What career opportunities await after a commercial cookery course?

Interested in studying commercial cookery courses? Or just want to find out a bit more about what’s involved in commercial cookery and where it can take you?

Look no further: we’re here to guide you through the exciting world of cooking, baking, frying, dicing, and much, much more!

What is commercial cookery?

Commercial cookery is exactly what you think it is!

Commercial cookery is simply the profession of preparing and serving food in any kind of commercial setting. More often than not this role is carried out by chef, cooks, or kitchen hands.

So, if you’re looking for a career in all things food related, then this is the step forward for you!

Following completion of a commercial cookery course, you could take your skills to any kind of hospitality venue, including:

Restaurants
Pubs and bars
Cafe or bakery
Hotel
Catering company

What are the 3 categories of commercial cooking?

Commercial cookery is a much broader field than most people initially think. There are three main areas that you can choose to specialise in:

Patisserie
Cookery
Hospitality management

The first thing you need to decide is where you want your career in commercial cookery to take you.

Are you hoping to work in a large, fast-paced kitchen? Or want to own and operate your own cafe or bakery?

You can create a plan of how to reach your goal as soon as you determine where it is that you want to go.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself though: it’s OK to change and adapt your plans along the way!

What are the career opportunities in commercial cooking?

There are a huge number of opportunities that await! Here are just some of the roles you could fill following your completion of a commercial cookery course.

Commis chef

When you first graduate from your commercial cookery studies your first job is likely to be as a commis chef.

This is a junior position that will see you designated to a specific area of the kitchen. The area that you are assigned to will likely change as the needs of the kitchen change.

This will benefit you greatly when you’re first starting out as a chef, as it will allow you to learn a lot of different things in a fast-paced environment, while assisting your head chef.

Working as a commis chef will allow you to experience a wide range of tasks and responsibilities.

Chef de partie

The role of chef de partie is to specialise in one area of the kitchen. They will be responsible for the smooth running of that particular station.

While the chef de partie may specialise in one area, they will still be skilled in all areas of the kitchen.

For larger kitchens in particular, the chef de partie may have one or more assistants helping them run their section.

Sous chef de cuisine

The sous chef is the second in command of the kitchen.

This means that a sous chef will not only be an excellent chef with great skills, but they also need to have very strong leadership skills.

A sous chef oversees the kitchen, and ensures communication and delegation between stations. This means that they need to be observant, quick thinking, and decisive.

Chef de cuisine

The chef de cuisine is the head chef. This is majorly a supervisory role, and it will involve a lot of communication with the front of house.
The head chef has a part to play in ensuring the kitchen is profitable and that the business continues to thrive.

The head chef does have some culinary responsibilities in the kitchen, but it’s predominantly a supervisory role.

Chef executif

A chef executif (also known as an executive chef) is a role you will find in large commercial restaurants or hotels. They manage the kitchen as well as all the staff, and are responsible for creating menu items.

They can also act as a managerial role across multiple venues; it’s their job to ensure consistency across all kitchens. It is largely a business focused position.

How do I study a commercial cookery course?

The good news is that when you decide to pursue a career in commercial cookery there is a very clear path to get you started.

The best place to start is with TAFE/vocational cooking courses. They will start you out with all the practical knowledge you need, as well as give you the opportunity to learn in real-life kitchens during your work placement.

What is a Certificate 3 in commercial cookery?

A Cert 3 in Commercial Cookery is the first step you’ll take in your career journey.

During your studies, you will attend face-to-face classes, participate in practical tutorials in our on-site kitchens, and complete work placement in some of Melbourne or Brisbane’s best hotels and restaurants.

What is Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery?

After completing a Cert 3, the next step is to complete your Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery.

This course will allow you to expand your cooking knowledge and learn about more managerial tasks including finance, marketing, and team leadership.

Once again, part of your studies will include a real-world placement in a top hotel or restaurant, where you’ll have the opportunity to put your learned skills into practice!

Study commercial cookery with government funded courses

There has never been a better time to take the plunge and begin commercial cookery courses. New government funded courses make it easier than ever.

Academia can provide you with quality commercial cookery classes in a mid sized institution, where you can benefit from one on one tutoring with your teachers.