Choosing a Cooking School

What to Look for When Choosing a Cooking School

Individuals wanting to become chefs need to consider the cooking school they choose to study at with care. This could make or break their culinary careers, making it crucial to thoroughly inspect any institute prior to applying at the relevant establishment.

Prue Leith Culinary Institute is one such a training institute, which offers ample courses and specialities for learners from those with a drive to enter the culinary industry to those who wish to polish their kitchen skills.

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Cooking School

Before choosing to study at a particular chef’s academy, potential students should know what to look out for. Below is a step-by-step guide to assist aspiring chefs on their journey to entering the culinary industry:

1. Courses on offer – See whether the school provides training for the specific skills required for the chosen career path. At Prue Leith Culinary Institute, students can select from a wide range of short, part-time and full-time courses. Whether it is to master the specialised art of patisserie or the robust flavours of Italian cuisine, there are many comprehensive options on offer for applicants.
2. Accreditations – A top-tier institute of learning will no doubt have acquired multiple, noteworthy accreditations, proving that they adhere to impeccable standards of training. City & Guilds, CATHSSETA and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations are regulatory bodies that accredit our courses, assuring potential learners that they will be awarded reputable and quality qualifications.
3. Campus Facilities – Another attribute of an excellent cooking school is having state-of-the-art culinary facilities on-site. At Prue Leith Culinary Institute’s Centurion campus, the highly regarded Prue Leith restaurant offers students the opportunity to gain real-life experience as working chefs. Also included on the campus are excellent lecture facilities, as well as training kitchens equipped with leading technology making it the first Trade Test Centre for chefs in South Africa.
4. Theory and practical sessions – To enter the culinary world, students require hands-on training and theoretical knowledge to master the ability to cook a diverse range of dishes. Therefore, our blended learning approach is ideal for gaining the techniques and abilities needed to work in a professional kitchen. All courses at the school incorporate practical sessions to refine kitchen skills, as well as in-class or online theory lectures to learn the tricks of the trade.
5. Practical experience working at in-service kitchens – An important part of training to become a chef is to gain actual work experience to add to one’s curriculum vitae. When studying at Prue Leith Culinary Institute, students receive the opportunity to gain work experience at one of the many high-end establishments with which Prue Leith is partnered. These include names like Klein Jan restaurant in the Kalahari, La Colombe in Cape Town and The Chef’s Table in KwaZulu Natal, among others.
6. Tuition Fees – To decide on an institute of learning, the cost of courses should be taken into account. Any individual wishing to study at Prue Leith Culinary Institute can receive information about the course fees by requesting a quote on the relevant course page for full- or part-time courses. Fees for short courses are available directly on the website.
7. Covid-19 safety protocols – Now more than ever, it is vital that any cooking school follows the correct approach to keeping learners safe. Not only are our staff vaccinated, but the institute also has strict measures in place for ensuring that all attendees are healthy before attending on-site lessons. The institute also has the necessary equipment to provide online lectures should lockdown restrictions prohibit pupils from leaving their homes.

The Application Process

For those interested in studying the culinary arts at the Prue Leith Culinary Institute and making it their cooking school of choice, send an enquiry or apply to a particular course on the institute’s website.