ONLINE VEGAN CHEF DIPLOMA

FAQS

 

Is this course right for me?

Our courses are for you if you want - *a flexible and convenient course *to be taught by a vegan chef with years of professional experience *to be part of a student community *to access support when you need it

We always strongly recommend you read through -

  • the course outline (which you can find here)
  • the general FAQs (which you can find here)
  • the course-specific FAQs on this page

If you are unable to find the answer to your question you can email us at hello@theveganchefschool.com. We understand that the course is a big commitment so we want you to be sure that it is right for you and your career aspirations.

How much time will I spend cooking on the course?

A high percentage of the work on the course is hands-on. 80% of the course is hands-on cooking with 10% written theory and 10% information on nutrition. You will also spend time sourcing ingredients and tools. This is a helpful exercise for anyone wanting to work in the food industry.

How long is the course?

The course is designed to be completed in as little as 3 months. You can work through the course at your own pace as long as you complete it within 12 months. It is completely flexible and convenient so that you can easily fit it into your schedule. All course purchases give you access to the course for one year. A subsequent year extension is available with a fee of 30% of the course price.

How do I enroll in the course?

You can book onto any of the courses by simply selecting the course you want and purchasing it HERE. We are unable to reserve a place without payment. Once we receive your payment we will send you access instructions which will enable you to start your course straight away.

Will I receive a certificate?

Yes, you will receive a certificate on completing the course. It is provided to you as a PDF so that you can easily forward it to potential employers.

Who teaches the cooking classes?

The cooking classes are taught by school founder and professional Chef Day Radley. You can find out more about Chef Day here.

Who teaches the nutrition class on the Vegan Chef Diploma?

We take nutrition knowledge very seriously at the school, therefore information on nutrition will only come from qualified nutrition professionals. The nutrition class on the Vegan Chef Diploma is taught by Dr Gemma Newman and Naturopath Ashlie Love. Dr Gemma Newman is a well known advocate for veganism, she is on Instagram as PlantPowerDoctor. She presents a class on Nutrition for Chefs on this course. Ashlie is a trained naturopath and expert forager. You can find her on Instagram as AshlieLoveLife.

Is the course recognised in all countries?

Our previous overseas students have been able to use the certificate as a way to start their career in vegan food. However, there are some countries that will only accept specific qualifications to either start a food business or work in a professional kitchen. It is advisable to check the requirements in your country.

How is the course assessed?

Students complete written tasks, three recipe development projects and make a wide variety of recipes. We require students to complete a checklist, at the end of each section, which confirms they have completed all classes. This is sent to the teacher who can request to see any of the students' work. The student must also send the teacher documentation from the three recipe development projects. This is in the form of photographs of each stage of the process and written documentation. We require three completed checklists plus three recipe development projects before we are able to issue a certificate.

How is my recipe development work assessed?

We assess your recipe development projects based on your innovation, your ability to problem solve during the process and how you have applied knowledge learnt on the course.

What qualification will I receive?

You will receive a Vegan Chef Diploma. This is a certificate of completion, it is not a graded certificate i.e. merit, distinction.

What potential career paths are open to students once they complete the course?

  • Caterer
  • Food brand owner
  • Restaurant/cafe chef
  • Restaurant/cafe owner
  • Recipe developer
  • Cooking teacher
  • Private chef - Please note that this option usually requires more experience.

As we are working in a booming sector (vegan food) the opportunities are continually evolving and growing. Therefore, the list above is not exhaustive.

Do I need previous cooking experience to take this course?

We require students for the Vegan Chef Diploma to have a good knowledge of home cooking. The course is designed with the keen home cook in mind but you do not need any professional experience. For the Vegan Chef Diploma you should -

  • Be able to follow a recipe, including baking
  • Have created a variety of vegan dishes
  • Be familiar with a variety of vegan ingredients
  • Be familiar with a variety of techniques
  • Be willing to create your own recipes, under our guidance
  • If you are unsure if your ability level is suitable for this course please contact us (with full details of your experience) via email - hello@theveganchefschool.com.

Do you offer a lower level course than the Vegan Chef Diploma?

Yes, we offer an online Vegan Cooking Diploma for home cooks, you can find out more about this course here. If a student wants to do the Vegan Chef Diploma but needs more knowledge of basic cooking we recommend they complete the Vegan Cooking Diploma first.

How much do the ingredients / equipment cost for the courses?

This depends on a few factors; where you source the ingredients from, if you make any substitutions and how many times you make the recipe. Most of the recipes are 2 portions, except for the bread recipes. Some ingredients are used in multiple recipes so you can buy them in bulk.

You can see a list of the equipment you will need here however some students opt to borrow some cooking equipment to minimise cost.

What are the costs in this course?

The FULL costs for this course are -

  • Course fee for 1 year access
  • Uniform (this may or may not be needed for your internship)
  • Equipment
  • Ingredients
  • Postage costs for ingredients and equipment
  • If you choose to extend your course by another year a fee is applied of 30% of the current course fee

There are no hidden costs.

What if I cannot source the exact ingredients needed?

The process of researching and sourcing ingredients is incredibly beneficial to our students. It prepares them for working in vegan food. The practice of finding a substitution is exactly the same. If you cannot source a specific ingredient (which is possible as our online students live in a variety of countries) you will be required to find a substitute. We ask that you attempt this in the first instance. However, if you are struggling you can ask us for advice.

Is the course suitable for people with food allergies and intolerances?

