Category: CAREER

In the culinary world, obtaining a Michelin Star is a demanding process of dedication and skill. The discussion herein is to educate you about what a Michelin Star is and the criteria in which a restaurant is judged to earn one. Have you ever dreamed of earning a Michelin Star? The professional chefs at OTTIMMO Culinary Academy will guide and train you to achieve your dreams and goals.  

What is a Michelin Star?

For those who are unfamiliar, a Michelin Star is a prestigious award given to restaurants for achieving culinary excellence. These guidelines were developed in 1900 by the Michelin tire company, and now they are a component of the Michelin Guide. Every year, this book is released for every major city in the world to identify the top eateries that meet their exacting standards. Let’s review the requirements to receive this award.

5 Criteria to Receive a Michelin Star

• High-Quality Ingredients
• Cooking Techniques and Flavours
• Menu is Original and Unique
• Value for Money 
• Maintaining High Standards

High-Quality Ingredients

This is probably the most obvious answer for achieving a Michelin Star, but high-quality ingredients are not only limited to expensive items. Chefs must source the best ingredients regardless of cost. This levels the playing field for any restaurant, despite the price. 

That means even a small food stall can earn a star. There are locations in Singapore selling street food that earned a star, where the cost starts at 23,000 Rupiah per plate. This gives hope for any business wanting to achieve this prestigious award.

Cooking Techniques and Flavours

Using ordinary ingredients combined with a masterful technique and thoughtful flavour fusion can elevate a dish. The chef can combine any combination of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, or umami flavours on the menu, but they must work well together to provide the diner a memorable meal.

Menu is Original and Unique

The chef’s personality should be seen on the plate for Michelin inspectors. Showcase creativity and distinctive abilities for the cuisine. An important factor in deciding whether to give a restaurant a star is an ability to recognize its own personality.

Value for Money

This can be a tricky concept for a fine dining restaurant, but if the food, service, and ambience are impeccable, the diner will have a memorable experience. As long as the total fine dining package is flawless, then the value for money is worth it.

Maintaining High Standards

Consistency in carrying out the menu with perfect accuracy each and every time. Before granting the star, the Michelin Inspectors will randomly visit the restaurant six times to make sure the strict requirements are upheld. These restaurants are not permitted to have a bad day; the food presentation must be perfect even if the head chef is taking the day off.

Who are the Michelin Inspectors?

The Michelin Inspectors are sworn to secrecy, but it is known that they are veteran hospitality professionals who have been hired on as full-time inspectors. They travel 3 out of 4 weeks per month, tasting on average 240 restaurants a year. 

There are only 120 inspectors worldwide in 30 countries with the ability to award a Michelin Star. The inspectors drive up to 30,000 kilometres per year. This exclusive club is driven by a passion for flavourful food and a curiosity to discover the next great restaurant worthy of a Michelin Star.

Michelin Guide has Arrived in Canada

Fourteen Michelin Stars were given as a start to the celebration of the Michelin Guide’s inaugural publication in Toronto. The federal tourism minister said that this is a tremendous opportunity for the city of Toronto to be recognized as a global culinary destination.

Also, a restaurant with a French-inspired menu that has regularly been called one of the greatest in the world, is a notable recipient of the prize. Another honouree, Don Alfonso, which opened in 1890, was once awarded the top Italian eatery outside of Italy. Twelve establishments received one star, which is considered to be “very good.” The sole establishment to receive two stars is Sushi Masaki Saito, which has “outstanding cooking” and is “worth a detour,” according to the book.

As you can see, the Michelin Star is a prestigious award. You must possess outstanding abilities and expertise if you ever get the chance to cook at a one-to-three-star restaurant. Why not kick start your career journey at OTTIMMO International Academy? The chefs are top-notch, the facilities are first-rate, and they will teach you the skills you need to secure a Michelin Star for your future restaurant.

Culinary business opportunities in Indonesia are plentiful and dependent on current trends as led by public opinion and popularity. Good fortune will surely follow if you find a niche and a good marketing strategy for your business concept. OTTIMMO Culinary Academy in Surabaya can provide you with all of your knowledge and professional guidance. The chefs at OTTIMMO will refine your culinary skills and your education to help you with this big business decision.

The evolution and innovation of new styles and techniques are what make the culinary industry so exciting.  Indonesians love their spicy foods without a doubt and have no limit to the types of snacks that they eat at any time of day. The wonderful culture and diversity of people here allow for some of the best flavours and an abundance of choices for food. Let’s review some popular types of food to consider for opening a business.

Banana Nugget

A new craze that’s grabbing chefs’ attention is the banana nugget business. Similar to Pisang Goreng, but prepared differently, these tasty treats are made with sweet bananas that get covered in flour and breadcrumbs, then fried until a little dry. Topped with a variety of flavours like chocolate, cheese, green tea, or Ovaltine among an assortment of others. The result is sweet, crunchy, with melted topping which is just perfect for dessert lovers.

Takoyaki

Takoyaki, originally from Japan, has been adopted by Indonesians and is presented with a twist. The traditional flavour is supposed to be stuffed with octopus, but here in Indonesia, the ingredient used is a different variety such as meatballs, sausage, chicken and cheese. These small snacks, approximately 3-5 cm, made from wheat flour, are fried in a pan with several semi-circle balls and flipped using chopsticks.

