Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Professional Cookery (C&G)

About this course

This is an introduction to the basic skills required to work as a professional chef in the industry.  You will be working in groups with specialist tutors.  Your course will cover the basic cooking and preparation methods and you will be involved in producing and serving food in Brooks Restaurant, our training restaurant which is open to the general public.

As part of their course students will complete a Level 1 Certificate in General Food and Beverage Service, which provides the basic skills required to work in the food industry and the BII Level 2 Award in Food Safety.  Depending upon exam results students may also study three functional skills (ICT, Numeracy and English).  There is also the possibility to retake GCSE English and Maths alongside this course.

Where will I be studying?

Students on the catering and hospitality courses will spend a lot of time in the college’s well-equipped kitchens, which provide the opportunity to acquire practical expertise in a realistic working environment to build on your catering skills.

Other facilities include Brooks Restaurant (a 60-seater restaurant that is open to the public), the Bakery Shop, which sells bread, cakes and pastries made by the students. In Brooks Restaurant and the Bakery Shop students will learn to cook and serve high quality food to paying customers.

Students will also benefit from the tuition of our highly qualified lecturers, all of whom have a wealth of expertise and links with the catering industry. Many of our chefs have worked in top London hotels and restaurants, won national and international awards, and have even cooked for a host of celebrities and royals.

What modules are covered?

Generic 

• Introduction to employability to the hospitality & catering industry 
• Food safety in catering 
• Health & safety awareness for catering & hospitality 
• Introduction to healthier foods & special diets 
• Introduction to kitchen equipment 
• Underpinning knowledge questions 

Practical units 

• Prepare & cook food by boiling, poaching & steaming 
• Prepare & cook food by stewing & braising 
• Prepare & cook food by baking, roasting & grilling 
• Prepare & cook food by deep frying & shallow frying 
• Re-generation of pre-prepared food 
• Cold food presentation 
• Introduction to professional cookery-craft assessment exam 

Who is the course suitable for?

Anyone wishing to pursue a career in the catering industry and wants to learn the basic skills necessary to progress into employment or onto higher levels.  It is not essential, but is highly recommended, that students will seek and undertake relevant work in the catering industry alongside this qualification.

How is the course assessed?

Assignments projects, realistic practical assessment and unit tests 

Are there any extra costs?

It is recommended that you purchase appropriate books, clothing and equipment for you to carry out the course, details of which will be provided before the start of the course.  Students are allocated a certain amount of free printing, after which a small fee will be incurred.

What qualifications will I need?

4 GCSE passes (Grades 3-1)