About chef training
The world of professional cookery offers exciting and challenging job prospects preparing and cooking delicious and nutritious fare in cafés, restaurants, hotels and wineries in New Zealand and overseas. If you want to transform your love of food and cooking into a successful career, then this is the place to start.
Working as a chef, you will have the opportunity to;
- work in an industry that embraces and celebrates creativity
- prepare and cook a range of dishes that reflect the style of restaurant in which you are employed
- plan and work on major events and functions
- design and plan menus to meet customer and business expectations
- organise and manage kitchen operations
- travel and expand your culinary knowledge and skills.
Studying chef training
At Tamesa you will enjoy first class chef training facilities including the Visions on Campus licensed training restaurant and the Pantry café.
Our trainee chefs develop a full range of practical professional cookdery skills and knowledge that will allow them to achieve success in the hospitality industry. Our five purpose-built kitchens are designed to enable the best possible training with good quality commercial equipment, machinery and teaching resources. Trainees work alongside highly experienced, award-winning staff who have come from a range of industry positions and continue to excel in the profession.
Our professional cookery programmes incorporate New Zealand National Certificate qualifications as well as City and Guilds International accredited qualifications and are aimed at identifying Tamesa graduates as quality employment prospects. We have an excellent employment success rate and our graduates can be found in the kitchens of top restaurants and hotels around the world.
Programmes
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New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (Level 5) with Patisserie Strand
Programme code: Acquire the advanced skills required to produce complex patisserie items and take a leading role in commercial kitchen environments. |
level5 | ProgrammeIsOfTypeDiploma | sortOrder1040 | Food_and_hospitality |
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New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (Level 5) with Cookery Strand
Programme code: Gain the skills and expertise needed to produce advanced dishes and take a leading role in commercial kitchen environments. |
level5 | ProgrammeIsOfTypeDiploma | sortOrder1040 | Food_and_hospitality |
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New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)
Programme code: This programme covers the skills required to create a wide range of complex dishes from hot meals and desserts to pastries. |
level4 | ProgrammeIsOfTypeCertificate | sortOrder1050 | Food_and_hospitality |
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New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (YG)
Programme code: Youth Guarantee programmes are a great way to learn practical skills and gain a qualification. You can apply for these options if you're 16 to 19 years of age and no longer at school, or you're planning on leaving school. If you like to cook, follow recipes or experiment with recipes of your own, this course will give you the skills you need to turn your talents into a career. |
level3 | ProgrammeIsOfTypeCertificate | sortOrder1050 | Food_and_hospitality |
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New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3) (CTC)
Programme code: Canterbury Tertiary College (CTC) is a partnership between secondary schools and tertiary education providers. It's a different way of learning where you complete your NCEA studies at secondary school and start working towards a tertiary qualification. Become a chef and discover the exciting, fast-paced world of professional cookery. |
level3 | ProgrammeIsOfTypeCertificate | sortOrder1050 | Food_and_hospitality |
New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (Level 5) with Patisserie Strand

Programme Code: NZ2102 Level: 5 Credits: 120 Starts: February and July
New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Advanced) (Level 5) with Cookery Strand

Programme Code: NZ2102 Level: 5 Credits: 120 Starts: February (Christchurch and Timaru), July (Christchurch only)
New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4)

Programme Code: NZ2101 Level: 4 Credits: 120 Starts: February (Christchurch and Timaru), July (Christchurch only)
New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (YG)

Programme Code: NZ2100 Level: 3 Credits: 60 Starts: February, July (Christchurch) July (Timaru)
New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3) (CTC)

Programme Code: NZ2100 Level: 3 Credits: 60 Starts: February