The minimum age to join this course is 18 years old.

Typically we see age ranges from 18 to 55 years old with a 60% male to 40% female split. There will be a broad range of people from different backgrounds and different life experiences on our courses. We have people that are retraining after a long career in public service or the forces, professionals making a sea-change and planning to open up their dream bistro, people planning to launch an outdoor catering business, or keen amateur cooks that want to develop their skills.

Click here to see current course fees.

Our Patisserie Diploma is full-time, with intensive practical training. This is one of the reasons why our students can achieve so much during their time with us. Academy students receive 40 hours training a week, Monday to Friday 9.30pm to 5.30pm in addition to some home study assignments.

Yes, we are accredited by the British Accreditation Council so you can apply for a student visa to study with us.
Please visit this page for further information for International Students.

Whilst you do not need any professional cookery experience, you should be able to demonstrate a passion for cookery and so we would expect you to be familiar with common kitchen equipment, and basic cookery concepts, such as frying, baking etc as well as the ability to follow a recipe. Absolute beginners would be expected to take the Foundation cookery course at the Ashburton Cookery School to reach the entry level standard for the Chefs Academy.

Not at all. This is a common question we get from mature students who are considering retraining in a new career and are concerned that they are going to feel like they are going back to school. Our courses are not like those offered by a traditional catering college - both in the style of training we offer and the environment you will learn in. The broad range of ages and backgrounds of students at the Ashburton Chefs Academy will mean you feel very much at home.

No, travel insurance is not included within the course fees. To ensure you are able to recoup your course fees in the event that you are prevented from completing the course due to sickness or bereavement, you should arrange to have a suitable travel insurance policy in place for the duration of your course.

You should be committed to complete the course prior to enrolling. Demand is high for places on this course and late cancellations can deprive other potential students of a place. We will always aim to be as flexible as possible and work with you to help find the best solution to any challenges you might face.

Please note that if you book your course using our Course Finance option, you have a 10 day cooling off period where you may cancel your finance agreement and course. After this period, or if the course starts before this period is over, you will be bound by our Cancellation Policy which is described below.

Cancellation Policy in a Nutshell

• To secure your place on the course requires a non-refundable deposit of 10% (see course fees).
• The balance of payments of course fees are due 6 weeks before the start of the course. (This date is called the Enrolment Threshold)
• Should you wish to cancel your place before the Enrolment Threshold we will refund all course fees minus the deposit. If you wish to defer your booking to a future course (and we are able to sell your existing booking), we may also agree to transfer your deposit to the future course date.
• After the Enrolment Threshold you will have paid the remainder of your course fees.
• If you wish to cancel the course booking for a non-insurable reason after the Enrolment Threshold, such as 'change of circumstance' or 'change of mind', we will attempt to resell your place for you. If we are able to resell your place, you may request a full refund of course fees (minus the deposit) or transfer your fees (and deposit) to a future course date. If, despite best efforts, we are unable to resell your place, you would lose the full cost of your booking.

We provide you with your own chef uniform to keep which consists of 3 Chef Jackets, 3 Chef Trousers, 5 Aprons & 1 Chef Cap (students are responsible for laundry of their uniforms). You will also be provided with your own digital weighing scales to keep. All other equipment you will need is provided within the course.

Confidence and self-belief come from mastering the fundamentals of cooking. No qualification can replace years of experience in a commercial kitchen of course, but we will prepare you to be a skilled chef with a good technical ability, excellent presentation skills and the confidence to be able to cope in a pressured and commercial environment, be that a michellin starred restaurant or cooking for a private function.

We are blessed with some of Europe's finest food producer's in Devon and Cornwall, and all the food we source is from high quality local, food suppliers. It is our policy to reduce food miles, to source seasonal organic ingredients at every opportunity, and to only use sustainable food stocks. We audit the provenance of all of the produce we use. Your training and your food will benefit substantially from our approach which is in contrast to many other institutions.

There are only a small handful of well established Culinary Schools in the UK offering a similar standard of training. Whilst some of the qualifications and aspects of the course may appear the same, the courses are delivered in a way unique to each establishment. Some focus on classical French training for example, whereas our focus is on developing broader skills, passion and thinking relevant to the modern chef, designed to fast-track your career.

We differ from Catering Colleges in that we are independent rather than state funded. We can therefore develop the courses we find inspiring that meet our own standards and the skills we know are are required by the industry. Typically this results in better resources, more intensive training with much higher contact hours and smaller class sizes. Our school typically attracts more mature students looking to achieve meaningful results in a fixed period whereas catering college will typically be serving a much younger audience over a longer period of time.

Most students come from outside the local area and require an accommodation solution. You can choose to stay in our accommodation option at Finlake which offers a quality, affordable environment for our students. We also maintain a list of affordable local bed and breakfast options that will give you a comfortable home from home while training in Ashburton. Please contact us for further details.

If you are ready to take the next step to joing the Chefs Academy, simply register your details and we will contact you.You will be required to complete an enrolment form as the first step to admission. Click here to apply.