passionate about this filed but still not sure of which exactly aspect they want to master, should look for programmes that combine both theoretical knowledge with practical expertise – preferably within the industry itself.

Numerous institutes across the globe often offer programmes that allow students to partake in individual specialisation modules once they have discovered their area of culinary interest. Additionally, by combining this with intensive industry internships, students get to test their passion, their skills, and get a head start on a career they might not even have been aware of when they first began their journey.

To sum it all up – the world of culinary arts has less boundaries and restrictions than ever in today’s world. With the rise of culinary pop culture, celebrity chefs, hit reality TV shows and books, more people than ever are daring to pursue their newfound passion and find a foothold in the industry.

Within an industry as dynamic and vibrant as culinary arts, the best advice to anyone looking for a future in it is to build a culinary foundation -programmes are recommended for those who wish to pursue their own venture or have a strong grasp of business and project execution – and put it to the test in a real-world scenario. Budding young culinary enthusiasts shouldn’t worry too much about the logistics of their future plans; it’s about enjoying the journey and worrying less about the final destination.

The writer is founder and CEO, Indian School of Hospitality.