Master cook courses in demand as youth eye food business

Men from across the Telugu States are enrolling in short-term cooking courses in Hyderabad to become master cooks or start tiffin centres. With low fees and high demand, the training offers a practical path to stable income and self-employment.

Hyderabad: It’s 7.30 am, and scores of men, the youngest being 18 years and the oldest 42 years, from diverse backgrounds gather at an institute at Balanagar. Natives of different villages of Telugu States and staying in hostels and rented independent houses in the city, carefully listen to their instructor, a man in his mid-30s.

No, the class is not about robotics, artificial intelligence, or computer science. Here, men have gathered to learn culinary skills to earn a decent livelihood. The tutor teaches the students how to prepare Dosa, Idli, Upma, Wada, Mysore Bajji, and various varieties of chutneys.

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“One can earn easily between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 a month, if they set up a tiffin centre at a prime location in the city,” said Kumara Swamy, of Rajeshwari Tiffins at Balanagar.

The training classes start from 7 am and continue till 11 am at the institute. “Six months ago, I started the classes and completed 22 batches. Tiffin centre owners and those interested in taking the job of master cook enroll and learn. The course is of one week’s duration,” said Kumara Swamy.

N Srisailam, one of the students from Miryalaguda, said there is a good demand for a master cook in the city and hence decided to enroll in it. “No work is big or small, as long as the earnings are handsome. I am learning culinary skills and will work at some tiffin centres initially and later set up one of my own,” he said.

Venu, who runs a coaching centre in Nalgonda, said that tiffin centres and hotel owners are also keen on learning cooking skills. “When the master cook goes on long leave or switches jobs, the tiffin centre owner or restaurant owner is in a problem. To be on the safe side and ensure business is not affected, the owners are keen on learning at institutes,” said Venu Master, who plans to start branches at a few places in Hyderabad.

The fee charged for the courses, spread between a week and a fortnight, is between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000.