Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers

June 10, 2010 by admin · 5 Comments
Filed under: Eating 


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WINNER: 2008 Gourmand World Cook Book Awards: Best Food Book for Professionals “In these difficult times, jobs are probably the most important issue, before banks or real estate … FOOD JOBS is packed with practical information, easy and even funny, very serious and accurate in its comments and advice. It is difficult to imagine how it could be better.”
- Edouard Cointreau, founder and president of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards Do you want to turn your passion for food into a career? Take a bite out of the food world with help from the experts in this first-of-its-kind What Color Is Your Parachute? for food related careers. Maybe you’re considering culinary school, maybe you’re about to gradu… More >>

Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers

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What is needed for a career in architecture?

May 22, 2010 by admin · 7 Comments
Filed under: Bob's World 

I am considering a career in architecture. My major is math and they don’t offer a program in architecture in my college. I really don’t want to have to transfer schools so I was wondering what I should do? Is there anything I can do for a graduate or do I need to go back for another degress?


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A Career in Food Service Industry

April 5, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Eating 

Food Service: The Mover Of The Culinary Arts

The Food Service Of The Present Age

There are a few restaurants nowadays that can really sweep you off your feet from merely displaying their exquisite style in food serving. Years ago, food serving was an art that was practiced like a ritual. This is because, for one, people were so deeply religious that even the preparation of the food was a cause of celebration and joy. Two, people used to have all the time in the world that even the preparation of food was made into a beautiful ritual of blessing.

Of all the people in the known world, the Japanese has managed, up to now, to maintain rituals that they have observed all throughout their life, of which include preparation and serving of food and drinks. In fact, they have this so-called tea ceremony for special events like weddings or funerals, with teas served in little cups. Most of Japanese food preparations and rituals are meant as an offering to their master, teacher, deity or God. In some other parts of the world, like in Africa, for example, there still exist more radical rituals such as dancing or the banging of congo drums to exalt their God. The food were said to be a gift from their God and they are dancing out of joy for the blessing.

Such rituals of food service are colorful memories of tradition that is slowly being forgotten. Notwithstanding the lost tradition of food serving, some people still do understand the importance of proper food serving.

The Civilian Food Service Manager

In the modern age, a hotel or food chain or restaurant needs food service managers who can direct and organize food attendants to prepare and serve the food to the customers or guests. Food service managers are normally found in first-class hotels, restaurants or cafeterias. The work of the food service managers, however, is so much streamlined into the process that sometimes a food service manager has other responsibilities in tow. In fact, there are instances when the food service manager is also the restaurant manager, two managerial jobs for a single person.

Over the years, nonetheless, the continuous integration of work processes in the food industry and the automation and improvement of some of the process lines simplify the work of food service manager. Today, the food service managers can also be the restaurant manager, food service directors or dining room managers.

In some five star hotels, however, there are special areas in food management that needs keen supervision. In such cases, hotels or restaurants hire a food and beverage manager, a kitchen manager, a banquet manager and catering manager, depending on the needs of the hotel.

Duties Of A Civilian Food Manager

A civilian food service manager is tasked to hire his own serving and food preparation staffs, must write his planning menus and food utilization techniques, and must enforce compliance to current food, health and fire regulations. Certain nutrition standards by the government, such as iodine requirement in food, must be enforced properly. So, the work of a food service manager is to be thorough in planning from beginning to end. This planning will revolve around the expected number of guests, the popularity of the establishment, the nutritional value and palatability of the food and most importantly, the over-all cost of the menu.

Planning is not very easy when you think of the randomness of the number of guests or customers of the establishment. A food service manager will have to periodically review the existing menu of the restaurant and assess the recipes based from comments received from customers. Any comment, such as too much salt or too sweet a food, is a major concern for a food service manager. He also needs to assign appropriate prices to the menu items. The feedback from the guests is not only to be able to determine the possible labor and overhead costs but also to continuously improve the service to the customers.

He will also direct and organize training programs for his workers, evaluate performance of each workers and resolve existing problems between personnel, if there is any. It is important for the food service manager to be able to keep-high the morale of his workers to make them more effective in their word. In serious situations, he will have to investigate and resolve conflicts not only between his staff but also between a customer and staff, or complaints by the customer regarding the quality of food, service or accommodation.

A food service manager also makes sure of the economical use of raw food materials and the timeliness of food preparation by coordinating assignments of food preparation to different personnel. He is also tasked with the estimation of food and beverage consumption in relation to the existing stocks in the pantry.

The tiring part in the work of a food service manager is monitoring. The monitoring of methods in food preparation, size of portions and food preparation, although very exhausting, should be done regularly. Aside from this, he will also have to monitor the performance of his staff, the budget and the payroll records.

The Military Food Service Manager

The military food service manager, on the other hand, works in a military organization. This is necessary because there is a need for organization when feeding hundreds or thousands of service members every day. The daily meals are carefully planned to suit the diet and nutritional requirements of soldiers.

