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Certificate in Culinary Skills Level 1

Study Area: 16-18

Duration: 1 Year

Attendance: Full Time

Course Overview

If you have a passion for food and would like a career in professional cookery, this year-long, nationally recognised qualification, will help you develop the skills and knowledge that this fast-paced industry requires.

We offer this course as an award and a certificate.

You will train in our professional standard kitchens, studying techniques in preparing and cooking different kinds of dishes and investigating their cookery methods. You’ll also gain an insight to the hospitality and catering industry as well as health & safety and food safety.

This is an exciting course that will give you the skills, confidence and motivation to work in an industry that is increasingly popular.

The units are designed for you to gain the basic skills and knowledge to work in any professional kitchen.

All learners will complete Functional Skills dependent on their GCSE grades.

Below is a taste of some of the skill units you will achieve:

Preparing and cooking food by boiling, poaching and steaming
Preparing and cooking food by stewing and braising
Preparing and cooking food by baking, roasting and grilling
Preparing and cooking food by deep and shallow frying

Start Date

September 2025

Entry Requirements & Interview Process

Students must possess 3 GCSEs at grade D/grade 3 or above to include Maths and English.

Applicants will be interviewed and asked to complete a dexterity assessment. You will be required to bring in any previous qualifications and experience. The interview process involves a formal interview as well as a skills test.

Applicants will be expected to find a work placement for at least one day a week.

Progression

This qualification will provide you with the basic skills and knowledge to be self-sufficient and/or work in a professional kitchen.

The ideal route would be either to progress onto VRQ Level 2 Professional Cookery or an NVQ in a Professional Cookery Apprenticeship.

Assessment Methods

VRQs are broken down into Craft and Non-Craft Units.

Craft units are assessed by short answer questions for knowledge and, for practical skills, a series of tests in both pastry and kitchen and larder disciplines.

Course Fees

This course is free for students age 16 – 18. For students 19+ please contact our Student Services Team on 01422 399367 for more information.

Career Opportunities

Head Chef
£23,000 – £40,000

Catering Manager
£22,000 – £45,000