All of the food made on the courses is vegan and gluten free but they do contain nuts and some other allergens. If you have an allergy or intolerance contact us BEFORE you sign up to the course so that we can discuss options with you. A small amount of recipes contain alcohol. If you abstain from alcohol you will need to find a substitution or you can make the recipe but not consume it.

Are the recipes on the courses oil free, sugar free or do they contain processed foods?

The recipes on the course are not specifically oil, sugar or processed-food free. Some ingredients can be substituted but there are some that cannot be substituted. It is up to the student to find substitutions. If you have questions about this email us at hello@theveganchefschool.com.

 

 

Is there a list of ingredients for each section of the course?

You will receive an email with “dry store” ingredients i.e. non-perishable ingredients. The details of the other ingredients (fresh products) are in the recipes within the course content. We do not send separate details of these as fresh products cannot be bought in advance, you will need to buy them when you are ready to make the recipe.

Will I have to complete the classes in the order they are set out?

We recommend that students work through the three sections in order as the learning progresses from basic to intermediate and then advanced. However, you can make the recipes in a different order within each section. This is particularly useful if you are waiting for ingredients to arrive.

Is the internship component of the course compulsory?

No. We know, through research, that an internship is a great stepping stone to your first position in a professional kitchen. It gives you knowledge and, importantly, confidence. However, we recognise that you have responsibilities in your life (children, career, elderly parents etc). We will work with you to find an internship that fits into your life. Some of our students opt to do the internship after the course has finished which is a great option for busy people. Unfortunately some of our students just cannot fit an internship into their lives therefore the internship is strongly recommended but not compulsory.

How many hours is the internship for?

The internship is bespoke, designed to fit with the life of the student and the experience they need. It can be for as many hours or as few hours as the student can do. However, we ask that students do not overload themselves and take on too much. Whilst we commend enthusiasm we want to ensure students have enough energy and focus for the classes. We encourage students to make the most out of the internship scheme if they can. If you have no other commitments during the course we can arrange internships to fill up the rest of your time.

Does the student or teacher arrange the internship?

Once you get to a point where you can fit an internship into your life you can speak to us about what type of food business you want to work in. Our discussion will help you to choose an internship that is useful to you and your future career. We will contact the food business in the first instance. We will communicate what is required of them and how the internship scheme works. Once they have agreed to take part we will connect them to the student to then work out the finer details directly.

Can I do more than one internship?

Yes, students are allowed to do more than one internship if they want to. We particularly encourage this if a student is unsure of what type of vegan food business they want to work in. Experiencing a few different internships can help to bring the student more clarity.

Is the student paid for the internship?

No. The internship is unpaid work experience which is an established practice in professional kitchens known as a STAGE.

Does the food business expect the student to be fully trained?

No. Food businesses are made aware that the intern is not qualified and so needs training and guidance. If this is not being given we ask the student to report it to us so that we can raise it with the food business. However, this has not happened in the last 3 years since the school opened.

Does the internship lead onto a paid job?

The internship is not a guarantee of a job offer by the food business. However, some of our students have been offered a position on completion of their internship.

What if I want to leave the internship?

Students are allowed to leave an internship if they feel they are not given the support or experience they need from the food business. In the first instance a student should discuss the situation with us.

Is there an extra fee for the internship scheme?

No. The internship scheme is a part of the course so it is included in the fee.

What type of places can a student do an internship?

Many of our students do an internship at a cafe or restaurant that is close to where they live. We have also placed students at a retreat in Tuscany, on a set for a cooking show and in a patisserie prep kitchen. Please note that it is not possible for a student to do an internship as a private chef.

Can a student do an internship within the school?

No. Due to space limitations we do not take interns at the school.

Can I obtain a reference from an internship?

If you have fulfilled your role well, been on time and professional, the food business will be happy to give you a good reference. However, this is at the discretion of the food business.

Can I do an internship on a part time basis?

Yes. This is a common option for our students. You should decide what hours you can (realistically) do before connecting with the food business. It needs to fit in with your life rather than being a burden.

What hours should I work?

As you are new to cheffing we recommend that you start with short shifts (4-6 hours) and work when the food business is quiet. Kitchen work can be physically demanding, even if you are fit and young, standing on your feet constantly can be tiring initially. If you start with quiet shifts you will be able to acclimatise - learning where the equipment and ingredients are, the processes of that particular kitchen, the staff etc. You can then build up to longer shifts and work on busier shifts.

What should I wear to the internship?

You should wear your chef’s uniform to the internship. This shows you are approaching it as a professional.

What if there are ingredients I do not like in the school recipes?

In professional kitchens chefs are required to create dishes that contain ingredients they do not like. We therefore require you to make the dish even if you do not like the ingredients. This will give you the practise and experience needed to be a vegan chef.

Does the sieve on the equipment list have to be plastic?

On this course you will make water kefir. The sieve we use must be plastic as kefir grains react with metal.

Do the glass jars on the equipment list need to be exactly those measurements or can I use different sizes?

No, they do not have to be that specific size but they should not be smaller due to the volume made in the recipe. We encourage you to reuse glass jars that you have bought food in. Clean them well and sterilize them in very hot water before use.

Does the measuring jug need to be able to measure down to 10ml?

Your jug should be able to measure down to 20ml at least. For any measurements smaller than this use a measuring tablespoon which is 15ml. Students must always use measuring tablespoons and teaspoons rather than those found in a cutlery set.