Fiercely proud of its culinary traditions, India is increasingly open to foreign influences, with French cooking schools attracting students eager to make their mark on the country’s growing fine-dining sector.
“Ten or 15 years ago, there were far fewer young people dreaming of becoming chefs,” said Aabhas Jain, director of bakery and pastry training at Ecole Ducasse, a French culinary school also operating in India.
“But with the rise of social media … today’s students have greater ambitions in this profession,” added Jain, 36, who is also part of the Indian School of Hospitality in Gurugram, just outside New Delhi.
In the world’s most populous country, the need for high-end hospitality workers is immense, fuelled by economic growth and the rise of a middle class that travels more and increasingly eats at plush establishments.