Practical Cookery

Course overview

National Qualifications in Hospitality: Practical Cookery develop a range of cookery skills and processes, as well as food preparation techniques.   

Planning and producing meals and presenting them appropriately, learners develop understanding of ingredients from a variety of different sources, as well as of their uses and responsible sourcing and sustainability. Learners also develop an understanding of the choice of ingredients and the impact these have on health and wellbeing, as well as their knowledge and understanding of food safety and hygiene practices.  The Hospitality: Practical Cookery Course further enhances learners’ personal effectiveness in cookery and provides a set of skills for those who wish to progress to further study in the hospitality context. 

Is this course for me? 

his Course is designed for those who are interested in food and cooking and who enjoy being creative with food. Learners who have chosen to follow it may wish to utilise their cookery knowledge and skills at home, in the wider community or, ultimately, in the hospitality industry. 

Learners will develop a range of both generic and practical cookery skills, including food preparation techniques and the ability to follow cookery processes; the ability to choose, weigh and measure ingredients and calculate proportions, calculate the cost of ingredients and portions; and the ability to follow recipes to produce dishes, and to evaluate the product. 

Learners will also develop the ability to plan and produce meals and to present them appropriately; the ability to work safely and hygienically; and planning, organisational and time management skills in the cookery context.  The Course will support learners’ personal and social development and will serve them very well in their everyday lives, as well as preparing them for further training and employment in a wide range of hospitality-related areas. 

Course Structure 

The National 4 and 5 course consists of the following: 

Cookery Skills, Techniques and Processes

Learners will be required to provide evidence of their: cookery skills, food preparation techniques and ability to follow cookery processes in the preparation of dishes. 

Understanding and Using Ingredients 

Learners will be required to provide evidence of their ability to: apply their understanding of a range of ingredients and select appropriate ingredients and use them in the preparation of dishes. 

Organisational Skills for Cooking 

Learners will be required to provide evidence of their ability to: follow recipes and implement a time plan to produce dishes and carry out an evaluation of the dishes. 

Course Assessment 

The learner will be assessed by a practical activity drawing on the knowledge, understanding and skills developed across the Course.  The activity will require learners to extend cookery-related knowledge, understanding and skills, and to apply them in the production of a meal to a given specification. 

National 4 – Learners will plan, prepare and cook a two-course meal for a given number of people within 1 hour 30 minutes and present it appropriately. 

National 5 –The coursework assessment consists of a practical activity (100 marks – worth 75%) where learners will plan, prepare and cook a three-course meal for a given number of people within 2 hours 30 minutes and present it appropriately.  There is also a 1 hour question paper (30 marks – worth 25%); the course is graded A – D.   

It is important to note that the National 4 unit assessments are undertaken with minimal teacher guidance and at National 5 the unit assessments are with no teacher guidance.  All assessments must be passed and carried out safely and hygienically.