Even in a battle, there exists a food service manager that directs the food requirements. This is very important since there have been records in military history of battles lost due to famished soldiers that have become weak both physically and morally.

Duties Of A Military Food Service Manager

In comparison, a military food service manager has fewer duties than a civilian food service manager. He merely manages the cooking and food serving preparations in mess halls and directs the operation of the officers’ dining halls. He also determines the staff and required equipment for the dining hall, kitchen and meat cutting areas. He is responsible for setting standards for food storage and preparation and estimates food budget. In doing this, the military food service manager will be able to maintain the nutritional and sanitary standards in food service facilities.



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Build a Dream Career in Architecture

October 3, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Bob's World 

In India, the construction and real estate is seeing a positive boom. The focus has shifted from just basic functionality to aesthetics, comfort, luxury and style. Hence, the demand for good architects is also on the rise. Architecture involves planning and designing of building and structures. A good architect can create marvels that remain as a testimony to his talent for ages. Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, pyramids of Egypt, Hotel Burj Al Arab, and many more like these are masterpieces of ancient and modern architecture. Today, architects need to blend their vision and dreams with materials to come up with structures that are high quality, with good functionality and environmentally friendly too.

 

Architects are required to design a variety of structures such as houses, apartments and colonies, shopping and commercial complexes, offices and industrial complexes, hospitals, hotels, airport terminals, schools etc. They are also required if a building has to be renovated or repaired. Thus, the demand for architects will never dwindle.

 

All those who are looking to make a career in this field have a few things to keep in mind. Ideally, students good at physics and mathematics are better suited to study architecture. To become an architect, one should have creativity with an interest towards designing. It is beneficial if one can also sketch and draw with a free hand. One should be socially and environmentally aware apart from being technically and mathematically sound to become a good architect. Of course, good communication skills, physical ability to work on the site, high concentration level, flexibility, patience, team spirit, responsibility and accountability can take one a long way in this field.

 

There are good training courses in architecture offered by institutes across India. To apply for a course, one should have completed higher secondary education with physics, chemistry, mechanical/ engineering drawing and mathematics, with a minimum of 60 percent marks. Most of the schools conduct entrance tests through national and state level entrance examinations. For entry to undergraduate programmes in government and private institutes, national level entrance examination is conducted by the Council of Architecture. However, there are separate state level tests too, such as one conducted by Tamil Nadu. Indian Institutes of Technology also offer architecture programmes. Entrance to these programmes is through the Joint Entrance Exams (JEE) held in May each year. Other than theses, one has to appear for an aptitude test to ensure admission.

 

 

The degree course B.Arch is a 5 year course. After the graduate course, one can also study architecture at the post graduate course which varies from 18 months to 2 years.

There are various good institutes that offer courses in architecture. School of Planning & Architecture in New Delhi offers two Undergraduate Programmes leading to Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture and Planning. The Bachelor of Architecture is a five-year programme. The school also offers the Master’s and Doctoral Programmes in Architecture. SPA offers a 4-year programme in Bachelor of Planning. 

 

Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA) is another good institute. The college conducts a five year course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) The admission is made on the basis of the Common Entrance Test (CET) and Architecture Aptitude Test conducted by the Punjab University.

 

Based in Mumbai, the Sir J J School of Art conducts a 5-year course in Bachelor Of Architecture (B Arch). and a 3-year Master Of Architecture Degree. The institute also offers short term courses in computer education relevant to architecture after college hours.

 

Apart from these, there are other good schools like School of Architecture CEPT, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad; Lucknow University, Govt. College of Architecture; Goa University, College of Architecture; Indian Education Society’s College of Architecture, Mumbai; Pune University, Marathwada Mitra Mandal College of Architecture; Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, School of Planning & Architecture, Hyderabad; Kerala University, College of Engineering, Thiruvananthpuram; Anna University, School of Architecture & Planning., Chennai; IPS Academy, School of Architecture, Indore; Bengal Engineering College, West Bengal; Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon; Vastu Kala Academy, School of Architecture & Interior Designing, New Delhi.

 

Some architects go in for specialization in India and abroad. The fiels of specialization could be urban designing, regional planning, building engineering and management, architectural conservation, industrial design, landscape arhitecture, naval architecture, architecture concerning traffic and transport planning etc.

 

There are a lot of avenues to choose from for architects. There are opportunities available in government as well as private sectors. The government organisations include Public Works Department, the Archaeological Department, Ministry of Defence, Departments of Railways, Post and Telegraphs, Public Sector Undertakings, National Building Organisation, Town and Country Planning Organisation, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Housing and Urban Development Corporation, National Building Construction Corporation Ltd., City Development Authorities etc. One can also go or private practice and start own firm and become a successful architect. After all, it requires dreams and good vision to make a mark in this industry.

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Geetika Jain writes on behalf of Shiksha.com. Shiksha.com is an education portal that connects education seeker with education provider. Shiksha.com has wide information over Architechture colleges, Professional colleges and courses. Its education forums enable its users to seek opinion of students, alumni and faculty of colleges and schools through College Groups and School Groups.