Professional Patisserie Courses at South Africa’s Top Culinary Institute

If you have a love of food and cooking in general, and a passion for patisserie and all things baked and sweet in particular, you should really consider building a career in this field by first completing a patisserie course and equipping yourself with a suitable qualification.

This implies that you need to approach and attend a chefs’ academy, but which one would be best, when there are so many which claim to be good, and they probably are? Here’s our recommendation. Don’t just join a good cooking school. Do yourself and your future a favour – enrol at South Africa’s top culinary school for your patisserie (and other professional chef’s) courses.

World-class Leader amongst South Africa’s Culinary Schools

• Our institute of culinary arts education includes a fine dining restaurant, which has been voted as one of the country’s finest, and we’re the only academy of its kind to have such a restaurant, where our learners undergo their real-time practical training and experience, once they’ve reached a suitable level of expertise.

• Learners additionally acquire practical experience at their own practical sites, many of which feature amongst the top 25 fine dining venues in South Africa.

• Although our dedicated tuition exceeds the already high City & Guilds standards, we’re nevertheless proud to be approved and accredited by this body.

• Our patron, Prue Leith CBE, is well known and highly respected throughout English speaking countries and the rest of the culinary world.

• Our top-ranking culinary training school which bears her name employs a committed group of academic and practical lecturers, chefs and trainers, who are specialists in their respective fields of expertise, are passionate about food, developing new talent and sharing their knowledge with the next generation of chefs and each aspirant patissier.

• Student numbers per lecturer are kept at a ratio of fewer than 20:1.

• Being one of our graduates is a recommendation in and of itself – a clear indication of how highly our culinary academy’s training, standards and students are regarded.

• Concerns seeking professionally trained and qualified catering personnel often stipulate that they’re only prepared to consider our graduates to fill their vacancies.

• Our top-culinary schools don’t skimp on fresh raw materials and ingredients, even including those which are generally deemed exotic and expensive, such as imported gourmet Italian cheeses, cured meats, French truffles, Belgian couverture chocolate, Iranian caviar, and choice salmon from Norway and Scotland.

• Comprehensive courses are based on the classic French techniques, improved upon where possible and adapted to modern trends where necessary.

• In our responsible position as South Africa’s top-culinary school, our courses include a Pan-African culinary module, vital to fostering the development and evolution of the foods, flavours and dishes of our continent.

• An aptly named Spice Route module, focussed on international cuisine, enables prospective chefs to develop an understanding of and respect for the origins and journeys of raw ingredients, which form an integral part of world cuisine today.

Campus and Kitchen Facilities

Our extensive library is stocked with the latest relevant culinary publications – books, magazines, journals and DVDs, all dedicated to the culinary arts, the latest news, techniques, creations and trends from around the world. Two computers with internet access and a printer are available to students for their research.

An air-conditioned lecture room comfortably seats 40 students. Here, theory is taught and equipment includes audio-visual aids to enhance the learning experience.

The fine dining restaurant is staffed by students in their 2nd commis semester. They serve restaurant patrols from the main kitchen on the campus, under the guidance of chef lecturers. Hot, cold and pastry kitchen areas are managed by 3 expert sous chefs.

Early training takes place in the dedicated training kitchen, accommodating 20 fully equipped workstations where each new intake of students is taught fundamental culinary basics during their 1st commis semester, vital for establishing the foundation from which they will develop, thrive and innovate.

Patisserie Course Options

Diploma patisserie courses, spanning 6 or 12 months full time, or 12 months part-time academy attendance and study, are designed to equip learners to begin their careers in this essential aspect of providing the full dining experience to its delectable conclusion.

In order for successful students to earn international recognition and have the ability to work internationally, the City & Guilds IVQ Diploma in Patisserie exams are written, in addition to those of our own top South African culinary schools, ensuring that course graduates are confident and ready to begin their careers upon qualifying.