Professional Cookery

Our Professional Cookery course is a kitchen-based qualification where you will be preparing food for our popular East restaurant or pop-up bistro.

You will develop an amazing set of professional cookery skills and the knowledge to successfully work in the catering industry. Areas you may study will include:

Preparing classic dishes with modern twists including vegan dishes and fruit and vegetable based dishes

Preparing dishes using meats, fish and poultry, pasta – producing fresh complex pasta dishes and breads of the world

Finishing touches including sauces, glazes and garnishes, sweet treats – pastries, cakes and desserts and bite size delights – sweet and savoury

Teamwork and leadership

Planning and organising your time, workload and kitchen section

Problem solving – sequencing of work and prioritising

Attention to detail – you eat with your eyes

Looking after yourself – work life balance

Sustainability in catering and responsible sourcing

Traceability and health

Your practical skills will be assessed by observation while working in our popular kitchens. Class-based lessons are designed to give you the knowledge to work successfully in the industry and are tested by short answer questions.

For Level 2 entry, you will need to have achieved at least three subjects at GCSE at grade 4 or above including English and maths.

Progression to Level 3 (Lowestoft campus only) is via completion of the Level 2 course.

Many of our students progress to an apprenticeship or go straight into employment after impressing businesses during work placements.

Career opportunities include a chef (professional cookery or production), restaurant management, food and beverage service, bar and barista, conference and banqueting and school and residential home food production service.