Free Level 1 Culinary Skills Course in Hitchin. Classes run at Hitchin Centre, full-time during the day, five days a week. There are no formal entry requirements. You'll have an interview to make sure this is the right level for you. Over 36 weeks, you'll build practical kitchen skills covering food preparation, cooking techniques, food safety, and menu planning. The course includes hands-on experience and industry visits, giving you a grounded start in professional cookery.
Who this course is for
Our catering and hospitality courses include lots of opportunities for you to get hands-on experience of the world of work, including:Work experience with businesses like Galvin at Windows, in Park Lane, London and Midsummer House, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Cambridge.Visits to Billingsgate Seafood School, Hanbury Manor and Fine Food FairOur students also undertake visits to places where they can further hone their skills and build contacts with the major players in the industry. For example, Billingsgate Seafood School and trade shows such as HotelympiaWe also compete in a number of high profile national competitions such as Nestle Toque D?or, The Dolmio and Uncle Bens Foodservice Challenge and celebrity chef Cyrus Todiwala?s Zest Quest..Your course will mainly consist of practical sessions in the skills kitchens and Hart Kitchins, our public resturant,with some classroom-based activities, and you will work with several local employers through the year.Areas for study include the restaurant, preparing and cooking food by boiling poaching and steaming, stewing and braising, baking, roasting and grilling, deep and shallow frying, regeneration and sold food preparation.You will learn the skills you need for the workplace including customer service, communication, numeracy, organisational skills, team-building and relationship-building.You will also complete maths & English qualifications if you haven?t got them already as they are essential in this industry.
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements for this course. We'll use your interview to make sure this is the right course for you.
What you will learn
You'll practise food preparation and cooking techniques used in professional kitchens.
You'll learn food safety rules and hospitality legislation.
You'll explore menu planning and how dishes are developed.
You'll develop skills in serving and front-of-house hospitality.
You'll gain hands-on experience through work placements and industry visits.
You'll build knowledge of how professional kitchens and catering operations run.
How you will learn
You'll learn through practical, hands-on sessions in a kitchen environment alongside classroom-based study. Assessment is through coursework, practical tasks, and observation of your skills in action. Your progress is reviewed throughout the 36 weeks, not just at the end. Industry visits and work experience are part of how you learn on this course.
What you will need to bring
The centre will provide most materials. Hitchin Centre will confirm anything else you need before you start.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Kitchen assistant: support chefs in a professional kitchen
Commis chef: entry-level cooking role in restaurants or hotels
Catering assistant: food preparation in schools, hospitals, or canteens
Front-of-house assistant: serving and customer-facing hospitality work
Café or bistro cook: preparing food in smaller, independent settings
What you could study next
Level 1 Certificate in Professional Cookery: a more structured cookery qualification at the same level, often requiring GCSEs at grade 3 or above.
Level 2 Professional Cookery: the next step toward working as a chef, building on your Level 1 skills with more advanced techniques and kitchen practice.
Hospitality apprenticeship: combine paid work with structured training in a professional kitchen or front-of-house role.
