 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, Do the chalet companies do cookery courses for chalet hosts , in as much as train them to cook, then what to cook, rather than teach cooks what to cook. And if so , does anyone have any recommendations on who to go with ... TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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All chalet companies provide BASIC training for chalet hosts. If you are selected as a host some will send out their menu plans to hosts before the season starts so they can practice. There are several chalet host catering courses run on a commercial basis which if undertaken at your own expense, will give you a positive advantage in securing a role. Look at Natives.co.uk for further info.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My elder daughter (18 at the time)did the Natives Chalet Cookery course. Cost £600 ish, She got a job on the back of that. Younger daughter, now 20 is working a season in the 3Vs as an assistant host. She did no course.
All big TOs do a training week at the start of the season. That is the same as doing a course. IMHO if you apply now to all the big and small TOs you should get a job for next season.
Being pretty, sociable and outgoing are the assets that are the most important.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Can I just correct that last post. I promise you the week of training at the start of season IS NOT the same as doing a proper "cookery course". I have 10 years as a hotel or chalet manager and the difference between the two is marked. T.O's pre season chalet host course barely touches the surface of what is required. It's useful, and if you are already a proficient cook capable of following a step by step recipe book, (always supplied), and confident to cook for 6-18 people, the courses may not be necessary. A lot depends on your level of experience and confidence. As with life generally.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Old Man Of Lech, as well as being a resort manager your relationship with Natives is..........
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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| Can I just correct that last post. I promise you the week of training at the start of season IS NOT the same as doing a proper "cookery course". I have 10 years as a hotel or chalet manager and the difference between the two is marked. T.O's pre season chalet host course barely touches the surface of what is required. It's useful, and if you are already a proficient cook capable of following a step by step recipe book, (always supplied), and confident to cook for 6-18 people, the courses may not be necessary. A lot depends on your level of experience and confidence. As with life generally. |
+1. Training week is nothing like a cookery course. In the 5 or so training weeks I have done over previous seasons, very little was focused on cooking, I think I cooked a meal maybe twice at most per training course. With a cookery course, I was cooking each day...
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We did the orhardscookery course which was excellent.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I presumed each company would do a course of sorts by way of an introduction of what is expected, or what to expect etc including a "meal plan / recipe book" .... but, looks like a cookery course specific on top of that is required here where you are cooking everyday etc.
Will take a look through those suggested ...
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@limegreen1, I would encourage you to think about what you want out of a cookery course, and choose one, or not do one, accordingly. Some are really basic - i.e. starting with how to boil/scramble an egg. Others are aimed at competent cooks who want to learn how to do things faster and fancier. The course descriptions generally give you an idea of where they are pitched.
If you would be looking at the more basic end, then I recommend looking at other jobs(!), i.e. non-cooking chalet host, chalet assistant, kitchen assistant in a hotel. If you have to do a cooking course to get your cooking up to just a basic competency level, then you will struggle running a chalet kitchen. Nearly all companies except those employing exclusively professional chefs will have a fairly detailed menu plan for you to follow but there's no way you'll get to cook everything on the menu in training week. Stuff will happen that will require you to stray from the plan or rescue something that has gone wrong, and if you've only learnt the basic stuff and a set menu it will be difficult to adapt/fix stuff in the heat of the moment. Things that happened to me that meant I had to change plans regarding what I was cooking were: guests being late, me being late, guests stuffing the fridge full of their own food so I had no space to set the desserts, guests revealing at 7pm they don't eat something on the menu, oven malfunctioning, lettuce mysteriously going rotten in two days. So you need to have a sufficient back repertoire to make an omelette at the last minute, use the same ingredients to make something else, use some of tomorrows ingredients to make something else but still make it balance over the week etc.
If you are already a competent cook, you don't need to do a cookery course at all. We did one because we wanted to learn some fancier stuff, and have a holiday. It was run by Mountain Chefs in Sainte Foy over the summer. It had chaletish hours - a morning class from about 7:30-10:30am incorporating breakfast, then an evening class from about 4-8pm ending in dinner. We were free in the middle of the day to explore the area (there is great hiking around there).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Around five years ago my daughter did a specific week long cooking course somewhere near Dorking in the summer months.
This was NOT run by any TO / Chalet Co
What did happen was at the end of the week - they had so called interview preparation / practice and someone from Crystal HR came up to do that - and following week daughter had a job offer 
So reckon these courses are still being run, nothing that a bit of googling won't turn up.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Presumably the better chalet companies recruit experienced chefs, not just people who have done a short course?
