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Principal speak: We provide training in presentation and communication skills too, says Atul Gokhale, director, SSCA
He says that Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts will be starting three new culinary programmes directed at various culinary segments.
Atul A Gokhale is an accomplished chef with 30 years of experience in the field of hospitality teaching, administration, and hotel industry in India and abroad. He holds Master’s in Business Administration and is a hotel management graduate from Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) Bhubaneswar. He is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) and master trainer from the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) USA.
What steps are being taken to enhance student skills?
Culinary learning is a highly skilled profession where the aspiring culinarian requires to master cooking. However, the entire food landscape is changing. Social media is driving food purchase with 1 in 10 consumers across the world influenced by social media to purchase food & beverages. Social media has become a powerful medium for food lovers as sharing posts regarding food has becomes increasingly important for many. Far from being armchair chefs, youngsters today want to explore careers in culinary professions. And at Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts, we offer programmes that apart from enhancing the cooking skills, the students learn skills required for new age culinary professions like food styling, food photography, food blogging, food journalism, food presenting, etc.
Tell us about your college?
Symbiosis School of Culinary Arts (SSCA) is a premier state-of-the-art culinary arts school under Symbiosis International (Deemed University) located at picturesque campus at Pune. Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the chair professor and we have highly qualified team of professional chefs to train youngsters.
Our flagship three years’ full time B. Sc. (Culinary Arts) programme prepares aspiring young culinarians for the wide and ever growing culinary field. The programme is dedicated for a holistic culinary skills learning.
We have part time diploma in bakery and confectionery programme which is very popular among young girls and housewives. Most of them look to start their own baking and confection ventures after finishing the course.
What are your plans for the future?
SSCA is expanding to include research and innovation in culinary aspects. The platform will increase industry and academic interaction for developing newer food recipes and food trends. We are also starting three new culinary programmes directed at various culinary segments.
With increased interest among entrepreneurs to invest in food business, we have created Post Graduate Diploma in Culinary Entrepreneurship programme. The failure rate in new food businesses is very high due to lack of understanding of nuances of operating food ventures. Our advanced diploma in Global and Contemporary Cuisine programme is aimed to enhance skills of professional chefs/ culinary students about world cuisines and newer food trends. Our short term weekend certificate courses provide specific specialisations like cake baking & construction, sugar and chocolate confectionery and laminated pastry.
What are you doing for the students in terms of upgradation?
Today a culinarian or chef is a person who needs good presentation as well as communication skills. We provide training on these essential elements to our culinary students along with technology skills. Students get to learn global culinary skills and also have to undergo ISO certification in food hygiene and sanitation. These universal skills make them ready for jobs anywhere in the world.
