Category Archives: Hot Jobs

Improve Your Career Prospects by Upgrading Your Skills

Improve Your career prospects by upgrading skills
Hospitality is one of the world’s biggest industries. Career opportunities are many in the industry, but so is the competition. You will gain a good foundation in being a chef from reputed institutes like ACCLA, but it is important to keep upgrading your skills so you can set yourself apart.

Business management
You may be a great chef, but knowing how to run a business comes in handy when running a restaurant. Even if you are part of a restaurant team, knowing the basics of business management will help you understand how to cook food economically. Learning about budgeting, accounting and keeping tabs on inventory help greatly in any restaurant business, and more importantly if you hope to run a venture yourself sometime in the future.

Kitchen hygiene & sanitation
The most important factor in running a successful restaurant is having a clean kitchen. Learning about the best practices to keep your kitchen clean is an excellent skill to have as a chef. This also involves tips and tricks to deal with stubborn stains, odours and cooking mishaps.

First aid
All kitchens involve fires, sharp and pointy objects, and searing hot utensils. Accidents are bound to happen. Knowing first aid can help you avert disaster during an emergency. Learn about bandages and how to use them, dealing with burns and deep cuts, and also evacuation procedures in case of a fire are useful skills to have.

Creativity & innovation
On most cruise ships, chefs are expected to adhere to a set menu including presentation. However, there are instances when creativity can be utilised. One can attempt to use produce before they go bad in innovative ways, for dishes like soups of the day or daily specials. If they do have freedom, cruise ship chefs – like other chefs working in land-based restaurants – can experiment with menu design, adapting older recipes, creating new dishes, and trying interesting presentations.
In addition, creativity plays a huge part in sustainable cooking as well – using food scraps for stock, swapping imported ingredients for local seasonal produce in popular dishes, finding ways to use energy efficiently in cooking, choosing seafood wisely, and perhaps even nurturing your own kitchen garden for herbs and rudimentaries such as potatoes, onions, tomatoes and chilis.

Organisation & multi-tasking
To a novice, the kitchen or galley can seem a very chaotic place, particularly during service time. And if you do not have a method to the madness, things can get out of hand pretty quickly. Honing your organisation and multi-tasking skills is a great way to help you get ahead as a chef.
It starts with planning your day, even as a line cook, depending on your responsibilities. Knowing what you are going to be doing helps you stay on track. Being a good multi-tasker ensures you stay focused no matter what the unintentional additions to your day.

Being a team player
One of the most important skills to upgrade is learning how to work in a team. On cruise ships, chefs are part of very large teams, each with their own responsibilities but still just a cog in the wheel. Working well with colleagues, covering for others whenever required and lending a helping hand all help towards the end goal – serving good food on time.

Share

Why Passion is Required in a Cruise Ship Chefs Jobs

Why Passion is Required in a Cruise Ship Chefs JobsThe culinary world is a fast-paced, constantly evolving and hard working industry. Learning how to be a chef and keeping up with trends can suck the life out of you. This is the basic reason why it is so important to have passion for your work, particularly as a cruise ship chef.

Being a cruise ship chef is a demanding job

The world of cruise ship chefs involves hours of hard labour, behind the scenes. It is extremely rare that a cruise ship chef is called out by a guest to be thanked. You will probably be one of dozens working on the menu for the day, ensuring everything is up to standard. Having an undying passion for cooking will ensure that no matter how thankless your job is, how badly your day went down and how tired you are at the end of it, you will still wake up the next morning raring to go. Every day of your contract.

Evolution is the name of the game

Guests on cruise ships are no longer satisfied with the same food every day. Even classics need to be top-notch, treated with care and sometimes put a spin on to remain relevant. As a cruise ship chef, your job may require you to ensure that the menu developed by the company is followed to the T. This does not mean there is no evolution or change. Menus are often revamped from one season to the next, or you may be transferred to another vessel. Keeping the passion for being a chef alive will ensure you get through what might seem a mundane job to a point where you make the decisions.

