Join us for our Open Evening at Leiths on Thursday 5th February 2026, 6:30–8:30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
Join us for our Open Evening at Leiths on Thursday 5th February 2026, 6:30–8:30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
A career in food and beverage business involves sourcing quality products for restaurants, shops, and consumers, and offers opportunities for entrepreneurs to start their own food businesses. Develop skills in procurement, supply, and running a successful food venture.
“I love working with, and talking about, food every day. I love working with like-minded, passionate people (including many Leiths graduates who we recruit) and creating experiences which our guests will love.”
A Buyer for culinary schools or restaurants sources high-quality ingredients, kitchen equipment, and supplies while managing costs and supplier relationships. They negotiate prices, track market trends, and ensure consistency in quality and delivery.
A Food Business Owner manages all aspects of running a food-related enterprise, from sourcing ingredients to overseeing operations, marketing, and finances. They ensure product quality, customer satisfaction, and profitability while navigating industry trends and regulations. Strong business acumen, leadership, and passion for food are essential.
A retail butcher is responsible for cutting, trimming, and preparing various meat cuts from larger wholesale portions into customer-ready steaks, chops, roasts, and other cuts, ensuring proper quality and presentation while also directly interacting with customers to fulfill special requests and provide product information at the retail meat counter.
A Fishmonger selects, prepares, and sells fresh seafood, ensuring high quality and sustainability. They source from suppliers, handle filleting and presentation, and advise customers on selection and cooking. Knowledge of seasonality, hygiene, and seafood preparation is essential, along with strong customer service skills.
A Baker crafts bread, pastries, and cakes, ensuring quality, flavour, and freshness. They mix, knead, and bake using traditional and modern techniques while managing ingredients and production schedules. Precision, creativity, and knowledge of dough fermentation and baking science are essential, along with attention to detail and time management.
Starting a food business starts with a brilliant, well researched idea and business plan and on the Diploma we have lecturers who provide the frameworks to get those ideas started. It’s thrilling to start a food business and many of our graduates have gone onto be very successful.
A Food Buyer selects and purchases ingredients and products for retailers, restaurants, or suppliers. They negotiate with vendors, manage budgets, and ensure quality, availability, and cost-effectiveness. Strong market knowledge, negotiation skills, and an eye for trends are essential.
