New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (Level 5) (Cookery)
Perfect for those who already have cooking experience or have completed our Level 4 programme and are ready to take the next step in their culinary career. Learn to design your own dishes and menus, and to manage kitchen supplies, workflow, staffing, and training in a commercial kitchen. Develop a deep understanding of sustainable practices, and ensure your skills are current with regional, national, and global food trends.
Domestic
Work-integrated delivery option
Distance
About the programme
Designed for junior chefs who are looking to unleash their cooking creativity, this programme will also teach you the skills you need to manage everyday kitchen activities.
Taught via project-based learning and portfolio-based assessment, this programme is offered both on campus and via a work-integrated learning mode.
The flexibility of this programme allows it to be tailored to meet your individual career aspirations or specific workplace needs.
Work Integrated Learning Pathway
If you are currently working in the industry, you will be able to complete this programme through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) pathway. This allows you to further your education while remaining in work. This pathway provides the benefits of lower fees, career advancement, flexibility, and tailored projects that align with your career aspirations and workplace needs.
Through this pathway, we will work closely with you and your employer to establish a mentoring arrangement. As part of this learning agreement, the workplace will provide a mentor for you and opportunities to extend your culinary design skills and management capabilities. Course project work is negotiated through a meeting held between the learner, workplace representatives, and lecturers. During these meetings, we discuss what new learning needs to occur and what possible workplace activities could facilitate this learning. The intention of these meetings is to ensure that learners have project work that provides them with opportunities to gain new skills and capabilities while bringing benefits to the workplace.
International
Work-integrated delivery option
Distance
About the programme
Designed for junior chefs who are looking to unleash their cooking creativity, this programme will also teach you the skills you need to manage everyday kitchen activities.
Taught via project-based learning and portfolio-based assessment, this programme is offered both on campus and via a work-integrated learning mode.
The flexibility of this programme allows it to be tailored to meet your individual career aspirations or specific workplace needs.
Work Integrated Learning Pathway
If you are currently working in the industry, you will be able to complete this programme through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) pathway. This allows you to further your education while remaining in work. This pathway provides the benefits of lower fees, career advancement, flexibility, and tailored projects that align with your career aspirations and workplace needs.
Through this pathway, we will work closely with you and your employer to establish a mentoring arrangement. As part of this learning agreement, the workplace will provide a mentor for you and opportunities to extend your culinary design skills and management capabilities. Course project work is negotiated through a meeting held between the learner, workplace representatives, and lecturers. During these meetings, we discuss what new learning needs to occur and what possible workplace activities could facilitate this learning. The intention of these meetings is to ensure that learners have project work that provides them with opportunities to gain new skills and capabilities while bringing benefits to the workplace.
What You Study
Overview
During this hands-on programme, you'll learn to design innovative dishes and menus perfectly suited for rolling out in a professional setting. Stay at the forefront of culinary trends with a focus on regional, national, and global influences, ensuring your skills are always cutting edge.
Fine tune your organisational skills as you manage food supplies, production schedules, and staff training within a commercial kitchen.
Sustainability takes centre stage as you learn to enhance dish quality, optimise kitchen economics, and minimise environmental impact in your design processes.
This programme is not just about cooking, it's about equipping you with the expertise needed to thrive in the competitive and evolving landscape of the culinary industry.
Towards the end of the programme, you'll be able to showcase your newly acquired skills by applying them to the design, planning, and delivery of a food event.
Courses
| Course name | Level | Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
Introduction to Advanced Cookery Master the art of sensory balance to create dishes that not only taste amazing but also look stunning, combining flavour and visual appeal in every bite. |
5 | 45 |
|
Advanced Cookery Learn how to create commercially viable and sustainable dishes. Gain the skills to design operationally feasible and economically sound dishes that both hospitality owners and customers will love. |
5 | 45 |
|
Work Experience This course focuses on kitchen management processes and systems. You will learn to create staff training plans, as well as kitchen rosters. |
5 | 15 |
|
Capstone Design, plan, and deliver a food event that brings together all the skills and knowledge you have learned during your studies. |
5 | 15 |
| Total | 120 |
Further study options
When you graduate, you'll be in a great position to apply for our Bachelor of Culinary Arts (offered at our Dunedin Campus).
Workload
Your workload
All of your studies will be highly structured, guided, and self-directed and you'll need to have good time management skills.
A full-time student should typically aim for around 30-40 hours of study per week including work-based learning (and therefore a part-time student would need to aim for 15-20 hours).
You'll need to engage with the online resources and activities, and complete assessments and work placements.
Entry
Entry requirements
- New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) OR equivalent OR evidence of at least one year of relevant industry experience.
- International students will be individually assessed to ensure you meet the entry requirements.
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.5 with no individual 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 NZQA proficiency table and here for a list of recognised proficiency tests).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Selection process
If the number of applicants exceed the available places, a waitlist will be used to ensure preference is given to applicants in order of application.
More about the APEL process
If you've been working in a supervisor position within a kitchen and want your skills formerly recognised, this is a great option for you.
We offer a APEL process (Accreditation of Prior Learning) which matches your existing experience and knowledge against this programme.
This process will drastically reduce the time taken to gain this qualification. It's especially valuable for those who are currently employed as you don't have to leave your job to achieve it!
If you have experience in staff development; purchasing; operating procedures; finance; and creating dishes and menus; please email Programme Leader, Adrian Woodhouse (Adrian.Woodhouse@op.ac.nz) or give him a call to discuss your situation - 0800 762 786.
Fees
Domestic fees
International fees
Tuition fees
The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.
Studylink
Domestic full-time students can apply for a student loan through Studylink.
Some support may be available for domestic part-time students if this programme offers a part-time study option.
Apply at the same time as you apply for your course (you can withdraw your application anytime).
Fees Free
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
Student Services Fee
For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.
The international tuition fee does not include your Student Levy. This will be calculated when you enrol with us.
Click below to find out more about the Student Levy costs and services provided.
Study Grants for international students
We have a range of Study Grants to support our international students.
