Level 2 Food Production and Cooking Course in Harlow. Classes run at Harlow College, full-time during the day, over one year. You'll need a Level 1 Certificate in Culinary Skills or an equivalent Level 1 Hospitality qualification to join. The course covers food safety, knife skills, preparing and cooking stocks, soups, sauces and fruit, and working effectively in a hospitality team. It's a solid level 2 food production and cooking qualification that demonstrates your skills to employers across catering and hospitality.
Who this course is for
This course is designed to upskill young people working in the catering industry. You will study how to maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environment, how to maintain, handle and clean knives, how to work effectively as part of a hospitality team and maintain food safety when storing, preparing and cooking food. Completing this course will mean you have a qualification that shows employers and customers you have the skills to work in a range of catering and hospitality roles like hotel receptionist, chef, bartender or waiter/waitress.
Entry requirements
You must have passed the Level 1 Certificate in Culinary Skills or an equivalent Level 1 qualification in Hospitality.
What you will learn
You'll learn how to maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environment.
You'll develop knife handling, maintenance and cleaning skills.
You'll practise food safety when storing, preparing and cooking food.
You'll prepare and cook stocks, soups and sauces.
You'll prepare and cook fruit and other core dishes.
You'll learn how to work effectively as part of a hospitality team.
You'll build knowledge of customer care and workplace hygiene standards.
How you will learn
You'll learn through classroom-based sessions and practical cookery work at Harlow College. Assessment is through the NVQ format, which means your competence is observed and assessed in practical tasks rather than through written exams alone. You may also complete portfolio evidence to demonstrate your skills and knowledge across the units.
What you will need to bring
Uniform, books and equipment cost around £300. There are also charges for visits (£80) and a locker (£10). Harlow College will confirm exactly what you need before you start. Financial support, including Learner Support funds, grants, bursaries and employer support, may be available to help with these costs.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Chef or commis chef: prepare and cook food in professional kitchens.
Kitchen assistant: support chefs with food prep and hygiene.
Waiter or waitress: serve food and drink in restaurants or hotels.
Bartender: prepare and serve drinks in hospitality venues.
Hotel food and beverage assistant: work across catering roles in hotels.
Catering supervisor: oversee food production in a catering setting.
What you could study next
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery or Hospitality Supervision: the natural next step if you want to move into senior kitchen or supervisory roles.
Apprenticeship in Hospitality and Catering: combine work and study to build on your Level 2 skills in a real catering environment.
Level 3 NVQ in Hospitality Management: useful if you're aiming toward management roles in hotels or restaurants.
