Level 2 Certificate in Culinary Skills

Students will learn the fundamentals of food safety and the importance of healthy food and special diets. They will learn how to cook stocks, soups, sauces and an array of dishes. They will learn the ins and outs of menu planning and catering costs and operations. The certificate focuses on developing and practising the culinary skills required to work as a professional chef in the catering and hospitality sector.

Your study programme will consist of: 

• Your chosen technical qualification
• GCSE English and maths if you are yet to achieve a grade 4 or above
• Personal Development sessions which focus on developing work-ready skills (such as CV writing), independent life skills (such as money management) and personal, social and professional growth. 
• Work experience or industry placement (course dependent)

To find out more about GCSE English and maths, personal development and work experience, take a look at our Employability page.

The minimum entry requirements for this course includes GCSE English or maths (grade 0-3), or a Level 1 Functional Skills. Those who do not achieve a grade 4 in English or maths will be required to study this alongside their course.

• Understand the importance of food safety and keeping yourself and work areas clean and hygienic
• Learn effective personal hygiene practice such as wearing protective clothing, hand washing and what to do in the case of personal illness, cuts or wounds
• Develop valuable customer service, communication, teamwork and time management skills 
• Build your confidence for a future in catering and hospitality with CV development and interview practice
• Explore the career pathways and employment opportunities within the catering and hospitality industry
• Develop your understanding of the importance of health and safety as you learn how to identify hazards in the workplace
• Know how to minimise risks in a workplace setting, understanding hazardous substances, manual handling and fire safety
• Learn how to professionally prepare and cook a variety of different cakes, biscuits and sponges
• Practice a range of finishing and decorating techniques when baking

Students studying our catering and hospitality courses will spend a lot of time in the college’s brand new kitchens, which provide the opportunity to acquire practical expertise.

Other facilities include Brooks Restaurant, our 60-seater training restaurant that is open to the public. In Brooks Restaurant, students will learn to cook and serve high quality dishes 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, have won national and international awards, and have even cooked for a host of celebrities and royals.

It is recommended that you purchase appropriate books, clothing and equipment for you to carry out the course, details of which will be provided at enrolment. Students are also allocated a certain amount of free printing, after which a small fee will be incurred. You can purchase more printing credits on our online store, which can be found here.

Upon successful completion of this certificate, learners can internally progress onto the Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery, where students can continue to develop their cookery skills, learning how to prepare a variety of dishes and enhancing their core culinary skills.