Guide
Can you study to be a chef online?
You can learn food theory online, but you cannot become a professional chef without supervised, hands-on kitchen training. Knife skills, heat control, timing and plating are learned at a stove with a chef correcting you, and recognised culinary qualifications assess them through practical exams.
What can you learn online?
Online courses can be useful for the knowledge side of cooking:
- Food safety and hygiene principles
- Basic nutrition
- Recipe costing and menu planning
- Culinary terminology and theory
- Watching demonstrations of techniques
What needs a real kitchen?
The skills that make someone employable in a professional kitchen can only be built with your hands, under supervision:
- Knife skills that are fast, safe and consistent
- Judging heat, seasoning and doneness
- Stocks, sauces and pastry that work every time
- Working clean and organised under time pressure
- Taking feedback from a chef and correcting on the spot
How do employers view online-only chef courses?
Kitchens hire on what you can do. Many head chefs ask candidates to cook a trial shift, so practical ability counts for more than a certificate on its own. A qualification that includes practical exams tells an employer you have already cooked to a standard.
A flexible, in-person alternative
Many people look at online courses because they need flexibility. The Chef School's International Diploma runs three mornings a week, Monday to Wednesday from 08:00 to 13:00, which leaves the rest of the week free for work or family.
To try it before committing, book a hands-on short course.
Questions to ask an online culinary school
- Who assesses my practical cooking, and how?
- Are there practical exams?
- Which organisation awards the qualification?
- Will employers recognise it?
- How much supervised kitchen time is included?
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is The Chef School's diploma available online?
No. The International Diploma is taught in person at the school in Krugersdorp, three mornings a week.
Can I work while I study?
The timetable runs Monday to Wednesday from 08:00 to 13:00, which leaves the rest of the week free.
Do you offer online short courses?
No. The short courses are four-hour, hands-on classes in the school's kitchen.
More guides
Keep reading.
- Guide
How to become a chef in South Africa
The practical route from home cook to professional chef: training, qualifications and kitchen experience.
Read guide - Guide
What chef school costs
What drives chef training fees in South Africa, what should be included, and the questions to ask any school.
Read guide - Guide
City & Guilds explained
What City & Guilds is, what an accredited school means, and how culinary qualifications are assessed.
Read guide
Ready to start cooking?
Apply for the International Diploma, book a short course, or send us a WhatsApp with your questions.