New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3)
Food & Beverage
A course by
UCOL
Gain foundational cookery skills in UCOL's 18-week New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3) and prepare for a career as a junior chef in the hospitality industry.
NZ$5,099
inc GST
Enquire about international pricing
This course starts anytime
NZQA Level 3 Certification (60 Credits)
Entry
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
NZ$5,099
inc GST
Enquire about international pricing
This course starts anytime
NZQA Level 3 Certification (60 Credits)
Entry
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Core skills this course teaches
Communicate and behave professionally
Communicate effectively and behave in a professional manner with colleagues, managers, and customers in a commercial kitchen.
Solve kitchen problems following SOPs
Deal with familiar problems in a commercial kitchen by following standard operating procedures.
What You're Signing Up For
This hands-on Level 3 cookery programme is designed for anyone interested in beginning a career in the hospitality sector as a junior chef. You will learn to prepare, cook, and present a wide range of dishes using industry-standard methods in state-of-the-art commercial kitchens. The course emphasises practical skills, food safety, commercial kitchen operations, and workflow strategies essential for work in commercial, café, institutional, and catering environments. Graduates enter the workforce as junior chefs or pursue further culinary studies.
Course Content
- Basic cooking of eggs and vegetables
- Interpreting recipes and using kitchen equipment
- Calculating ratios and measurements
- Identification and use of a range of ingredients
- Food safety, cleaning, and hygiene practices
- Oral and written communication and feedback
- Work and food safety protocols, including food control plans
- Refrigeration and temperature control
- General commercial kitchen processes and SOPs
- Preparation and service of rice, pasta, farinaceous items
- Presentation, finishing, portion control, and yields
- Roles, responsibilities, and reporting in the kitchen
- Cooking basic hot and cold desserts, pastries
- Food preparation, cooking techniques, and service delivery
- Time management and mise en place
- Cooking fish and common meats
- Problem-solving common kitchen issues
What you need to know first
Find these employment opportunities
Junior chef in a commercial catering businessCafe or restaurant kitchen staffInstitutional catering (e.g. airlines, hospitals)Food truck cook
Unlock these industries
UCOL is a polytechnic built around the kind of learning that actually sticks — hands-on, practical, and grounded in the real world. With campuses across the lower North Island and a programme range that stretches from trades and health to creative arts and IT, it's a strong fit for learners who want a clear path into work without unnecessary detours. Whether you're fresh out of school, changing direction, or building on what you already know, UCOL is set up to meet you where you are.
