Are you taking a gap year and want to improve your cookery skills, either for a job or just to learn how to cook?

This course is now fully booked, but we are taking bookings for February, July and September 2016.

Have you just finished school, A Levels or university and planning on taking a gap year? You might be looking to work on a yacht, in a ski chalet or a villa abroad.  You might be about to go to University and need to learn how to cook. Increase your appeal to employers, learn lifelong skills and open new doors with a 4-week cookery course at White Pepper Cookery School in the heart of Dorset.

Our accredited 3 and 4-week intensive culinary courses gives you an internationally-recognised professional qualification together with lifelong cooking skills and practical support if you need to find work after the course has finished. You will have a recipe folder and lots of new cooking skills that you can use for life. White Pepper Chef Academy is 1 of 6 training providers offering this course in the UK.

What do I learn?

You will learn to prepare, cook and present a wide range of foods including:

• Modern recipes with fish/meat
• Cooking seasonal vegetables and soups
• Classic cakes, pastries and yeast products with a contemporary twist

These will have a specific practical applications such as; weekly menus, cooking with budgets, à la carte dinners, and event catering. You will also gain experience with menus for different dietary requirements and relevant legislation.

Course Programme:

Week 1:

• Induction
• CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety
• Introduction to the kitchen
• Knife skills
• Mise en place
• Vegetables and soups
• Biscuits, scones and pastry

Week 2:

• Stocks and sauces
• Purchasing points and preparing fish/shellfish
• Cooking and presenting mackerel, bass and clams
• Purchasing points and simple butchery of poultry/meat
• Cooking and presenting chicken, duck, pork and lamb
• Accompaniments
• Fresh pasta

Week 3:

• Cakes and sponges
• Gluten Free baking
• Working with yeast
• Bread making
• Patisserie
• Desserts
• Assessment
• Graduation

What is included in the price of the course?

• 15 days tuition / 90 hours (or 20 days tuition/120 hours for 4-week course)
• Monday to Friday 9.30am-4.30pm
• 75% hands-on cookery
• Assessment fees
• Certificate on completion
• All foods and equipment
• Course folder with recipes and handouts
• 2 chef jackets, 1 chef trousers, 2 aprons
• Refreshments
• Daily lunch
• Food to take home at end of the day

Accredited course

The course is accredited by the Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality, the UK’s leading professional awarding body for qualifications in the hospitality and tourism sector. The course is developed in conjunction with the UK Sector Skills Council and is valued by employers worldwide. This is great if you want to find work after the course has finished. If you are taking the course to learn lifelong cooking skills then it’s reassuring to know it is such a valued course and will give you a wide array of kitchen skills to take with you to university, college or wherever you are heading next.

Support with finding a job

We have strong links in the food industry, and the Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality has relationships and high profile endorsements from organisations such as Virgin Atlantic, Marriot Hotels Caribbean, Radisson Edwardian, Sheraton Hotels and many others. We can support students who are seeking employment once the course finishes, whether it be in a restaurant, ski chalet or yacht. You can find out more on our Placements & Employment page.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed on your practical cooking skills rather than knowledge and theory. You will be required to create dishes in a professional kitchen environment at the White Pepper Cookery School.  A professional chef tutor from the school will assess you and be moderated by the Confederation of Tourism & Hospitality. Each unit carries equal weighting towards the qualification and is assessed individually. Students must successfully pass all units to gain the qualification. If you are taking the course to simply gain cookery skills for life, don’t be scared by the assessment. It is mostly practical and will give you the confidence to prepare, cook and serve a variety of meat and vegetable dishes aswell as bread, cakes and pastry.

Is there help available for funding?

Although White Pepper Cookery School can’t provide funding, there are various ‘student loan’ options available depending on your individual circumstances. You can find out more on our funding page.

Is accommodation and food included?

We have a self-catering house with shared accommodation available from £25/day.  Or alternatively, we can recommend a number of local outlets.

Things to do

Being in close proximity to Poole, Bournemouth and the Jurassic Coast means that students can enjoy the evenings and weekends on the beach, enjoying the nightlife or seeing what the New Forest has to offer. There are plenty of activities such as sailing, surfing, kayaking and other watersports in Sandbanks  and Poole Harbour. The Purbecks offer lots of nature, wildlife and long countryside walks, whilst Bournemouth and Poole have lots of shops and nightlife for students to enjoy whilst they are on the course.

What do I gain on this course?

• An introduction to lifelong kitchen skills.
• A confidence boost in the kitchen
• Development of skills and increased chances of gaining employment.
• Support in learning skills required within the catering industry.
• CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety.
• Ofqual points that can be used towards future qualifications.

How do I find out more or apply?

You can book onto one of our open days, or feel free to call us on 01202 280050 or email info@white-pepper.co.uk to arrange a suitable time to come and have a tour of the school and meet the tutors. We are happy to answer any questions you might have. If you are ready to book the course, you can either pay in full below (£2,100) or pay a 15% deposit now (£315) and the outstanding balance 6 weeks before the course starts.

FREE one day cookery course

Experience White Pepper for yourself before booking onto our 3 or 4 week professional course. Simply book a weekday or Saturday cookery course, and we’ll refund the cost when you book onto a 3 or 4 week course with us! To take advantage of this offer call the team on 01202 280050 or email info@white-pepper.co.uk.