Course description
Professional Culinary Arts Level 1 (Banbury)
Culinary courses for curious cooks developed in partnership with Heston Blumenthal and The Fat Duck Group.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
This is a three-year pathway that starts with teaching you the fundamentals of professional cookery right through to advanced techniques practiced in modern restaurants.
For entry to Level 1, you will need four GCSEs at grade 4 or above. If you do not have the requisite GCSEs, or if you have barriers to learning, you will be required to attend an interview with our culinary arts team to assess your suitability for the course.
For entry to Level 2, you will need to have completed the first year of the Culinary Arts pathway. If you have been in the industry for one year or more, or have a relevant professional qualification, it may be possible to start on Year 2 (Level 2) of the course.
For entry to Level 3, you will need to have completed the second year of the Culinary Arts pathway.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
Learning for each module will begin with playful multi-sensory exploration of ingredients, flavours and methods and end with self-reflective evaluation. You will learn to tell the story of your food exploration and practice the skill of intriguing customers. In between, there is guided self-assessment, peer review and formal instruction from tutors.
Training Course Content
What you'll learn
Creating a true culinary experience starts and ends in the mind; your skills are simply the tools that will bring that vision to reality.
On this programme, you will build on your existing skills and knowledge. You'll learn the fundamentals of preparing and cooking stocks, poultry and the production of fermented dough products. These skills will be vital in building a career in any professional kitchen, anywhere in the world.
However, what sets this programme apart from others is the emphasis we place on the fundamentals of understanding ingredients and exploring their tastes, flavours and fusions. Heston Blumenthal has identified two critical attributes for working in this field:Restless PerfectionismandCreative Curiousity. To find out more about how these attributes can benefit you and how we develop them, click on the links on the right.
Inspired by these critical attributes, you will be provided with a rich variety of learning experiences, including:
- Practical exploration
- Food science experiments
- Work and industry experience
- Customer facing activity
- Employer-led projects
As well as linking with the Fat Duck Group's expertise, you will benefit from the Activate Learning Attributes curriculum, which will help you develop the key characteristics and skills employers are looking for in potential employees. This will be achieved through one-to-one support sessions.
Activate Learning
Activate Learning is a forward-thinking education group that aims for far-reaching, progressive change and impact through learning. We work with learners as individuals, helping them make the choice of course and career pathway that’s right for them. Our mission is to provide work-ready talent for business, and...