Free Level 3 Professional Cookery Course in Durham

CostFREE
Duration1 year
LevelLevel 3
DeliveryClassroom based
Start1 Sep 2026
Study modeFull-time
AttendanceDaytime
Awarding bodyCity & Guilds awarding body

About this course

Free Level 3 Professional Cookery Course in Durham. Classes run at New College Durham, full-time during the day.

The course is free for learners aged 16 to 18 years old. If you are 19 or over, fees may apply, though financial support options are available. You will train in a working commercial restaurant, producing food to a high professional standard. Topics include kitchen and larder skills, food preparation, and the standards expected in professional kitchens. The course takes one year to complete.

You will finish with a City and Guilds Diploma in Advanced Professional Cookery.

Who this course is for

Course may be subject to change.

This qualification will prepare you for a career within the catering and hospitality industry or for progression to higher education. You will be constantly challenged by our experienced lecturers to produce practical work of a very high professional and commercial standard.

You will gain knowledge and skills through involvement in the operation of our commercial restaurant, which sets high standards of customer service and delivers excellent food to members of the public, you will also study how to prepare, cook and finish various complex dishes, how to maintain the health, hygiene, safety and security of the working environment, how to maintain food safety when storing, preparing and cooking food and food service.

Entry requirements

Please refer to College website.

What you will learn

  • You'll develop advanced knife skills and food preparation techniques.
  • You'll learn larder work, including cold preparation, charcuterie, and garnishing.
  • You'll produce dishes to commercial kitchen standards.
  • You'll understand kitchen management, including stock control and food safety.
  • You'll practise working in a live restaurant environment.
  • You'll study nutrition and menu planning at a professional level.

How you will learn

You will learn through practical sessions in a working commercial restaurant and classroom-based teaching. Experienced lecturers will challenge you to meet high professional and commercial standards. Assessment includes practical cookery tasks and written work. You will be assessed on your ability to produce dishes consistently to the required standard.

What you will need to bring

The centre will provide most materials. New College Durham will confirm anything else you need before you start.

Where next

Jobs you could do

  • Chef, prepares and cooks food in professional kitchens.
  • Chef de Partie, runs a specific section of a professional kitchen.
  • Sous Chef, supports the head chef and manages kitchen operations.
  • Commis Chef, assists senior chefs in a restaurant or hotel kitchen.
  • Catering Supervisor, oversees food production in a catering setting.

What you could study next

  • Level 4 Professional Cookery Diploma, a higher-level qualification for those moving into senior kitchen roles.
  • Foundation Degree in Culinary Arts, a higher education route for those wanting to combine practical and business skills.
  • NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery, a work-based route that builds on your skills in a real kitchen environment.

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