Cooking Food
Food (Cooking) – Subject Intent
Welcome to Cooking Skills
Cooking Skills is a dynamic, student-led course that introduces learners to the joy, creativity, and life-long value of cooking. This is a space where students not only learn how to cook, but also gain confidence in the kitchen, explore global cuisines, and build essential life skills such as meal planning, budgeting, and food safety.
What Is the Cooking Skills Course About?
Each session is designed to teach students a range of practical cooking techniques—from basic knife skills and baking to making sauces, handling meat, or preparing plant-based meals. Alongside developing technical skills, students also:
•
Explore dishes from different cultures and countries
•
Learn how to budget for ingredients
•
Adapt recipes to suit dietary needs and sustainability goals
Students are encouraged to make choices about what they cook, try new flavours, and stretch themselves with challenging and unfamiliar recipes.
Lesson Plans
Further Information
What Will Students Learn?
Cooking techniques (e.g. sautéing, roasting, dough-making)
Food hygiene and safety
Cultural awareness through international dishes
Budgeting and ingredient substitution
How to read and follow recipes confidently
What Do Students Achieve?
By the end of the course or term, students will:
Have a portfolio of recipes they’ve cooked and mastered
Understand how to plan meals on a budget
Be more independent, creative, and confident in the kitchen
Gain a deeper appreciation of food from a variety of backgrounds and traditions
Why Students Love Cooking Skills
This course is a highlight for many—it’s hands-on, creative, and social. Students enjoy the chance to explore their own tastes, share their food with others, and develop skills they’ll use for life. For many, it’s a chance to take ownership of their learning and discover passions they didn’t know they had.
Assessment
Students have the opportunity to record their achievements through an ASDAN accreditation, AQA Unit Awards or Children’s University.