What’s cooking? Professional chefs and hospitality managers have new workplace: Private universities

The compensation factor coupled with work-life balance seems to be the most attractive point in private universities. (Illustration by Suneesh Kalarickal)

As competition rises among private universities in India, hospitality managers and chefs are finding a new place to continue their careers. And it comes with the added bonus of a better work-life balance apart from higher salaries and other perks.

Recently, staffing firm Randstad noted an increase in demand of around 10-12 percent for professional chefs by private educational institutes that are offering a range of job roles, including executive chefs, sous chefs, kitchen managers, food and beverage managers, and hospitality managers. These are for both fresh talent and seasoned professionals seeking a new start.

For instance, Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management or GITAM, an institution deemed to be university status, led an initiative nearly three years ago to develop a hospitality function from the ground up to completely revamp the level of accommodation, dining and facilitation.

Currently, the team of nearly 2,000 people includes top-notch professionals from some of India's finest hospitality brands such as ITC, Oberoi, Taj, Marriott, Accor and others to cover every aspect of student, faculty and visitor facilitation on campus. The focus of the hospitality function has been multi-fold, enhancing cleanliness standards, cutting-edge delivery, hygiene and sustainability.

"The hospitality team at GITAM is made up of top-notch professionals from the hotel and restaurant industry. We find this transition very enriching and, along with an improved work-life balance, and opportunity to focus on self-development and life goals," Hemant Bagga, director of hospitality at GITAM, told Moneycontrol.

One step, two focuses

Industry analysts say educational institutes are specifically targeting seasoned and senior chefs who possess extensive experience in the culinary field. Freshers or those with little experience are not typically the primary focus of institutes as of now. They are interested in professionals who can not only contribute to regular positions but also serve as visiting faculty, according to Sumit Kumar, a chief business officer at TeamLease Degree Apprenticeship.

He added that the reputation and association of these chefs with renowned brands or establishments hold significance for the institutes that are seeking individuals who are familiar with the latest advancements in kitchen infrastructure and can impart their knowledge to students.

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The compensation factor coupled with work-life balance seems to be the most attractive point in private universities. In some cases, the compensation premium can be between 50 and 100 percent.

"I have been on my toes for the past 15 years working in the hospitality industry—always awake and extensive travel, including offshore. We didn't have anything called work-life balance. Private universities seem to be the logical destination where there is ample opportunity to experiment in the next part of the career," said a head chef who has recently joined a Gurugram-based private university, bagging around a 50 percent hike on the previous salary.

However, Randstad is anticipating salary increments for these roles in the range of 8-10 percent.

"Educational institutes are now at the forefront of shaping the industry's future, offering attractive salaries and opportunities for career growth," said Yeshab Giri, Chief Commercial Officer, Staffing and Randstad Technologies, Randstad India.

Hospitality majors unaffected

While hotel majors agree that the rise of the educational sector as an attractive alternative career option does influence career choices for chefs and associated staff, they are confident of retaining talent.

For instance, Hilton said it offers employees opportunities to facilitate long-term growth. "It is imperative to constantly review and innovate internal policies, focusing on engagement, personalisation, and growth within the hospitality sector," said Sabu Raghavan, vice president of human resources at Hilton India.

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Nevertheless, the trend is expected to continue but has a silver lining for both industries. Experts say it will lead to the creation of more culinary talent within the country and, in fact, will push the hospitality industry to adopt a flexible approach like Hilton for its employees.

"Individuals consider the stage of their career and their passion for the hotel industry when making career decisions. Many individuals, particularly the younger generation, may prefer more comfortable working hours rather than the extended and irregular hours often required in hotel jobs," said TeamLease's Kumar.