Culinary Skills Certificate Level 1

Quick facts

Is it for me?

Whether you're into sauteing, stirring, serving, smiling, or shaking cocktails, this course will provide you with the fundamental foundation training for employment or further education within the hospitality industry and offers a great first step to someone who has strong practical skills with managerial potential. 
This course is designed to produce the future crafts people in the catering industry, it concentrates on; food preparation and cookery, pastry work, restaurant service skills plus the theory underpinning these areas. It also includes food safety studies (achievement of the basic certificate associated with this must be attained during your first term) and other core skills such as communication, numeracy, organisational and investigative skills. 
You'll gain practical experience training in our purpose-built kitchens and upmarket restaurant, Edmunds, where you'll learn how to prepare and cook a variety of fresh foods, provide outstanding customer service and friendly reception duties, alongside food and beverage service techniques.  

What you'll learn

• Food Safety 
• Kitchen Skills 
• Pastry and Savoury Products for the Restaurant 
• Restaurant and Bar Service 
• Customer Service 
• Reception Skills 
• Functional Skills (Mathematics, English and ICT) 

While you're here you'll also enjoy a wide range of enrichment activities including team building, visits to hospitality establishments, demonstrations and talks from industrial experts and the opportunity to enter competitions. 

Any student aged 16 to 19 who does not hold a GCSE A* to C (9 to 4 on the new grading structure) or equivalent qualifications in Maths and English by age 16 will need to continue to study these subjects in each academic year.

Work experience placements

All students will do work related experience within the campus catering facilities. Some evening work is required 

Assessment

Practical assessment takes place in the skills kitchen throughout the year. Theoretical knowledge is assessed with short answer tests.

Further study

Progression to kitchen or front of house Level 2 qualification. After completion of Level 2, students can progress to a Level 3 course (3 pathways) subject to a selection process, or they may prefer to work locally, nationally or internationally as opportunities exist for committed and successful students. Of the students who completed this course last year 100% continued with their existing programme of study.

• Culinary Skills Certificate Level 2
• Culinary Skills Diploma Level 2
• Professional Cookery VRQ 2, maths and English Grade 4 or above must be achieved to progress onto the VRQ 2
• Food and Beverage Service VRQ2, maths and English Grade 4 or above must be achieved to progress onto the VRQ 2
• Hospitality Supervision and Event Management Diploma Level 3 
• Patisserie and Confectionary Diploma Level 3 
• Professional Chefs Advanced Diploma Level 3 

Example careers

• Baker
• Butcher 
• Chef
• Catering Manager 
• Bar Manager
• Restaurant Manager 
• Events Manager
• Cake Decorator  
• Cellar Technician
• Food Scientist  
• Hotel Manager
• Concierge  
• Microbrewer
• Street Food Trader 
• Wedding Planner
• Private Chef 

Days & times

Starting September 2026