Diploma in Culinary Arts 2026

Fast-track your culinary career

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The Diploma in Culinary Arts is an inspiring chef training programme in an intensive format designed to prepare you for a career as a confident, modern chef.

Over the course of this 10 week culinary arts course we will:

  • Develop your culinary skills to a professional level.
  • Prepare you for a career as a modern chef.
  • Inspire you to become the best cook you can be.

Who is this course suitable for?

Typical ambitions of those that take this culinary arts course include:

  • Launching a career as a professional chef.
  • Opening a cafe, pub, bistro or restaurant.
  • Launching a catering or food business.

Curriculum

Total Chef Training

You will receive a comprehensive training programme that will develop the qualities and skills required to become a successful chef.

Our 'Total Chef' training delivers a modern approach to chef development and is unique to the Ashburton Chefs Academy focusing on three areas of development which we call Hands, Head, Heart.

Hands

A chef is nothing without a mastery of the practical skills to create great food and this is a highly practical course. The majority of your course content will be dedicated to developing your core cooking skills and a complete understanding of the essential cookery concepts and skills.

Head

A successful chef is a thinking chef and you will be instructed in essential topics such as:

  • Food Hygiene
  • Kitchen Management
  • Managing the supply chain

Heart

Great cooking comes from the heart! We will focus your passion to enrich and inspire your cooking.

  • Field Trips & Visits

Real-World Experience

Towards the end of your course, you will also experience the excitement of cooking for paying customers as you prepare and deliver a 5-course tasting menu to guests at the Ashburton Dining Club.

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Term 1 Practical Skills

  • Knife skills, chopping & cutting at speed.
  • Basic soup preparation, cooking and finishing.
  • Breads and laminated doughs.
  • Stocks, sauces & basic dressings.
  • Pasta-making & cooking.
  • Meat & Poultry butchery.
  • Preparing and cooking shellfish.
  • Fish filleting and preparation.
  • Terrines.
  • Basic pastries and ice creams.
  • Cakes & Biscuits.
  • Individual tutorial session.

Field Trips & Masterclasses

  • Brixham Fish Market

Culinary Theory

  • Poultry & Duck.
  • Lamb.
  • Pork.
  • Beef.
  • Stocks, soups & sauces.
  • Introduction to Seafood.
  • Managing a supply chain.
  • COSSH.
  • Risk Assessment & Planning.

Term 2 Practical Skills

  • Laminated and enriched doughs.
  • Complex de-boning.
  • Feathered & furred game.
  • Complex butchery skills.
  • Complex fish filleting and cooking skills.
  • Complex pastries.
  • Advanced sauce making techniques.
  • European & Asian cuisines.
  • Molecular cookery.
  • Individual tutorial session.

Culinary Theory

  • Offal.
  • Seasonality of Ingredients.
  • Science of Molecular Cookery.
  • Sugar.
  • Shellfish.

Field Trips & Masterclasses

  • Field trip: Game at Devon Clinton Estates
  • Event: Dining Club week.
  • Masterclass: Foraging and wild food.
  • Masterclass: Advanced vegan & dietary recipes.
  • Event: Graduation lunch at restaurant.

Qualifications

As well as the Ashburton Diploma in Culinary Arts you will also earn valuable accredited and internationally recognised qualifications that will help you progress your career.

Confederation Of Tourism & Hospitality

Diploma in Culinary Arts

Level 3 Diploma

A comprehensive, practical chef qualification, this accredited qualification is regulated by Ofqual and recognised internationally.

Safer Foods

Award in Food Safety

Level 2 Award

The Level 2 Award in Food Safety is an online course that is the essential food safety qualification for working with food.

Rooms

Stay With Us

Need accommodation? Our Finlake student accommodation option offers a home from home with access to gym, pool, cafe, bar and free daily transport to the Academy. Find out more here. From just £48 per night.

View Accommodation Options

Course Dates

  1. 2026 Diploma 1 Register Now
    Mon 19 Jan to Fri 27 Mar, 2026
  2. 2026 Diploma 2 Register Now
    Mon 11 May to Fri 17 Jul, 2026
  1. 2026 Diploma 3 Register Now
    Mon 07 Sep to Fri 13 Nov, 2026

Course Fees

Everything you need is included in the course fee including chef uniforms, course notes, training and exam registration fees.

Course Fee Fee
Full Payment £9,995
68 Nights Room (Optional)
Details
£3,264
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Deposit

You can secure your place on this course with a £1,000 deposit. (Balance due 6 weeks before the course starts).

Enrol Now

If you have any questions or are ready to start enrolment click the 'Apply Now' button below.

Questions?

Our student advisors are here 7 days a week to answer your questions.

Join the Chefs Academy Now

If you have any questions, please contact us on (01364) 652784 and a student advisor will be happy to help.

Other Chef Courses

Alumni Stories

Chef Hugo at Glebe House

On a recent field trip with Diploma students, we visited Ashburton graduate, Hugo Heier, now Chef Patron of the inspiring Glebe House in East Devon.

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