Diploma in Culinary Arts 2026

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.