New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)
Course details
| NZQF Level | 4 |
|---|
About the course
Do you love food and cooking? Take your first step towards becoming a chef. This practical programme will guide you to your culinary career path.
About the programme
Loaded with hands-on, practical cooking in our training kitchens and commercial restaurant, this programme is perfect for those who have little or no experience in the culinary field!
Do you love cooking? Do you get excited by food? Take your first step towards becoming a chef no matter what experience you have. Surround yourself with like-minded people and learn from chef tutors who are industry professionals. Packed with loads of cooking, this programme is perfect for people who like hands-on learning.
As part of your studies, you’ll master the art of preparing delicious food, from meat, poultry, seafood, plant-based, and pasta dishes, to pastries, and desserts. As well as developing a range of cookery skills enabling you to prepare, cook, and serve a variety of dishes, you’ll also gain skills in teamwork, time management, workflow organisation and food safety. To top it all off, you’ll gain all of these skills in our purpose-built learning environment, alongside learners of all ages and different cultures and backgrounds.
Develop a wide range of culinary skills and techniques while gaining the knowledge and confidence to cook like a professional in our commercial training kitchens. When you’re ready to take the next step on your culinary career path, our Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Cookery or Bachelor of Culinary Arts degree are here to support you.
Embrace the chance to learn the fundamentals of cookery so you can then express your creativity when you create your own dishes!
Work Integrated Learning Pathway
If your business employs trainee chefs, or if you’re currently working in the hospitality industry, our Level 4 Cookery programme offers a flexible Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) pathway that allows learning to take place directly in the workplace. This pathway enables trainee chefs to gain a recognised qualification while remaining in employment, offering benefits such as lower fees, career progression, flexibility, and tailored learning that supports both the learner and the employer.
Through this model, Otago Polytechnic works closely with both the trainee and their employer to create a supportive mentoring arrangement. The workplace provides opportunities to develop core cookery skills in a real-world setting, while our tutors guide learners through the coursework, teaching resources, and portfolio assessment process.
Learning is built around the dishes and techniques encountered in the workplace, ensuring relevance to everyday practice. Alongside this, trainees take part in on-campus masterclasses that introduce new dishes, methods, and techniques beyond their usual scope of work - helping them expand their skills and confidence.
For employers, this pathway helps to develop capable, motivated staff, strengthens kitchen capability, and supports staff retention through visible investment in professional development.
Learn more about the Work Integrated Learning pathway >
Do you have prior experience?
If you have prior relevant cookery experience or previous related study credits, you may be eligible for full or partial credit recognition towards this qualification.
Please contact us at [email protected] who will be in touch to discuss this option with you.
Entry requirements
Entry
Entry requirements
- Open entry.
- International students will be individually assessed to ensure they are ready for this study.
English Language requirements
If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.5 (academic, no band score lower than 5.0) achieved in one test completed in the last two years, OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for internationally recognised proficiency tests and proficiency outcomes for international students).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Additional documentation
You'll need to supply your academic records, along with certified copies of proof of identity and proof of residency (where appropriate).
If you have industry experience, please also submit a CV with details of this.
Selection criteria
- If we have more applicants than places available, preference will be given to those who hold the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3), or equivalent, or have at least one year of relevant industry experience, and who meet the necessary English Language requirements above (if English is not your first language).
Selection procedure
If the number of applicants exceed the available places, a waitlist will be used to ensure preference is given to applicants in the order that they applied.
About the provider
If you want to get a job and build a great career, Otago Polytechnic is a smart choice.
We’re known for offering the highest quality, hands-on training that helps students succeed. Our graduates are confident, skilled, and ready to work from day one. And, employers love that.
We’ve earned the highest ratings from the New Zealand Government for our teaching and support. Our flexible study options make it easier for you to learn in a way that suits your life.
At Otago Polytechnic, you’ll gain practical skills, real-world experience, and the confidence to make a real impact - in your career and in your community.