Level 3 Diploma in Professional Chef

Advance your culinary career with the Level 3 Professional Chef course, developing advanced cooking, menu planning, and food presentation skills. Gain hands-on experience in professional kitchens and build the leadership and teamwork skills employers value. This course prepares you for senior kitchen roles, high-end restaurants, hotels, or further study in hospitality and culinary arts.

P11096
Bangor, Downpatrick, Lisburn
Full-Time
Further Education
Hospitality & Catering

Available Sessions

We have 3 sessions available for application on this course in Lisburn, Bangor, Downpatrick.

Why Study This Course

This qualification is suitable for learners who:

  • want to learn new skills and knowledge to enter the sector or
  • are working in a chef/catering role/environment and wish to develop supervisory and team leading skills to progress their careers

Key Benefits

  • Develop advanced cooking techniques and food presentation skills
  • Gain hands-on experience in professional kitchen environments
  • Learn menu planning, nutrition, and kitchen management skills
  • Prepare for supervisory or senior chef roles in hospitality
  • Enhance employability with transferable skills: teamwork, problem solving, time management, creativity
  • Pathway to higher education in culinary arts or hospitality management

.The course also develops essential transferable skills, including:

  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Problem solving
  • Time management
  • Creativity
Course Overview

The course content includes preparation and cooking of complex soups, sauces and dressings, fish and shell fish, meat, poultry, game and offal dishes; there are also elements of patisserie and confectionary included in the course content.

  • Course duration 2 years (This course will be completed over 15 to 21 hours per week dependent on student's Essential Skills requirement).
  • Vocational Qualification and Skills Development working in our Training Kitchen
  • You will be required to complete Essential Skills in Literacy or Numeracy if you do not have a GCSE grade C in English or Maths.
  • Course duration 2 years (This course will be completed over 15 to 21 hours per week dependent on student's Essential Skills requirement).

You will need:

  • a L2 Professional Cookery/Chef qualification or minimum 3 industry experience as a chef

 

16 modules comprising of:

  • Supervisory skills for the professional kitchen
  • Advanced skills and techniques to produce vegetable and vegetarian dishes
  • Advanced skills and techniques in producing meat and offal dishes
  • Advanced skills and techniques in producing poultry and game dishes
  • Advanced skills and techniques in producing fish and shellfish dishes
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex dressings and cold sauces
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex hot sauces
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex bread and dough products
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex cakes, sponges, biscuits and scones
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex soups
  • Prepare, cook and finish complex hot, cold and frozen desserts
  • Prepare, cook and finish fresh pasta dishes
  • Prepare cook and finish complex pastry products
  • Contribute to the development of new recipes and menus
  • Contribute to control of resources
  • The principles of food safety supervision for catering

Learners for the FDQ Level 3 Diploma in Professional Chef must complete a portfolio of evidence based on the FDQ’s units of assessment

Successful completion of this course will enable learners to progress to higher level qualifications including Further Education qualifications, Level 3 Apprenticeships or into Employment.

Available Sessions

We have 3 sessions available for application on this course in Lisburn, Bangor, Downpatrick.

For more information or help with this course send us an enquiry and a member of our team will get back in touch.

Available Sessions

Title Campus Start Spaces
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Chef
Y11096BF1A-26/27-FT
Bangor
31/08/2026
 16
More Info
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Chef
Y11096DF1A-26/27-FT
Downpatrick
31/08/2026
 16
More Info
Level 3 Diploma in Professional Chef
Y11096LF1A-26/27-FT
Lisburn
31/08/2026
 16
More Info

Please select a campus from the list above to view the available sessions.

Customer Enquiries

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Terms & Conditions

Students will be required to comply with SERC's Terms & Conditions of study.

We strive to ensure the description of courses on SERC's website and in publications is accurate. However, for various reasons there may be occasions when the College may need to change arrangements or be unable to deliver classes due to circumstances such as reduced funding. If there are insufficient numbers applying for a course it may not be viable to deliver the class.

Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.

Further Education

Further Education

If you have just completed your GCSEs, Further Education is most likely the option for you. FE covers qualifications from entry to higher level qualifications such as Awards, Certificates, Diplomas, NVQ, BTEC and Apprenticeships.

Explore Further Education