Grace's experience on our Level 3 Professional Cookery course

Our fully equipped training kitchens offer students the ideal opportunity to get a flavour what working in a busy catering space is really like. 

Our young chefs are guided though the course by our expert tutors who share their knowledge of working in fast-paced, commercial kitchens. 

Recently, we visited a Level 3 Professional Cookery class to find out more about what the qualification offers students and hear from one of our eager students, Grace, who is ready to follow in her father’s footsteps as she looks to become a chef.  

Grace started her College journey studying a Uniformed Public Services course at EKC Canterbury College, but unfortunately after an injury, she couldn’t continue.  

Searching for something else that would ignite a fire within her, she found the Level 3 Professional Cookery course at EKC Folkestone College.  

After visiting the impressive kitchens and discussing the course with the tutors, Grace was inspired to develop brand-new skills and move towards starting a career in the Catering and Hospitability sector. 

 Grace’s favourite part of the course  

On Thursdays, the class runs a full food service for staff and students. This experience gives students the opportunity to work to tight deadlines while producing high-quality dishes. They learn the skills that will help them progress into a professional kitchen environment. 

Speaking on this experience, Grace said: “I really love when we run a full service. We will be given an area to cover and told how many portions we need to create. My favourite part is when I am working on the desserts, I made a cheesecake last week and I was so impressed with the end result.” 

Following in her dad’s footsteps 

Working as a chef runs in the family. Grace’s dad was a chef for many years, and she enjoys talking with him about the new skills she is learning throughout her course. 

“It is great to compare notes with my dad,” Grace said.  

“When I am learning new dishes, I’ll always go home and make them for my dad. We then discuss the dish and the techniques involved. It is really cool to have more knowledge and in-depth conversations about the flavours.”  

The learning environment  

Professional Cookery students learn practical skills to help them confidently enter a commercial kitchen. They are taught about the expectations of working in a professional kitchen and how to respond to orders from a head chef. 

“The tutors are great; we are really supported here,” Grace explained.  

“We can call them chef or by their first name when in class. It can be stressful when there is time pressure, but the tutors are really calm and help us to work well and to a high standard through their tuition.”  

Work experience during the course 

All students are required to complete work experience during the course to apply their learning in a different kitchen environment. Grace explained that the College helps students find placements in restaurants across Folkestone, giving them valuable experience working alongside professionals. 
 
“Work experience is really fun,” commented Grace.  

“Being able to use what I have learnt at College in a professional kitchen has improved my confidence massively.” 

Grace’s passion for professional cookery continues to grow through her experiences at College.  She is developing the practical skills and knowledge needed for a successful career in the industry. With inspiration from her dad and support from her tutors, Grace is excited to continue building her future as a professional chef.

Feeling inspired? 

Check out our Catering and Hospitality courses, or visit us at our next Open Day to explore the facilities.