This qualification is for you and you wish to gain employment as a professional chef working in professional kitchen using ingredients such as fish, meat, poultry, vegetables and sauces.
By undertaking this qualification, you will cover advanced skills and techniques in producing starters, mains, sauces and garnishes.
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What will I study?
The units you will study are likely to include:
Core Units:
- Legal and social responsibilities in the professional kitchen
- Financial control in the professional kitchen
- Stocks, soups and sauces
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat and offal
- Poultry
- Fish and shellfish
- Farinaceous dishes
- Desserts and puddings
- Paste products
- Biscuits, cakes and sponges
- Fermented products
- Chocolate products
To support the development of these skills, you will also undertake the following topics:
- Food safety
- Social responsibility in a professional kitchen
- Sustainability
- Gastronomy
All units are subject to change and may be withdrawn.
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Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for you if you have an interest in catering and wish to gain a Level 3 qualfication which covers in-depth understanding and advanced skills, you could take a position as a professional chef in the main section of a professional kitchen.
Students achieving this qualification are likely to move quickly into an unsupervised role such as Chef or Demi-chef de Partie.
By choosing this qualification, you will likely have made the decision that your career direction will be as a professional chef, but have decided that the skills and qualities to work in patisserie are not for you. Undertaking this qualification gives you proof of advanced skills and thus an increased opportunity for employment.
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How is the course assessed?
To gain this qualification, candidates must successfully achieve the following assessments:
- One externally set, externally moderated assignment testing theory knowledge and practical craft skills
- One externally set, externally marked test, sat under examination conditions
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Your Study Programme
If you are aged 16-18, you will join a Study Programme this could be a vocational or technical qualification. We will make sure you are working at the right level on your core qualification and are challenged to achieve the highest level of qualification you can.
Work experience will be part of your study programme and complement your college study and prepare you for employment. You will also get involved in activities to help you develop life skills and to build your confidence so you can make progress in your career.
If you have chosen to study for a T Level qualification, this will involve college-based theory and practice lessons along with relevant work placement to enable you to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours that employers are looking for.
Weekly timetables will include tutorial support which may comprise of full group activities or one to one sessions to discuss individual progress or support needs.
All students will continue to improve their maths and English and if you don't have a grade 4 (C) at GCSE, we will work with you towards achieving that goal (subject to specific entry requirements for particular courses).
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Knowledge
You will develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of:
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How external factors such as trends, business strategy and the environment influence the development of dishes and menus
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Advanced food preparation and cooking to produce complex dishes and menu items that meet business and customer requirements
- The importance of maintaining food safety practices and procedures to ensure safe preparation and cooking of food.
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Skills
You will have the ability to:
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Work as part of a team to provide a unique dining experience
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Organise, multitask and manage time well
- Be creative, with a willingness to learn and self-develop.
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Behaviours
What is required?
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Solve problems while working in a challenging, time-critical environment and remain calm under pressure
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Maintain high standards and promote a customer-centric culture
- Support colleagues, customers and the business.
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General info
You will need a clean, pressed chefs uniform when working in the kitchen together with safety shoes. Details will be sent out when agreed with the uniform supplier. Financial help may be available through the College's bursary fund.
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Progression and Career Opportunities
There is an opportunity to progress on to Level 3 Professional Chefs Diploma at college.
Alternatively, you could enter employment at Commis or Chef de Partie positions.
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Entry Requirements for new students
You will need to have achieved the Level 2 Diploma Professional Cookery (Chef). You will also need to have achieved GCSE English and maths at grade 3.
Those with experience of working with a wide range of commodities in the preparation, cooking and presentation of dishes may apply - however, you will need to satisfactorily demonstrate that you have the necessary skills to study at this level.
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Admissions Process
We recommend that you attend one of our exciting open events so that you can look around the department, the college and meet the tutors. You are welcome to do this before or after you apply. These events have proved very successful in ensuring students and their families see the best of what the college has to offer such as our inspirational teaching areas, teachers, library facilities and places to eat.
Once you have applied our experienced Enrolment Team will consider your application carefully and will let you know, by email, if the College would like to make you a conditional offer based on you meeting the specified entry requirements. If your predicted grades or career aims suggest that an alternative subject area or course level would be more appropriate for you at this stage, we will contact you either by telephone, email or text. If you have told us that you have some additional support needs we will contact you to find out more so that we can help you.