The rise of celebrity chefs and TV shows like My Restaurant Rules are showing young Candidates that a career in hospitality can mean more than washing dishes out the back – and a new culinary and the hospitality Organization is showcasing the steps needed to get there. 

The Cooks for Hire, which has its first intake of the candidate in Vancouver in February is looking for young people interested in the new ways Kiwis like to eat, drink and be entertained.

And there's little doubt there is interest from that demographic of our society – according to Social Media Today, food is the most photographed subject on Instagram.

"The Cooks for Hire reflects Canada`s unique food culture, which is hallmarked by a diverse mix of flavors and cultures,". "As well as world-class produce from paddock, land and sea, there is also the driving passion candidates have to be innovative, finding new ways of doing things."

The organization will teach employees both traditional and modern skills, from classical cooking and service techniques to contemporary hospitality trends such as the global move towards relaxed fine dining, along with a stronger focus on provenance and sustainability.

"It's more than just skills, though, it's about giving guests a real experience — how to make restaurant and hotel guests feel genuinely welcome, how to create and serve top-notch dishes and drinks and how to tell the stories behind them, whether it's a cocktail or a three-course meal" says Domett.

"We are creating a placement environment to allow chefs and cooks to forge their own personalized ethos around food and service and further expand the global impact of Canadian-centric hospitality through a successful career."

The Cooks for Hire hands-on method of a placement agency, with tutors experienced in the industry, aims to help deserving candidates transform a passion for food and service into a long-term career.

"According to the Restaurant Association of Canada, it is estimated the industry will need another 55,000 skilled workers to meet demand over the next five years," says Domett.

"We want to redefine that and offering engaging training and learning environments is an important starting point."

To that end, the placement offered by the agency will be directly connected to chef’s jobs Canada in the industry. They are named after career paths students might want to take, including International Chef, Visionary Foodie, Restaurant Manager, and Entrepreneur Baker.

"We are focused on attracting more Candidates into careers in cooking and chefs in different organization like hospitality, restaurants by shifting perceptions around what 'working in hospo' can be," says Domett.

Also, the candidates will be placed into internships during their study to gain practical experience, then assisted to transition into employment, in association with big names such as Sofitel, Hilton, Cordis and Millennium Hotels and Resorts. There are also opportunities for students to work in Canada, for hotels such as the along with five-star resorts in Banff and Jasper in Canada.

"Training to be a chef is an excellent career choice, given the demand for jobs here and worldwide. It's creative, flexible, self-managing and highly engaging," says Walsh. "Best of all, many chefs go on to run their own business, and/or expand entrepreneurially in other ventures. It's a career that is only going up, with opportunities for every interest."

For more information about courses and enrolments visit The CooksforHire.