Culinary education as a visa: How chef training at home is helping young Bangladeshis work abroad

Bangladesh’s NHTTI trains around 2,000 students annually in bakery, food production, front office, and housekeeping, with nearly 600 specialising in culinary courses. Photo: Courtesy

With an IELTS score of 7, Shadik Nishat was set to begin his undergraduate studies in Computer Science at the University of Greenwich in London. But before flying, he wanted to learn cooking. He enrolled in a culinary course at the Khalil Culinary Arts Centre, where he completed a three-month food and beverage programme.

"From chopping, cleaning to cooking and baking, our lessons covered everything to work in a restaurant as a professional. And they gave the most importance to hygiene," he said. 

Now Nishat works part-time at a local restaurant named 'Shahin restaurant', while studying. For him, that short course did more than teach kitchen skills — it opened the door to a career abroad. 

He still remembers the long hours in Khalil's kitchen, slicing vegetables and scrubbing pots. "It was tough, but I learned how disciplined this profession is," he said. "Now, when I work part-time at the restaurant, my supervisors notice that training."

Nishat is not alone. Across Bangladesh, hundreds of young people are now discovering that professional culinary courses can serve as gateways to international job markets — from cruise ships to hotel kitchens in the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

Until a decade ago, aspiring Bangladeshi chefs had limited formal training opportunities. Most learned through apprenticeships or hotel jobs. That began to change as culinary institutes emerged across Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet — often established by chefs trained overseas or under the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB).

According to data from Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the country's leading state-run institute — the National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI) — now trains around 2,000 students annually across bakery, food production, front office, and housekeeping courses. Of them, nearly 600 take up culinary training.

Private schools have mushroomed too. Bangladesh Institute of Culinary Arts, Chef's Table Academy, Khalil Culinary Arts Centre, and ICR Institute of Culinary and Research in Chattogram are among those offering internationally aligned diplomas. 

Sector insiders estimate that over 8,000 students graduate from culinary programs every year nationwide, with around 30–40% going on to work abroad, mainly in Malaysia, Dubai, Qatar, and Europe.

We have seen a clear shift. Earlier, students came here mostly to work locally. Now, about half of them want to go abroad as skilled chefs. Culinary education has become a migration pathway.

Moinul Islam, bakery and pastry production trainer, National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute

Bringing global standards to local kitchens

Chef Khalilur Rahman, a Bangladeshi-American restaurateur who made his name abroad, runs the Khalil Culinary Arts Centre where Nishat studied. He returned home to train a new generation of chefs.

In 2022, Khalil won the 'British Curry Awards – Personality of the Year' in New York, being the first chef from outside the UK to receive this honour. In 2024, he started a culinary institute at Dhaka's Paltan. His institute now has 200 students and 17 staff, including nine full-time teachers.

Photo: Courtesy

"The most popular courses are six-month and one-year diplomas," Khalil mentioned. "Our course fees may seem high, but we help students work abroad. After a one-year diploma, we assist with US EB-3 work visa processing, known as the 'green card route,' and short-term placements through G1 paid internships."

The centre's curriculum covers cuisine from the US, Canada, and Europe. Fees range from Tk65,000 for a three-month program to Tk4.5 lakh for a one-year diploma.

"Food is universal," Khalil smiled. "If you can master hygiene, discipline, and precision, you can work anywhere in the world."

A new migration pathway

At the National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, the country's oldest state-run school, the rhythm of the kitchen mirrors a professional restaurant. Students wear chef coats, learn menu costing, and train in simulated hotel kitchens.

"We have seen a clear shift," said Moinul Islam, bakery and pastry production trainer at NHTTI. "Earlier, students came here mostly to work locally. Now, about half of them want to go abroad as skilled chefs. Culinary education has become a migration pathway."

A two-year diploma in Food Production and Patisserie under the BTEB now costs around Tk1 lakh. Graduates can apply for overseas jobs through the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) or through international hotel chains that recruit from these institutes.

Islam believes soft skills are just as crucial as knife techniques. "Working abroad means adapting to new cultures and handling pressure. We train our students to follow global kitchen etiquette — punctuality, teamwork, and hygiene. Those are non-negotiable."

More about building confidence

For Mehnaz Rahim, a 23-year-old graduate from the Bangladesh Institute of Culinary Arts, the journey was transformative.

"I was a shy person before," she said. "Handling a kitchen taught me confidence. When I got my internship at a hotel in Dubai, I realised how valuable that confidence was."

Mehnaz returned to Dhaka after a year and now runs a small catering service from her home in Uttara. "Not everyone has to go abroad. These courses also create local entrepreneurs," she said.

Indeed, the culinary sector in Bangladesh is expanding domestically too. With new restaurants, boutique cafés, and catering startups, the demand for trained cooks has soared. According to the Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association, the hospitality sector now employs over 1.5 million people, many of them trained chefs.

A growing export of skills

This evolving chef training culture is having a significant economic impact. Bangladesh is positioning itself as a source of skilled culinary labour in the global market. In 2023, the Expatriates' Welfare Ministry added "Chef" and "Baker" to its official skilled migration categories, allowing trained graduates to apply for overseas contracts with verified certificates.

Industry observers say the trend could mirror what happened with nurses and IT technicians — professions once considered niche but now major contributors to remittance inflows.

Private culinary schools like BICA, Chef’s Table, Khalil Culinary Arts, and ICR in Chattogram offer internationally recognised diplomas. Photo: Courtesy

"The world will always need food," said Chef Khalilur Rahman. "When you train someone to cook safely, you are not just giving them a job — you are giving them mobility."

According to him, Bangladesh has very tasty food. But the problem is we lack the skill and professionalism to make it global. Also hygiene is something the global culinary industry gives importance to but we lack it. 

"If these are addressed properly in the curriculum, Bangladeshi youth can get better jobs in the international market. Not just labour visas, they can get better work permits as well", he noted. 

Challenges remain

Despite the potential, culinary education still faces structural hurdles. Many private institutes lack proper accreditation or international partnerships, leaving graduates with certificates that are not always recognised abroad.

Trainers also point to a need for government-industry coordination. "We need an updated national curriculum for culinary arts," said Khalilur Rahman. "Our graduates can compete globally, but the system must align with international standards like City and Guilds or American Culinary Federation levels."

There is also the financial barrier. Long-term diploma programs can cost between Tk3 to 5 lakh, often beyond the reach of middle-class families. However, scholarships and public-private partnerships could help bridge that gap.