The process of passion is baptism by fire

Passion is not just a heartfelt desire to do something for the rest of your life. It survives the test of time and the ravages of hard work. To do this, one must go through the process of passion. Whether it is a full-scale graduate course in hospitality or a series of rigorous short-term diplomas in culinary specifics, there may be days when you ask yourself if you are truly cut out for the industry. But this is where the passion for the culinary arts is born. If you love what you do, you will persevere through the short-term for long-term gains.

Learning is an important part of passion

In the culinary world, simply knowing you have passion is not enough. Learning is an important part of cruise ship chefs jobs, particularly in the fundamentals. Having a good grip on the basics is the foundation for tweaking skills and techniques even later in life. Keep an eye out for masterclasses by renowned chefs, tutorials and workshops to continuously learn new things and broaden your horizon.

Share

How to Prepare for a Cruise Ship Chef Interview

How to Prepare for a Cruise Ship Chef InterviewVying for a job that many others are hoping to get is always daunting. But it’s worth remembering that thousands have stood in your shoes before, and succeeded, whether or not on the first try. Still, there are a few key things to keep in mind when preparing yourself for your first interview to get a cruise ship chef job.

Appearance

As part of the wider hospitality industry, appearance makes a strong impression. Dress formally and decently. You needn’t look at branded clothes or fancy accessories. Clean, well-ironed skirts, shirts, trousers and dresses work well. Shine your shoes and wear clean socks. While a suit and a tie could leave a better impression. For those choosing to wear dresses or skirts, it’s best to play safe with regard to decency – hemlines should not be high, necklines not deep, and midriffs covered unless you are wearing a sari.

Body odour

This is an uncomfortable issue that many experience. Sweat and, thereby, body odour are amplified when one is nervous or anxious. This is worsened in tropical conditions where humidity is high. Most interviews will be conducted in an air-conditioned room but nervousness does not play fair. Try to stay calm by revising your answers to common questions, listening to music, meditating silently or engaging in other activities that relax you, so you avoid sweating. Choose clothes made of fabrics that breathe easily, such as linen, cotton and hemp. Take a shower before heading out for the interview, brush your teeth and wear deodorant or perfume.

Punctuality

This is extremely important as it shows your work ethic. Be at least 10 minutes earlier than your allotted reporting time. If you leave home early, it will ensure you do not have to rush and in the bargain, get hot and sweaty. It will help to confirm the exact location of the interview so you do not get lost. Request landmarks and specific directions beforehand, if necessary.

Research

Know a little about the company you are applying to. Websites can provide information about their area of operation and cruise ships, crew programmes that you might be interested in, perhaps even a particular cause that they support.

Understand the responsibilities of the role you are applying for and note down questions you may want to ask. If you know someone who works for the same company, speak to them about work conditions, opportunities for skill development and other details.

Prepare answers

It helps to have answers to questions many interviewers like to ask. They may ask you questions related to your knowledge and skills, such as the recipe to a particular dish, cooking temperatures and cleanliness routines. Interviewers may also want to know what your long-term plans are at work, about your strengths and weaknesses, and why you think they should hire you.

Other easy questions such as your favourite dishes to prepare or a cuisine you are proficient in, about your educational qualifications or the reason why you wanted to work as a chef.

For these, focus on the job you are applying for and ensure your answers show how you meet their criteria. Always answer honestly and try not to ramble on.

Above all, be confident.

Share

ACCLA Students Placed – February 2015

ACCLA Students Selected

 

Congratulations!! They have been placed on Oceania Cruises, Thomson Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ships.

Our Executive Cruise Culinary Program 1st Batch students & Galley Utility 2nd & 3rd Batch Students selected on 02nd & 03rd February 2015 have been placed via the Recruitment Trip conducted by Kamaxi Overseas Consultants Goa.

The client, was extremely pleased with the quality of candidates presented for interviews from  ACCLA in the Goa office.

