Skip to content
Pathways
Back to the site Careers Privacy Terms Partners
LanguageEnglish
  • English
  • हिन्दी
  • मराठी
  • தமிழ்
  • తెలుగు
  • ಕನ್ನಡ
  • বাংলা
  • ગુજરાતી
  • മലയാളം
  • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
  • ଓଡ଼ିଆ
Open the app
  1. Careers
  2. Food, farming and hospitality
  3. Chef

Chef

Years of study: 1 to 3. Typical starting pay: under ₹3 lakh a year, as an indicative band.

Outlook Growing

On this page

  1. A day in this work
  2. Ways in
  3. Years, cost and pay
  4. Outlook and AI
  5. Try this week
  6. Check the facts yourself
  7. Careers close to this one
  8. See how well this fits you

A day in this work

You cook and run a kitchen: menus, suppliers, hygiene, speed and a team, in hotels, restaurants, cruise ships or your own place.

Ways in

  1. BSc in Hospitality and Hotel Administration (3 years) through NCHMCT JEE
  2. Diploma or craft course in food production
  3. Start as a commis in a good kitchen and rise

After Class 10

Any stream

Entrance exams to know

  • NCHMCT JEE
  • Institute tests

Years, cost and pay

Years of study
1 to 3
Whole-course cost, government or aided
₹2 to 8 lakh
Whole-course cost, private
₹8 to 25 lakh
Typical starting pay
under ₹3 lakh a year

Indicative bands from the pilot dataset (0.1 (pilot), 19 September 2026). Real fees and pay vary a lot by college, city and year. Check the official sites below.

No college, coaching institute, lender or study-abroad agent pays to appear on these pages. Pathways takes no money from them.

Outlook, and how AI is changing this work

Outlook: Growing. AI changes little of the daily work.

Hours are long and the early pay is low. Skill and reputation compound over time.

Try this week

Cook one full meal for your family on a budget and ask for honest feedback.

Check the facts yourself

These are official sites. Exam names, dates, fees and rules change every year, so confirm them there. Each link opens in a new tab.

  • NTA (runs NCHMCT JEE)nta.ac.in

Careers close to this one

  • Agricultural scientist or agri-entrepreneurFood, farming and hospitality
  • Hotel and hospitality managerFood, farming and hospitality
  • Fashion and textile designerDesign, media and the arts

See how well this fits you

Discovery in the app takes about eight minutes and gives each of these 52 careers a fit score from your own answers. It is free during the pilot, and nobody is asked for an email address or a phone number. Students under 18 need a parent or guardian to agree first, and children under 13 cannot join yet.

Start discovery Parents: start a family space

Career facts come from the Pathways pilot dataset, version 0.1 (pilot), 19 September 2026. Costs and pay are indicative bands. Check the official sites before you decide.

© 2026 Pathways. Back to the site · Careers · Privacy · Terms · Partners