Supratha building a career from her passions
With a passion for cooking and baking and coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Angliss alumni Supratha Thinakaran, has her eyes set on working with global food tech companies such as Nestlé and HelloFresh.
“I aim to work as a product/strategy manager, which involves bringing together finance, research, marketing, strategy and operations to ensure that the ideas are well-executed.”
“The Bachelor of Culinary Management was the perfect amalgamation enabling me to experience the practical and technical aspects of working in a commercial kitchen with the business and management skills of a culinary manager. The international credibility and reputation of this course made it the best option for me.”
Throughout her degree she worked as a recipe developer and tester, pushing her creative and experimental limits, while she gained a diverse set of skills throughout her study at Angliss.
“I had the opportunity to develop these skills while pursuing subjects like Culinary Techniques, Restaurant Service and Culinary Artistry. I also learnt recipe costing from Menu Design and Project Restaurant classes. Developing recipes is a crucial skill as companies need to determine the profitability of each product or dish.”
“The Sustainable Procurement subject enabled me to fully understand ethical sourcing which comes into play while purchasing ingredients for my recipes. Each class equipped me with a range of skills that will be beneficial in the workplace.”
An international student from India, Supratha studied at the Melbourne campus of Angliss and appreciated the opportunity to connect with others who were highly passionate about the hospitality industry.
“I thoroughly enjoyed cooking under the auspices of world-class chefs! They encouraged us to be creative and innovative while also honing our basic culinary skills.”
Gaining transferrable skills including problem-solving, leadership, critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills are relevant to both her personal and professional life.
“I also found the guidance of my lecturers to be most valuable. As industry experts they imparted wisdom and were always happy to help. I did not shy away from asking questions, and the faculty supported my learning and instilled confidence in me.”
Opportunities for real life industry experience gives students like Supratha an edge in the employment market and she fondly remembers working at both the Angliss Restaurant and Angliss Bistro during Restaurant Service class where she switched roles every week.
“One of my best memories was hustling through the dinner service period and then winding down at 10 pm. It was very satisfying to cook for customers, and their expressions of enjoyment made it all worthwhile.”
Supratha enjoys the flexibility of working as a freelancer in developing and creating food content for bloggers. “Since the job is not bound by geographical restrictions, I get to increase my global exposure by working with clientele from different countries.”
“My job is quite unique from a hospitality point of view. It allows me to work with food and be creative with my cooking. My recipes go through several incarnations, and I keep experimenting with the ingredients or techniques until it reaches the best possible outcome.”
Are you thinking of a career in hospitality? If so, then Supratha advises that as the industry offers a variety of job opportunities, it’s best to explore different areas to match your career preferences.
“Most importantly, always feel free to ask questions and value your networks. Be passionate, organised and never stop learning!"
You can visit Supratha’s Instagram lilhappychef for her reels and posts about delicious recipes.