Congrats to the ACCLA Students! All the very best to all of you, Visitation, Manoj, Sujeet, Vishal, Sandesh, Glen, Laxmikant, Socorro, Job, Anthony, Josil, Sweat, Ancio, Josfon, Aashish, Meghashyam, Jonas, Arjun, Baptist, Vialli, Mustafa Shaikh, Stevan, Seby, Joseph, Melvin & Mustafa!

Come join our extremely successful, Executive Cruise Culinary Program or Galley Utility Operations ProgramContact us for more details.

Share

ACCLA Students Placed – November 2014

Congratulations!! 9 ACCLA students have been placed on Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ships.

4 students from our Executive Cruise Culinary Program – 1st Batch & all 5 students from Galley Utility 1st Batch were selected on 24th November 2014 via the Recruitment Trip conducted by our sister company Kamaxi Overseas Consultants Goa.

The client, was extremely pleased with the quality of candidates presented for interviews from  ACCLA in the Goa office.

Congratulations to all the ACCLA selected students! All the very best to, Conceicao Niasso, Freddy Pereira, Cashbal Rodrigues, Joseph Ignattius, Zico Dmello, Cajetano Sequeira, Rollan Fernandes, Sebastian Mascarenhas & Nereus Barbosa!

Come join our extremely successful, Executive Cruise Culinary Program or Galley Utility Operations ProgramContact us for more details.

Share

ACCLA Students Placed – July 2014

Congratulations! They have been placed on an American Cruise Line, much before their course was completed! Our Executive Cruise Culinary Program 1st Batch students  selected on 24th July 2014. Awesome Work Boys! All the very best to all of you, Dip Thakur, Walter Godinho, Charles Fernandes, Broy Fernandes & Joffy!

Come join our extremely successful 100% assured placement, Cruise Culinary Chef 3 Month Course. Contact us for more details.

Cruise line career opportunities by Accla.

ACCLA Students Placed

Share

Kamaxi Overseas Consultants & The American Culinary & Cruise Line Academy

After the economic meltdown that struck in 2008, the world looks at employment opportunities in a very different manner. Some organizations changed their recruitment policies and brought in stricter rules, regulations and amended their employment policies, while other organizations used it as an excuse to take bribes and make false promises. Seeking employment in the country today can be very difficult and pose a challenge because not only is the selection criteria is a bit more on the tougher side,  but also the amount of candidates applying for any given position is far more greater than the actual number of positions available. This puts a lot of pressure on the Human resources manager who has to carefully select the candidate, after screening through a maximum number of resumes to find the perfect fit to that particular organization.

At Kamaxi Overseas Consultants, we pride ourselves on the work that we do. We recruit candidates for all hospitality positions in the Middle East such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Selections for qualified candidates are strictly on a professional basis and candidates are judged in line with their qualifications and work experience. These candidates go through a round of interviews with the Human resources manager and it is only after passing these interviews that they are put through the final round of interviews with the principal employer who comes from overseas to interview and select the candidates for their organization. For all culinary positions candidates not only have a verbal interview to attend, but they have to be prepared to undergo a trade test for the requested menu to be prepared, that is judged by the Dean of the college along with his army of Chefs.

One of our principal employer is world renowned Lenotre, who have a chain of restaurants not only in Paris and Cannes in France, but also in Kuwait, Jeddah, Bangkok, Riyadh and Doha. Highly known for its authentic French cuisine and fine dining, we have regular visits from the Chefs of Lenotre who come especially to select some of our best candidates for their exclusive properties. At Kamaxi Overseas Consultants we provide a variety of candidates who are trained and qualified in fields of bakery, confectionary, and other culinary operations. Given such a big option to choose from, the Chef’s obviously have a very difficult decision to make while selecting the right candidates for their prestigious organization. We display the best of our candidates to our clients without cutting any corners or indulging in foul play or illegal activities. At the end of the day the recruitment team is amazed by the choice of candidates we provide for their selection and approval and find it highly challenging to pick out the perfect one that would be an asset to their culinary teams.

