Course content
Year One – Level C
Food Preparation
This food preparation unit provides an opportunity to develop skill levels of professional cookery. The demand for exacting standards of professionalism in the many diverse areas of cookery will enable you to appreciate the complex techniques applied in modern professional cuisines. You will gain appreciation of the operational aspects and applications related to food preparation and cookery and compare and contrast professional culinary techniques, selecting the most appropriate methodologies for dish preparation and production in varied circumstances.
Patisserie & Confectionery Design
This unit will develop your knowledge and appreciation of patisserie products and you will explore current trends and tastes, using varied techniques of preparing and finishing dishes.
Nutrition, Diet & Food Science
The aim of this unit is to equip you with an understanding of the role and functions of nutrients in the diet. You will gain an insight into the role science plays in nutrition and how knowledge of science and nutritional needs can be used to optimise nutrient content of meals.
You will be required to construct meals and recipes to meet specific dietary needs and encouraged to develop basic scientific skills which can be applied to meal planning, and an understanding of topical food issues.
Food & Beverage Costing Control
This unit provides information on understanding of food and beverage costing control and its application within catering. It aims to enable you to appreciate the pivotal role costing plays within any organisation, in particular for food and beverage departments.
It will also give you an understanding of the principles and practise of cost control systems, stock taking and ordering, recipe and beverage costing, portion control, as well as the relationship between cost and price and its effect on gross profit. It also puts the theories into practise by exploring and recording the process of controlling and accounting for materials from purchase to storage to production then sale.
Food & Beverage Operations
This unit will provide you with an underlying understanding of the operational aspects of food and beverage operations and its implications within catering organisations. You will gain an awareness of the operational aspects of food and beverage. Your understanding of the industry as a whole and the factors that control and govern day to day operations will be developed and you will gain awareness of the roles, responsibilities and skills required for the key operational personnel.
International Culinary Arts
This unit provides you with an understanding of International Culinary Arts, and the associated application within the modern catering industry. You will develop an awareness and understanding of Global Cuisine and explore and demonstrate practical competency in preparing and cooking International Cuisine. You will also learn how to apply evaluation techniques to determine success of dishes cooked and recommendations for improvements.
Year Two / Level I
The Culinary Project
The culinary project provides an opportunity for you to experience the working practices of Catering or Hospitality related to planning, the utilisation of practical skills and working with others. The aims of this unit are to enable you to experience the application of theory to practice through the planning and delivery of managing a final event/project.
You will be encouraged to analyse and evaluate the work based application of the concepts, knowledge and skills developed in other units of the programme. Your understanding of the organisational skills required for the planning, management and production of the Culinary Project will be refined.
Food Product Development
This unit will provide you with an underlying understanding of the processes required for Food Product Development. Through research, investigation, creativity and practical application, you will have the knowledge and skills to engage in the development of new food products.
Hospitality Marketing
This unit provides you with an underlying understanding of marketing theory and its application within catering. It aims to help you appreciate the pivotal role marketing plays within any organisation, but in particular catering and the culinary experience. You will provided with an understanding of the principles and practise of marketing as part of the business approach to catering and put the theories into practise by linking with the culinary project in terms of marketing and selling the event.
Gastronomy
This unit will enable you to develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of gastronomy and gastronomic principles. You will development an understanding of how the five senses can be used to assess the quality of different regional food and drink. You will then develop a gastronomic overview to enable you to respond to future changing trends and develop an understanding of the history of gastronomy.
Food & Beverage Management
This unit will provide you with an underlying understanding of how food and beverage production is managed and its implications within catering organisations. You will gain an understanding of the functions of management ie; planning, organizing, leading, co-ordinating and control . You will be able to analyse management systems for food and beverage, human resources, sales and marketing, operations and finance. Finally, you will put the theories into practise by managing a culinary project, reflecting on effectiveness and making recommendations for the future.
Work Placement
The work placement provides an opportunity for you to experience the working practices of Catering or Hospitality related companies. Within this context, the aims of the unit are to enable you to experience the application of theory to practice through your personal involvement in the day to day running of a company. You will be encouraged to analyse and evaluate the work based application of the concepts, knowledge and skills you have learned in other units of the programme. Your understanding of organisations at work with regard to the planning, management and supervision of the department will also be perfected.