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@pam w, that's why she ended up at Crystal 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
| Old Man Of Lech, as well as being a resort manager your relationship with Natives is...... |
And the point of that query in relation to Old Man Of Lech's helpful post is.....
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@limegreen1, the T/O my wife and i worked for, you did not need cooking qualifications, (Silverski) you just needed to submit a 2 week menu before the interview process, she went out there with her best friend. I was maintenance so no cooking skills required apart from changeover day fry-up for the other staff in my chalet.
But invariably they employed couples who have had experience of running a home together. when chefs were employed they were normally posted to larger chalets that had several single personnel working in them as well. we had a couple of weeks together pre-season going around each others chalets in resort having trial meals, so as any problems were ironed out before guests arrived.
it wasn't top of the range, but no one seemed to complain, as it was hearty meals required after a hard day skiing!!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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I gather that The Grange is one of the best known for cookery courses and chalet courses in particular. I also get the impression that the old days of an 18 yr old girl with a one week course under her belt are fading into the distance. From what I hear, most of the chalet companies now expect a great deal more...... But I could be wrong about that.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You don't say how old you are. If you are 18-20 it will be quite hard to get offers from anyone other than the big TO's, and they will almost certainly want some proof that you can cook, which at that age means doing a course.
Both my kids have done seasons. My son got no offers until he'd done a course, my daughter did a course first and got several offers, but all from TO's. Smaller companies and chalets generally want older hosts.
The start of season training with the big TO's and is not a cookery course, although it does include familiarisation with cooking the menu you will be expected to cook.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Marcellus & Mountain addict. To be clear. As I am "retired" and take a lot of interest in all things mountain, I commented on the number of SPAM posts appearing on the Natives website. I was invited to be an "administrator", which I accepted and spent the next month deleting and barring from the site all those idiot spammers. I have no other connection with the site except to try and keep it clear. Hope that may clear up any misconceptions?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The Chalet Host Company in Morzine always has excellent reviews and organises employers to come in and interview at the end of each course. They teach the whole lot including how to survive/ manage early changeovers which is normally the toughest challenge 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| Marcellus & Mountain addict. To be clear. As I am "retired" and take a lot of interest in all things mountain, I commented on the number of SPAM posts appearing on the Natives website. I was invited to be an "administrator", which I accepted and spent the next month deleting and barring from the site all those idiot spammers. I have no other connection with the site except to try and keep it clear. Hope that may clear up any misconceptions? |
Apologies, I'd seen the work that you were doing and wrongly assumed you were an employee as historically all "administrators" there have been!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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OK. No problem
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Thanks for all the input. My son is 22 and has cooking experience, and would be OK with the chalet course, but he is looking for a more in depth cooking specific course to put onto his C.V. Mountain Chefs, BDL st Foy, the hive or any of the cookery courses run in chalets seem to be what he is after.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 3-04-16 18:22; edited 1 time in total
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@limegreen1, equally i think any of the "UK Based Chalet Cookery" courses like Orchards, Natives etc etc would be money well spent as cooking in a chalet at altitude is different from normal cooking.. It's no wonder a lot of operators cherry pick delegates.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| Marcellus & Mountain addict. To be clear. As I am "retired" and take a lot of interest in all things mountain, I commented on the number of SPAM posts appearing on the Natives website. I was invited to be an "administrator", which I accepted and spent the next month deleting and barring from the site all those idiot spammers. I have no other connection with the site except to try and keep it clear. Hope that may clear up any misconceptions? |
Good on you. I was a frequent poster on there until it went belly up a few years ago. Out of interest, wasn't Natives bought up two or three years age, or did I get the wrong end of the stick?
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I'm still surprised (but pleased) that the big TO's haven't 'de-skilled' the kitchens, with a centrally produced menu and centrally co-ordinated purchase and delivery. I know Ski Beat toyed with a 'corporate menu cycle' a few seasons ago but most seem to have resisted going the whole centrally controlled method.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| sequoiaboard wrote: |
| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| Marcellus & Mountain addict. To be clear. As I am "retired" and take a lot of interest in all things mountain, I commented on the number of SPAM posts appearing on the Natives website. I was invited to be an "administrator", which I accepted and spent the next month deleting and barring from the site all those idiot spammers. I have no other connection with the site except to try and keep it clear. Hope that may clear up any misconceptions? |
Good on you. I was a frequent poster on there until it went belly up a few years ago. Out of interest, wasn't Natives bought up two or three years age, or did I get the wrong end of the stick? |
Yes iain sold it and ever since the new owners haven't really known what to do with it or how, in my opinion.