We also have selections from the Flora group of Hotels who recruit our staff for their prime properties within the United Arab Emirates. The selection’s by the Flora group is not just confined to the culinary side of operations but there are vast options within the Front Office, Housekeeping and Food & Beverage departments as well. Once our candidates have been pre-screened and approved by our recruitment team, they are then physically interviewed by our HR manager and only after an approval by the Director their resume is scanned and sent across to the recruiting company, who in turn will schedule a Skype interview with the candidate should the employer not be able to physically attend the interviews in the country. Once interviewed by the employer and if the candidate is approved for employment with the company, then we at Kamaxi Overseas Consultants will provide all information and support from receiving the employment contract to ensuring that the visa and airline ticket is processed and medicals are carried out, to making sure that the candidate is on the flight to successfully join his new company overseas.

At the end of the day we are happy and pleased that we are able to assist our candidates in their search for employment and they in turn will recommend us to their friends and family.

If you are looking for a cruise ship career, then look no further.  Join the American Culinary and Cruise Line Academy and get yourself an employment opportunity within the cruise line industry. Not only will you earn yourself a diploma but you will now have the privilege to travel and see the world for free.

The American Culinary and Cruise line Academy is the brain child of the Director, Mr. Parixit Pai Fondekar who realized that there was a vast amount of potential young candidates in the country who were very eager to join the cruise lines. Today’s cruise lines call for the best, experienced and qualified staff to be part of the cruise line team and so he created a program to educate candidates in the art of cookery so that they would be well prepared prior to them boarding that cruise ship for the first time.  Putting together all his financial resources and all his experience of culinary operations Mr. Fondekar established his very own culinary school in Margao, Goa. With a highly qualified team of engineers and chefs  he was able to set up the culinary school similar to those as found onboard the cruise ships keeping in mind every safety and security regulation and making sure it would pass United States Public Health inspections should the need arise.

The institute is made up of a Garde manger, a hot kitchen, butchery, and a stewarding area for washing and cleaning of the dishes. Besides having  state of the art equipment necessary for running a smooth operation, the galley also boasts of the most sophisticated and modernized equipment such as a walk- in freezers, a buffalo chopper, tilting pans and an alto-sham for grilling foods. For baking purposes, there are heavy duty mixers for mixing the dough and convection ovens for baking them. There is also a conveyor oven especially for the baking of pizzas, etc.

Hygiene and Sanitation also plays a very important role at the American Culinary and Cruise Line Academy. That is the reason we practice the same cleanliness as we do onboard the ships. Our students are trained in USPH policies and taught the three bucket system for washing, rinsing and sanitizing their equipment and work stations. Maintaining food temperatures and procedures to handle meats and raw foods are also practiced at the institute.

Health is given a priority at the institute and students are asked to refrain from attending classes if they are medically unwell as we would not like other students to catch the sickness too. All students are requested to get a medical check done prior to joining the culinary course in the college. This is to ensure that no student is a carrier of any sickness or disease while working in a food production unit. The college provides first aid for minor situations such as burns and cuts. After completing his culinary program and before joining the ship, the candidate has to undergo another medical so that he can be certified that he is medically fit for the company.

All rules and regulations at the college are similar to those on board the cruise line. Students need to be well groomed and points are deducted if he is inappropriately dressed or not groomed well enough. Punctuality is also very important and students are fined if they are late to class. Eating in the galley is strictly prohibited and this is in accordance to the USPH principles which is strictly maintained in the college.

However not everything is work at the American Culinary and Cruise Line Academy. The institute has a lot more celebrations too. While Diwali, Christmas, Independence day are some of the holidays that are celebrated, celebrations are also in place for the students birthdays, which includes a birthday cake and some treats made by the chefs of the college to make that student feel a bit more special. The college also has an open day where families and friends can visit the institute to witness and sample some of the dishes whipped up by the students at the institute.

At the American Culinary and Cruise Line Academy, work is our motto and we strive to be the best!

Share