Working in any new environment is a challenge, so being prepared to meet the situations that arise as a chalet host with confidence and knowledge is essential. Equipping yourself with a good standard of basic cooking techniques is the foundation to ensuring you have a successful and rewarding winter season and that your guests receive a level of food and service they deserve.
A Leiths Essential or Foundation Certificate Cookery Course, or similar, is one of the key things a potential chalet employer will look for. From the first step, learning about the tools of the trade; the knife set, this is the beginning of a journey of discovery. Careful and neat preparation work at the beginning of a recipe with help immensely with the uniformity and speed of cooking; so chalet guests are served perfect plates of food throughout their stay.
At Leiths, you will also be learning with all manner of cooking techniques and methods including vegetable, fish and meat preparation, foolproof baking methods to success with sauces. Gaining an understanding of how ingredients work together, why they do what they do and, equally importantly, why things do sometimes go wrong but learning how these events can be rectified, converting a potential disaster into another success. These building blocks will provide the necessary skills to become a confident, capable and efficient chalet host.
In a well planned, thorough cookery course, time will also be spent gaining an understanding of what ingredients are best suited to different methods of cooking or styles of recipe; for example cooking at altitude can affect certain dishes. Leiths teaches students to look for signs of quality when buying the raw ingredients, how to adapt recipes successfully when precise ingredients may not be available and costing out menus, so that you stay within your budget. Food hygiene and first aid are also covered, and are further certificates potential employers look for.
As preparation and cooking methods become more like second nature, a vital element to cooking, time management also begins to click into place. This ability to plan your time effectively will come from having an in depth knowledge of the recipes you are cooking and the methods required to deliver each of those recipes. Staying on top of clearing down and washing up as you work will give an impression to your guests that you are a confident and reliable host. It also means you can relax on the ski slopes, safe in the knowledge that you will return to a clean, calm kitchen. No guest wants to arrive back to a messy kitchen and have to wait for their food after a long day skiing. Remember they have paid for your services and they want a relaxing and enjoyable holiday; it’s down to you to ensure that this happens. Being friendly, polite, well turned out and flexible regarding dietary requirements and timings are all added elements to consider as well.
And remember, learning to cook is a skill for life.
"Being prepared to meet the situations that arise as a chalet host with confidence and knowledge is essential."
Written by Alison Cavaliero from Leiths School of Food & Wine. Leiths run 4 week practical cookery courses which will provide you with the skills needed to get a job as a chalet host.