A couple of times they've "employed" someone "to sort" but reality it the damage to the Brand has been done.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@boredsurfin, Inghams group and Crystal both give the hosts a set menu to cook. Inghams hosts collect food on a daily basis form a central store, and Crystal hosts put in an order for what they need for the week and it gets delivered to them. Maybe it's not like that in all their respective resorts, but that was the experience my kids had.
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| karin wrote: |
| @boredsurfin, Inghams group and Crystal both give the hosts a set menu to cook. Inghams hosts collect food on a daily basis form a central store, and Crystal hosts put in an order for what they need for the week and it gets delivered to them. Maybe it's not like that in all their respective resorts, but that was the experience my kids had. |
Indeed it does depend on their resort with regard to food purchase. My experience with the two companies above in Austria is that each chalet ordered from the supplier who delivered once (or twice for some properties) a week to the chalet. There was a set menu that hosts/chefs were supposed to stick to...
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
There was a set menu that hosts/chefs were supposed to stick to...
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There was one horrible canape that my son had to make for Inghams all winter. It was a savoury shortbread, and apparently it was like eating sawdust and sucked all the moisture out of your mouth. They tried to adapt the recipe as much as they could, but they weren't allowed to make something different!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| karin wrote: |
| Quote: |
There was a set menu that hosts/chefs were supposed to stick to...
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There was one horrible canape that my son had to make for Inghams all winter. It was a savoury shortbread, and apparently it was like eating sawdust and sucked all the moisture out of your mouth. They tried to adapt the recipe as much as they could, but they weren't allowed to make something different! |
I think I know the one. It was on the menu one year I worked for them, or something similar, I just made something else instead!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Of the three companies I have worked for,(5 brands) they all supplied a Recipe book to all chalet hosts and even their hotels, if run by them. I know for certain that other TO's do the same having seen some over the years. All meal plans are costed to try and make sure the hosts stay within budget, that's why they don't like changes too much. Messes with the budget.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Avenue Cookery School in Putney do a very good tailored course for would be chalet hosts and advise them on job applications,
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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When I worked for Silverski, it was the hosts who designed the menu, though it had to fit the budget and meet some basic requirements (like 2 veg with dinner, and no repetition). If you like to cook and have a few good recipes in your repertoire, then it's much make fun than having to cook what the ski company tells you. A good stand alone cookery course, if you can afford it, is great.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Cambridge Cookery School, Abinger Cookery, Orchards, Mountain Chefs, The Hive seem to be the most popular ones.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It may be obvious but the chalet specific courses not only taught cooking & presentation but how to get it all done in time to get out on the slopes for a days skiing and then back for dinner.
Things like cook 2 Yogurt cakes every other day using but have a different cake every day, if one day you use egg yolks in the Creme brulee then the next day have meringue, using leftovers to make amuse bouche and/or petit fours.
I think "The medium/big" tour operators expect the hosts to stick more closely to the "set menu" whereas the smaller ones allow greater flexibility, certainly when we started there was "no recipe book" but we had to cater a week for the owners and their family before the season started! (also taught me how to be a chalet biatch)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We recently had a week with Ski Talini in St Martin de Belleville (absolutely first class outfit, by the way). Each of the chefs were free to come up with their own menu but it had to be approved by Daisy, the owner. I think she pretty much only employs people who have worked in a professional kitchen. That's obviously at one end of the scale, but it did make me think a bit more about any thoughts I may have had of sending Little Miss FZ on a quick cookery course to help her get a job in her gap year. I now think that, cash and time permitting, it would be far better to send her on a longer, more comprehensive course. That way she will learn not just how to rustle up 14 different dishes and struggle through a season, but actually learn how to cook. It doesn't matter whether she ends up being a lawyer or a surgeon it has to be one of the most useful and enjoyable skills you can have.
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@foxtrotzulu one of my friends went to a proper cookery school or several months (I can't remember exactly how long) in London on her gap year. It set her up with some great skills (obs she already had a keen interest) and she worked for the rest of her gap year and uni holidays doing private chef type arrangements for people on holiday in Scottish castles, or ValD chalets etc.
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It doesn't matter whether she ends up being a lawyer or a surgeon it has to be one of the most useful and enjoyable skills you can have.
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Exactly. The course my daughter did was paid for with her own money, and she said that it was really useful even if maybe she could have got a job without it. BTW she did the Abinger Cookery school 5 day course.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I think that Pips of Fish and Pips has set up something along these lines
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I think that Pips of Fish and Pips has set up something along these lines
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I think my daughter said that the Abinger Cookery School worked quite closely with these guys
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