Overview
Enhance your cookery skills and gain an understating of kitchen, operations, people and finance management for hospitality businesses.
This course combines practical culinary skills with theoretical management concepts, preparing you for leadership or supervisory positions in kitchen environments. You will develop skills in the following areas:
- quality and stock control
- menu planning and costing
- food preparation and presentation
- finance
- human resources
- leadership
- people and operations management
- sustainable work practices
- food hygiene, food safety, OHS and first aid.
Footscray Nicholson hospitality training centre
You will gain hands-on experience working with industry-standard equipment in the Footscray Nicholson hospitality training centre.
This simulated work environment includes:
- four commercial kitchens with individual stainless steel workstations
- two demonstration kitchens
- a training bar
- an award-winning training restaurant, VenU.
Industry partners
As a cookery student, you will be exposed to our high-profile industry partnerships including:
- Delaware North
- Sebastian Restaurant and Bar
- Lucas Restaurants
- Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre
- Contiki
- Riverland Group.
Learning advice
VU’s Learning Hubs are welcoming spaces where you can improve your study and employability skills.
Our students can attend Learning Hubs at one of five VU campuses.
We offer maths, writing, careers and English-language advice, and show you effective ways to study and manage your time.
Our programs include:
- workshops
- drop-in sessions
- peer mentoring
- maths and writing resources
- resume and career guidance.
We also have accessibility support services and counselling services available for all students.
TAFE resources
School for the Visitor Economy
This course is part of VU's School for the Visitor Economy - a new cross-university school providing qualified graduates to Victoria's rapidly expanding tourism and hospitality sectors.
Virtual Tour - D141 Lecture Demonstration Kitchen
Careers in cookery
This course provides recognition of the skills and knowledge required to find employment in hospitality establishments including:
- restaurants
- hotels
- clubs
- international commercial entities of 5-3 star standard.
Possible job titles include:
- head chef
- sous chef
- chef de partie
- executive chef.
Nationally recognised training
This course is nationally recognised training.
Course structure
The course structure comprises the following core and elective units. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback.
To be awarded SIT40516 Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery qualification, a student must successfully complete a total of thirty-three (33) units of competency, comprising of:
- twenty-six (26) core units;
- seven (7) elective units which may be selected from within the SIT40516 Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery qualification, elsewhere in the SIT Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Training Package, or another other current training package or accredited course.
The selection of electives must be guided by the job outcome sought, local industry requirements and the complexity of skills appropriate to the AQF level of this qualification as well as be approved by the Polytechnic.
Course structure and units
VU Polytechnic delivers the electives listed in the ‘course structure and units’ below. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback. Alternative suitable electives are only available via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT).
CORE UNITS
ELECTIVE UNITS
Commercial Cookery and Catering
Food and Beverage
Human Resource Management
IMPORTED ELECTIVE UNITS
-
- Unit code
- SITXCCS016
-
- Unit code
- SITXHRM010
-
- Unit code
- SITXHRM012
-
- Unit code
- SITXMGT005
Imported Elective Units for continuing students only
Recognition of Prior Learning and/or Credit Transfers
Previous completion of units at the Polytechnic or any other Registered Training Organisation and/or previous attainment of skills and knowledge may be credited towards this course. Units must satisfy the completion rules of the qualification and be assessed as appropriate by the Polytechnic.
Learning outcomes
This qualification reflects the role of commercial cooks who have a supervisory or team leading role in the kitchen. They operate independently or with limited guidance from others and use discretion to solve non-routine problems.
Fees & scholarships
Fee type definitions
The amount you pay for your course depends on whether you’re offered a government subsidised place or a full fee-paying place.
Students who enrol in a:
- government subsidised place pay subsidised tuition fees (the government contributes the rest), and may be required to pay a Student Services and Amenities Fee along with any material fees
- full fee-paying place pay the full fee tuition rate (which includes Student Services and Amenities Fee and any material fees).
Calculate your VET course fees.
Find out more about:
- the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
- ways to pay your fees
- important fee dates
- how to apply for a VE/TAFE refund
Scholarships & assistance
Apply for a scholarship to help with your study costs.
We can help with fee assistance and advice.
Admission & pathways
Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into this course. Some courses receive more applications than the number of places available. In this situation we will also assess your education, work and other relevant experience.
If you do not meet the minimum requirements you may be eligible for one of our special admission programs.
Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.
Entry requirements
As part of the application process, applicants must complete a Pre-training Review (PTR) and undertake a literacy and numeracy (LN) assessment to determine suitability for admission.
Pathways from VU courses
There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.
Find out more about pathways and credits.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.
You may be able to complete your qualification sooner through formal recognition of your existing skills. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
To receive RPL, we assess your previous work, education and life experiences against recognised qualifications. Applications for RPL can be made prior to enrolling.
Call us on 1300 TAFE VP (1300 823 387) to discuss RPL options with the course manager.
How to apply
Prior to enrolment, all applicants will be required to complete a literacy and numeracy assessment to assist with determining eligibility and to identify learning support needs.
Applications for this course are not being taken at this time.
Browse our other Tourism, hospitality & events courses or send us an enquiry to be notified of updates relating to this course.
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Contact VU Polytechnic
Please note that if changes to this course occur, VU will notify students as soon as possible.
At Victoria University, we aim to display accurate and complete course information online. However, we are unable to guarantee that every course change is currently displayed. You may contact the University directly on +61 3 9919 6100 to confirm the most up-to-date course fees, pathways and credit transfer, recognition of prior learning, admission and enrolment procedures, examinations and services available to our students.
