New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)

New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)

New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)

Following on from the NZ Certificate in Cookery (Level 3), this Level 4 programme allows the enhancement and further development of students' culinary skills.

SIT's classrooms are well equipped and the tutors are very passionate about their craft. Students operate the Bungalow Restaurant on campus for several periods during the year and are encouraged to enter national culinary arts competitions.

This training will help develop the flair and creativity in the culinary arts deemed necessary to gain employment in this exciting and dynamic industry.

     
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Key Details
Invercargill
Qualification:
Certificate
Level:
4
Credits:
120
Duration:

41 weeks full-time

Study Modes:
On Campus
Dates:

2025 Semester 1: 17 February to 21 November

2025 Semester 2: 14 July to 24 April

Fees:

This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.

  • NO tuition fees
  • 2025 Direct material costs of $5,596.00 (GST inclusive).

International Fees can be found here.

Following on from the NZ Certificate in Cookery (Level 3), this Level 4 programme allows the enhancement and further development of students' culinary skills.

SIT's classrooms are well equipped and the tutors are very passionate about their craft. Students operate the Bungalow Restaurant on campus for several periods during the year and are encouraged to enter national culinary arts competitions.

This training will help develop the flair and creativity in the culinary arts deemed necessary to gain employment in this exciting and dynamic industry.

On completion of the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4), graduates will have the knowledge and skills to:

  • Apply cookery skills to prepare, cook and present a range of cold larder dishes, hot kitchen dishes, and patisserie and desserts, employing complex preparation and presentation techniques
  • Monitor and maintain health and safety, food safety, and security practices, to ensure own safety and minimise potential hazards for customers
  • Monitor and maintain interactions between colleagues, managers, and customers
  • Monitor and maintain the application of standard operating policies and procedures to work roles in a commercial kitchen

NZC401 Demonstrate knowledge of food costing and portion control in a commercial kitchen

Students will gain knowledge of skills required to monitor and maintain specific standard operating and budgeting procedures in a hospitality workplace.

 

NZC402 Monitor and maintain staff performance and interactions with customers to meet service delivery outcomes

Students will gain knowledge of skills required to monitor and maintain staff performance and customer interactions to ensure service delivery outcomes are met in a hospitality workplace.

 

NZC403 Monitor and maintain the application of standard operating policies and procedures in a service delivery organisation

Students will gain knowledge of skills required to monitor and maintain the application of specific standard operating procedures and code of conduct in a hospitality workplace.

 

NZC404 Monitor and maintain health, safety and security practices for a service delivery organisation

Students will gain knowledge of skills required to monitor and maintain specific health, safety and security practices in a hospitality workplace.

 

NZC405 Prepare and present cold cocktail food in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an advanced understanding of preparation practices and cooking techniques. The students credited with this paper are able to prepare and present cold cocktail food for service in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC406 Prepare and present cold larder products in a commercial kitchen

Students will gain the understanding of preparation practices and advanced preparation and presentation techniques in cold larder work.

 

NZC407 Prepare and cook hot cocktail food in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. This involves preparation from fresh ingredients and cooking hot cocktail food.

 

NZC408 Prepare and cook complex sauces in a commercial kitchen

The students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present complex sauces, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC409 Prepare and cook complex fish dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures.

 

NZC410 Prepare and cook seafood dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present seafood dishes, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC411 Prepare and cook complex pasta dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. This paper is for preparation and cooking of pasta and pasta dishes from fresh ingredients and does not include the use of pre-prepared or dried pasta. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present complex pasta dishes, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC412 Prepare and cook complex meat dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to: prepare to cook; and cook and present complex meat dishes in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC413 Prepare and cook complex soups in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. This paper is for preparation and cooking of soups from fresh ingredients. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present complex soups, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC414 Prepare and cook complex poultry dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present complex poultry dishes, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC415 Prepare and cook complex pastry dishes in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to cook, and cook and present complex pastry dishes, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC416 Prepare and finish marinades, dressings, cold sauces, and dips in a commercial kitchen

The students will have an advanced understanding of preparation practices and larder work.

People credited with this paper are able to prepare and finish marinades, dressings, cold sauces and dips in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC417 Prepare and produce complex hot and cold desserts in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. This paper is for preparation and production of desserts from fresh ingredients.

People credited with this paper are able to: prepare to cook; and produce and present complex hot and cold desserts, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC418 Prepare and bake dough products in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and dough development and baking techniques. Ingredients used in this paper must be fresh. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to bake, and bake and present dough products, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC419 Prepare and bake complex dough products in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to bake, and bake and present complex dough products, in a commercial kitchen.

 

NZC420 Prepare and bake complex cakes and sponges in a commercial kitchen

Students will have an understanding of preparation practices and advanced cooking techniques, including the use of advanced preparation and cooking methods, multiple fresh ingredients, and differing flavours and textures. People credited with this paper are able to prepare to bake, and bake and present complex cakes and sponges, in a commercial kitchen.

This course aims to provide competent, professional employees for the hospitality sector who are able to work as chefs in intermediate positions producing complex dishes in a commercial kitchen.

Entry into the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) will be granted to applicants who:

  • Have successfully completed the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3) or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge
  • Can attend an interview that may be part of the application process
  • Can provide a verified valid work permit/visa
  • Have successfully completed NCEA Level 1

OR

  • If over 20 and not able to satisfy the academic requirement above, be able to demonstrate interest in the industry and the potential to succeed
  • Have competence in English and can demonstrate adequate literacy and/or numeracy skills to enable them to meet all academic and health and safety requirements of the programme in which they enrol
  • Can demonstrate a keen interest in hospitality and indicate a reasonable likelihood of successful completion of the programme
  • Are prepared to meet the work ethic required for a career in the hospitality industry
  • Have a high level of personal presentation

All enrolments in the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) are approved at the discretion of the Programme Manager in consultation with the Head of Faculty and teaching staff, as required.

Special Admission
Notwithstanding the above admissions categories, in exceptional circumstances, a mature aged applicant who can show evidence of ability to succeed in (examples would include someone with experience within the hospitality industry or currently working in the industry) the programme may be considered for admission provided the applicant has successfully completed an approved course or programme, which is deemed to prepare graduates for the required academic standard for entry.

English Language Requirements

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or

an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment


IELTS test - General or Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 
TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 530 (with an essay score of 4.5 TWE) 
TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 46 (with a writing score of 14) 
Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2First for schools with a score of 162. No less than 154 in each skill. 
OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests 
NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 3 (Academic) b) Level 3 (Applied) 
Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36 
Language Cert - B2 Communicator International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS 
Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than pass in any band

* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current

To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4), and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve a minimum of 120 credits in accordance with the programme schedule for the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4). The student will normally be expected to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) full-time within 34 weeks.

Please note: Students failing to attend for 80% of the timetabled programme hours may forfeit Zero Fees entitlement.

Graduates of this Level 4 programme can enrol in the New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced)

Classes are held Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm at SIT's Invercargill campus.

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