The aim of this diploma is to develop essential culinary skills and knowledge to an applied level in a range of culinary management disciplines, including gastronomy, food production analysis and planning, staff planning and supervision, and kitchen planning and design. Students will gain practical experience and increased capability in food and kitchen safety, kitchen operations and management, menu planning and production, catering for large groups, culinary gastronomy and styles of cuisine. On completion of this qualification, students can undertake further study in culinary arts or patisserie and bakery, or pursue employment opportunities in food production operations.

After successful completion of this qualification, graduates will be able to:
1. produce safe food in a professional industrial food production premise, meet regional requirements in food safety and self-evaluate safe practices;
2. produce an array of culinary dishes and food products utilising a range of culinary cookery methods;
3. understand and apply knowledge of bakeshop operations, commodities and equipment, and baking science;
4. investigate and analyse the changing needs of food production in relation to ethnic, religious, dietary, local and global influences on food demands and trends;
5. apply knowledge of gastronomic topics to design, plan, prepare and produce menus for a range of applications;
6. apply knowledge of kitchen management to aspects of food production planning and evaluation, and food purchasing requirements;
7. analyse and plan staffing requirements for an industrial kitchen, and produce culinary staff schedules utilising government legislation to meet production needs;
8. plan and design equipment, utility, storage and workflow requirements within an industrial kitchen in relation to business and legislative requirements;
9. analyse health and safety/Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) issues found in an industrial kitchen environment in relation to kitchen design and staffing requirements;
10. demonstrate capability as an independent life-long learner, with the flexibility and aptitude to respond positively to changes within a dynamic global and local culinary environment; and
11. pursue an area of interest.

Students may move onto further learning in the fields of patisserie and bakery or culinary management.

Admission and entry requirements for this qualification are open in accordance with Waiarikis academic regulations.