Workstation setup
Prepare the kitchen sector, verify stocks, check fridges, maintain hygiene at start of shift.
Programme 09 of 11 · Tourism & Hospitality
Cook & Culinary Professional
A four-month, full-time programme in Bucharest leading to an EQF Level 3 occupational qualification. Graduates are placed in a hotel kitchen, restaurant, or catering operation within thirty days of graduation.
- Duration
- 4 months · full-time
- Qualification
- EQF Level 3 · NQF Level 3
- COR code
- 512001
- Sector
- Tourism & Hospitality
Next intake
March 2026
30 places · 21 confirmed
Occupation overview
The cook prepares the meal — from raw ingredient to finished plate.
Preparing national and international cuisine, balancing nutritional intake, and presenting every dish to a high aesthetic standard — the cook owns the entire flow from primary processing through to plating.
- Workstation & mise-en-place. Organise the kitchen sector, verify stocks, check refrigeration and maintain hygiene at the start of every shift.
- Primary processing. Sort, wash, clean and cut ingredients using professional kitchen equipment and knife skills.
- Semi-finished & finished dishes. Prepare sauces, doughs and aspics; cook appetisers, entrées, mains, salads and desserts to the menu.
- Plating & records. Portion and assemble per recipe, select supports and decorative elements; manage kitchen documents and software.
Special requirement. A medical fitness certificate for food-industry work is required for enrolment. Professional kitchen attire and food-safety conduct are mandatory throughout the programme.
The syllabus
Six modules. Every shift,
start to finish.
Training is built around the six core activities of a working cook. Each module combines classroom instruction with supervised time on the working kitchen line at our Bucharest atelier.
Ingredient processing
Sort, wash, clean and cut ingredients using professional kitchen tools and knife technique.
Semi-finished products
Prepare sauces, doughs, aspics and other culinary bases per recipe specifications.
Dish preparation
Cook appetisers, entrées, main courses, salads and desserts to the daily menu.
Plating & presentation
Portion and assemble dishes, select platters and apply decorative elements to specification.
Records & software
Manage invoices, reception notes, consumption vouchers and kitchen-management software.
Professional competencies
Six core competencies,
assessed against the national standard.
Health & Safety + HACCP
Applies OHS, fire safety and HACCP food safety procedures throughout every service.
Sanitary & Hygiene Norms
Applies food hygiene regulations across all kitchen activities and storage.
Environment & Food Waste
Prevents food waste and manages kitchen waste streams in line with current legislation.
Nutrition & Quality
Applies healthy nutrition principles and verifies the quality of incoming raw materials.
Communication & Teamwork
Professional communication and respect for the kitchen brigade hierarchy.
Culinary Technology
Applies preparation techniques across national and international cuisine.
Equipment & tools
You will train on the equipment
you will work with.
The Schola culinary atelier in Bucharest is fitted to commercial kitchen standard. Every module is taught with the same cooking equipment, processing tools and management software you will find on your first day of work.
Cooking equipment
- Professional cooking ranges and hobs
- Ovens — conventional, convection, combi
- Refrigeration units and cold rooms
- Sous-vide machines and immersion circulators
- Vacuum packaging systems
Processing tools
- Vegetable cutting robots and slicers
- Professional chef knives (complete set)
- Pans, pots and gastronorm containers
- Digital thermometers and timers
- Cutting boards and prep tools
Records & software
- Kitchen management software (POS)
- Invoicing and reception document systems
- HACCP monitoring and record forms
- Consumption voucher management
- Inventory and stock-tracking tools
Official documents
Two documents
you carry for life.
Issued on completion of the programme. Both documents are recognised throughout Romania and the EU under Government Ordinance 129/2000.
01
Certificate of completion
Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity
& Ministry of Education
& Ministry of Education
Issued by
02
Authorization
Authorization Commission for Adult
Vocational Training Providers
Vocational Training Providers
Issued by
Why choose this career
A career as a cook travels every kitchen in Europe.
EU-recognised qualification
Your certificate is recognised nationally in Romania and across the EU at EQF Level 3.
High, stable demand
Restaurants, hotels and catering across Romania and the wider EU consistently report cook shortages.
Broad culinary skills
National and international cuisine plus pastry — a single qualification covers the full kitchen line.
Apply
Ready to apply for the
March 2026 cohort?
Thirty places. Twenty-one confirmed. Applications close eight weeks before the cohort begins. Speak directly with the Admissions Office — no agent, no application fee.
Cohort 26 · Cook & Culinary Professional
- Application deadline15 January 2026
- Programme begins09 March 2026
- Programme ends10 July 2026
- First placementWithin the published cohort window
- Total seats30 candidates
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