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The Professional Chef Diploma has been the starting point for many of the world's leading Chefs and is focused on developing a broad range of practical culinary skills to equip you for the rigours of the modern kitchen environment.

Within the Professional Chef Diploma there are three possible pathways when you reach the third year; Specialist study in Cuisine, Patisserie and Confectionery or Restaurant Management.

All three pathways involve work placements in some of London's top culinary restaurants and hotels.

The Professional Chef Diploma is supported and endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs, the UK's largest chefs association.

Topics for study could include:

• Kitchen & larder studies, both classical and modern
• Pâtisserie and bakery
• Restaurant service
• Gastronomy and product development
• Food science and kitchen chemistry
• Health, safety & food hygiene
• Kitchen management and food cost control
• Resource sustainability
• Communication skills
• Kitchen organisation
• Menu engineering and pricing
• Fundamentals of beverage service and oenology
• Implementing sales & marketing and an introduction to Food & beverage operations theory
• Principles of supervision.

All students for the Professional Chef Diploma will undertake enterprise and business commerce training as part of the induction programme.

Students who have successfully completed all elements of the first year of this programme may be considered eligible to progress onto the elite Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Chef Apprenticeship programme.

Practical observation plus questioning to cover the knowledge aspects.

You will study full-time five days a week and you will be assessed through practical assignments, written tests and other methods.

You could progress through the levels up to Level 3, and then gain employment.

You could also move on to one of our Foundation Degrees, either in Hospitality Management or Culinary Arts, subject to appropriate professional experience.

If you already have a VRQ or equivalent Level 1 or 2 qualification and/or experience you may be able to apply direct to the second or third year of the Professional Chef Diploma (Level 2 or Level 3), dependant on an interview, culinary skills test and meeting the general College entry requirements.

Otherwise you should apply for the Professional Chef Diploma at Level 1 - The entry requirements are: Strong motivation with a proven commitment to hard work and the minimum qualifications of GCSE English and GCSE Maths at grades A*-C (or equivalent) with a good reference.