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Professional Cookery and Restaurant Operations: NQ (Level 5)

A chef with tattoos and a striped apron smiles while chatting with an instructor in a busy kitchen, with cooking utensils and supplies in the foreground.
Qualification Qualifications Explained
NQ
Study Mode
Full Time
Duration

1 Year - 2.5 Days p/w
Start date
Aug 2026
Campus
Easterhouse
Applications open January 2026

Course overview

Turn your passion for food and service into a professional career.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your journey through the world of hospitality, this NQ Level 5 course will help you develop both kitchen and front-of-house skills to prepare for a successful career in professional cookery, restaurant service or events catering.

You’ll learn in our modern commercial kitchens and bistro, gaining hands-on experience in preparing, cooking, presenting and serving a range of dishes. The course is taught by industry-experienced lecturers who’ll help you build confidence and precision — whether in the heat of a busy kitchen or in a calm, customer-facing environment.

The programme combines essential practical training with theoretical knowledge, giving you a strong understanding of how professional kitchens and hospitality operations run day-to-day. You’ll also explore sustainability and customer care, ensuring you graduate with skills relevant to today’s industry standards.

This course is perfect for anyone who enjoys working as part of a team in a fast-paced, creative and people-focused environment.

This course is ideal for:

  • Learners interested in developing professional cookery or restaurant service skills.
  • Those who enjoy practical, hands-on learning and creative food preparation.
  • Students who want to gain barista, catering and front-of-house experience.
  • Individuals aiming to progress to higher-level cookery or hospitality courses.
  • Those seeking a career in restaurants, cafés, hotels or events catering.

What you will learn

You’ll develop professional, transferable skills for the modern hospitality industry, including:

  • Professional Cookery Skills and Knowledge – mastering food preparation and presentation.
  • Food Hygiene in the Hospitality Industry – maintaining safety and hygiene standards.
  • Food Preparation Techniques – knife skills, time management and accuracy.
  • Stocks, Sauces and Soups – building flavour foundations for professional cooking.
  • Pastry and Baking Skills – creating sweet and savoury pastry items.
  • Barista Skills Training – producing high-quality beverages and espresso service.
  • Food and Beverage Service – customer interaction, etiquette and teamwork.
  • Restaurant Operations – managing front-of-house tasks in live service settings.
  • Sustainable Food Operations – understanding eco-friendly approaches to hospitality.
  • Employability Skills – communication, organisation, teamwork and adaptability.

📘 Learning & Assessment Methods:

You’ll learn through a mix of practical sessions, demonstrations, theory lessons and live service practice in the College’s training restaurant and kitchen.

Assessment is continuous and includes observation, project work and portfolio evidence.

A cookery student in a striped apron and black chef's hat uses a blowtorch to char sweetcorn in a commercial kitchen.

Sarah from our Professional Cookery course chatted to us about the course, and her plans after she finishes College

View on YouTube

Entry requirements

✅ No formal qualifications required, though applicants should be able to work at SCQF Level 5.

✅ A keen interest in cookery, catering or hospitality is essential.

✅ Some prior experience in a hospitality or kitchen environment is beneficial but not required.

✅ A positive attitude, teamwork and reliability will support your success in this fast-paced course.

ℹ️ Applicants must be 16 years or older at the start of the course.

ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language

  • you need to have SQA ESOL National 5 (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
  • If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment  here at the College.

Career Opportunities

This qualification opens the door to a range of roles across the hospitality sector, including:

👨‍🍳 Commis Chef

🍰 Trainee Pastry Chef

☕ Barista or Café Assistant

🍽️ Front-of-House or Restaurant Assistant

🎉 Events or Hotel Catering Assistant

You could work in professional kitchens, cafés, bistros, hotels, or catering companies — or progress to more advanced study.

 

Future prospects

After completing this course, you can progress to:

  • NC Advanced Professional Cookery (Level 6)
  • Further training in specialised cookery, patisserie, or hospitality management.
  • Employment across the restaurant, events or catering industries.

Real Industry Connections

Industry guest visitors, business visits, enterprise opportunities, event planning and delivery, and work experience opportunities.

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