Culinary Arts - Cookery

Learn the art of cheesemaking, butchery, crafted small goods (salami, pate and terrine), locally foraged foods, traditional and international cuisine and the excitement that is molecular gastronomy. Consolidate all your learning in an industry placement.

At NMIT we work closely with local industry, iwi and the community so that your learning happens in a wide range of commercial, training and community settings. 

You will be involved in events that could see you catering for 40 or 400 people, running our mobile food cart, working alongside leading chefs in commercial environments, or participating in a noho marae.

Kerensa Johnston, Chief Executive, Wakatū Incorporation said, "Wakatū Incorporation held a gala dinner event for 650 people at the Trafalgar Centre. This was part of our celebrations of Wakatū Inc’s 40th anniversary. The gala dinner was a big undertaking for us; it was important it was successful. We contracted the NMIT Culinary Arts team to work with our executive chef, Martin Bosley. The Culinary Arts team was professional and easy to work with, and their input greatly contributed to the overall success of what was a lovely evening."

Plan and execute a community charity event - from the idea and planning to the execution on the day.

Gain experience 'on the pass' in our training restaurant, The Rata Room.

Complete projects that develop skills in designing a commercial kitchen, rosters, costing and implementing sustainable economic practices and systems that support a commercially viable business.

Academic requirements

Trainee Chef Level 4 (New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)) 

English language requirements

You must have a level of English sufficient to be able to study at this level. If your first language is not English you should have an international English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall academic score of at least 5.5 (with at least 5.0 in each band) issued within the last two years, or a qualification considered to be equivalent to the above:

Refer to The NZQA Table of Internationally Recognised English Proficiency Outcomes for International Students(external link).

Other requirements

You must be able to confirm you will have the physical capability to comply with relevant health and safety requirements and can safely withstand 4-8 hour sessions of working in the commercial kitchen environment.

Special entry

Special Entry approval is required from the Head of Department or delegate.
Skills for tertiary study (including literacy and numeracy) may be acquired through study, work and/or life experience. If you who can demonstrate these skills, you may apply for Special Entry.
Qualifications other than those listed in the Entry Requirements above will need to be assessed for equivalence, and applicants holding these qualifications will need to apply for Special Entry approval from the Head of Department or delegate.

You are responsible for purchasing your chef kit which includes all equipment, your uniform and the standard textbook.

Be prepared to budget for approx $1,000 depending on the quality of the equipment you choose to buy. You may already have what you need if you have completed the Trainee Chef Level 4.

Graduates of the Culinary Arts (Level 5) programme will be able to pursue employment and career opportunities as chefs in food production operations within the hospitality industry. You may need to start at the bottom in the kitchen to prove your worth in a commercial kitchen but with this qualification you can very quickly move up as you demonstrate your skills.

Student completing this programme will be prepared for further study in a Bachelor’s Degree.