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Free Level 3 Professional Cookery Course in Manchester – The Manchester College City Campus

CostFREE
Duration1 year
LevelLevel 3
DeliveryClassroom based
Start7 Sep 2026
Study modeFull-time
AttendanceDaytime
Awarding bodyCity & Guilds awarding body
Apply now →

About this course

Free Level 3 Professional Cookery Course in Manchester. Classes run at The Manchester College City Campus, full-time over one year. You'll need a Level 2 Professional Cookery Qualification and experience in a professional kitchen before you start. The course covers the full range of professional kitchen skills, from meat and fish preparation to pastry, chocolate work, and sauce-making, all built around the national occupational standards for professional cookery. It suits those already working in a kitchen or in a supervisory role who want to move up.

Who this course is for

The Hospitality and Catering industry is fast-paced and exciting, with lots of opportunities for a fun and fulfilling career. If you want to pursue a career as a chef in this dynamic sector, this course will be perfect for you.

The units for this course have been developed to prepare you for your career by providing you with valuable skills and knowledge and a broad coverage of the requirements of staff working in the industry.

You will be required to complete three mandatory units plus a range of optional units.

Mandatory units include:

  • Develop a productive working relationship with colleagues
  • Maintain food safety when preparing and storing cooked foods
  • Maintain health and safety security

Optional units include:

  • Prepare, cook complex meat dishes
  • Prepare, cook complex poultry dishes
  • Prepare, cook complex hot sauce
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex soups
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex bread dough products,
  • Prepare, cook complex cakes, biscuits, sponges.
  • Prepare, cook and finish pastry products
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex cold desserts
  • Produce sauce, fillings and coatings for complex desserts

What you will learn

  • You'll prepare and cook meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish to professional kitchen standards.
  • You'll produce soups, sauces, pasta, and vegetable dishes.
  • You'll work with fermented dough products, paste-based products, and hot and cold desserts.
  • You'll apply finishing techniques and chocolate work.
  • You'll maintain food safety when preparing and storing food.
  • You'll work effectively as part of a professional kitchen team.
  • You'll maintain a safe and hygienic working environment.

How you will learn

Learning is classroom and kitchen-based, full-time during the day. You'll be assessed through practical assessments and theory test papers. Mandatory units cover food safety, team working, and a wide range of cooking techniques. You must achieve all mandatory units to complete the qualification.

What you will need to bring

The centre will provide most materials. The Manchester College City Campus will confirm anything else you need before you start.

Where next

Jobs you could do

  • Chef de partie: runs a specific section in a professional kitchen.
  • Commis chef: entry-level role supporting senior chefs.
  • Sous chef: second-in-command in a kitchen brigade.
  • Kitchen supervisor: oversees day-to-day kitchen operations.
  • Private chef: cooks for individuals, families, or events.
  • Catering manager: manages food production for large-scale operations.

What you could study next

  • Level 4 Diploma in Culinary Arts: the next step if you want to move into senior chef or head chef roles.
  • Level 3 Diploma in Patisserie and Confectionery: specialise in pastry and dessert work.
  • Level 3 Diploma in Food and Beverage Supervision: broaden into front-of-house and hospitality management.
  • Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism: if you want to move into broader hospitality management.
Apply on tmc.ac.uk →
Apply now →

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