Martabak

Martabak is a traditional Indonesian street food that comes sweet and savoury. The savoury one is made with a thinly stretched wheat dough that is overlaid and gathered onto an egg and minced meat filling. The filling consists of egg, shallot onions, coriander, and added meat minced chicken or beef. For the sweet one, it is made with a batter that is filled with butter, chocolate sprinkles, freshly grated cheese, a drizzle of condensed milk, and peanut and sesame seeds added on top.

Now that you have a few great ideas for the types of food to sell, let’s review some business strategies on how to sell it. A new method for having your food available to a larger audience is having a takeout menu available on Grab or Gojek. From the comfort of their home, customers can order your delicious food.

How about using a food kiosk cart? That’s a cheap and easy method to transport your food and to have it available for the public in a busy location. A food truck is a really convenient way of transporting your business anywhere, and it allows you to bring a wider variety of cooking methods and tools altogether. Don’t forget to share your location on social media to let your customers know where you’ll be.

You don’t necessarily need a restaurant to supply food. Consider a hot trend on how to make a considerably good income by selling baby food.  The examples used here are a sample of the wealth of food inspiration to create memorable meals for the culinary business opportunities available here in Indonesia. Become a foodpreneur through mentorship and teachings at OTTIMMO Culinary Academy in Surabaya. Learn how to create a business plan in order to secure funding. Choose your suppliers for fresh local produce. Get the government licensing, hire employees, advertise, and learn all of this invaluable knowledge as well as the hands-on kitchen skills with OTTIMMO. Discover more business ideas at OTTIMMO MasterGourmet Academy.

The culinary arts are an exciting career path to choose if you are passionate about food and have a creative edge, along with good attention to detail. It truly is a dynamic career path. Chefs are often praised and held in high regard and can be financially successful if you are willing to dedicate your efforts to the craft. Refine your skills and culinary education at OTTIMMO Culinary Academy, take out the guesswork; and learn the science behind the food. There are many unknown factors within the culinary business that the professionals at OTTIMMO will teach you with on-the-job training.

Why choose a culinary arts career?

How about the high demand for job opportunities? The food industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. There is a constant influx of employment postings for the tourism industry, on cruise ships, at resorts, theme parks, fine dining, personal chefs, and the list goes on.

Another reason is that it is ever-evolving and constantly changing. That said, you will never get bored because there is always something new happening. Menus are constantly changing due to seasonal ingredients, customer allergies, and the constant learning of new items and skills that will enhance your portfolio.

You can work around the world. The high demand for certified chefs can bring you to your desired vacation locations or favourite cities. Try your success in Paris by cooking French cuisine, or snowboarding in the mountains during your time off in the fancy European ski resorts.

Things To Keep in Mind

Before you can reap the benefits of becoming a professional chef, you must realise that there is a lot of hard work involved in climbing this competitive ladder. The hours are long and you will not have much social life because you will likely work evenings, weekends, and holidays. It is possible to get a 9-5 job but it’s not very common unless you work in a corporate setting.

This is a physically demanding job. Sometimes you may be stuck in a small kitchen with no proper ventilation. It can get extremely hot in the kitchen, and you must be able to be on your feet for many hours. Be aware that not everyone can achieve high food standards and work a rigorous, busy shift. That is why being well organised and having a good work ethic are so important in the kitchen.

Start Your Culinary Career

The long-term career opportunities are endless. As you climb toward the top of the ladder, there are bountiful career choices for management and or financial investment into new restaurants. Whether you love to travel or have a business partnership, it is truly a dynamic and exciting career choice. The hype of being a chef artist and having a culinary business is at an all-time high. People watch cooking competition shows, or learn recipes on YouTube, and want to be chefs. Come to OTTIMMO Culinary Academy in Surabaya to begin your training and immerse yourself in the world of culinary arts.

Attending a culinary arts program will allow you to learn the skills and knowledge that are required of a chef in the kitchen, which includes not only knowing how to cook but also how to create new dishes, how to keep the kitchen safe, how to run the kitchen efficiently and more.

Studying the culinary arts can help improve your life in many ways, including allowing you to improve the lives of the people you cook for as well. The following are just a few of the reasons why you should study the culinary arts:

1. A variety of career opportunities

There are a broad range of opportunities within the culinary arts fields. Career paths range from members of the preparation staff to head chef. Culinary arts training can provide the skills you need to safely prepare food and present it promptly in a visually pleasing way. With further education, you can even specialize in a specific area of the culinary arts, such as pastries. To become a chef, you could work your way up as you gain more experience. With a culinary arts education, you have the ability to start in professional environments and advance your career further.

2. Hands-on training

A culinary arts program will help prepare you for food safety, professionalism, entrepreneurship, and ethical practices. At OTTIMMO International, you will also get knowledge about food sanitation, cost control, entrepreneurship, wine, coffee, and many others along with learning how to cook in a variety of distinct and creative ways.

3. Try new flavors

An education in culinary school can give you the opportunity to try new flavors and experiment with the creation of dishes. You will be educated in flavor pairings and profiles that will give you the foundation and the potential needed to create culinary masterpieces.

4. Healthy lifestyle

Good culinary arts programs will teach you about nutrition. Many chefs these days have emphasized the importance of creating delicious dishes that are actually healthy in order to promote nutrition to their customers. This is the reason why the restaurants that offer vegan or plant based menus are getting popular.

5. Have the chance to travel the world

One of the advantages of going to a good culinary arts school is the opportunity to travel the world. Traveling the world will provide some enlightening experiences that will help to shape your view of life as well as your thoughts about food. OTTIMMO International will give you a chance to do an internship abroad, like to Europe, Asia, USA and Australia.*