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.
Our prestigious, industry-leading, full-time chef qualification, designed to help you achieve your culinary ambitions and unlock your full potential.
Final places: Enrol now for January 2026
The Leiths Two Term Culinary Diploma is our 6 month full-time chef qualification designed for those with a driving ambition to build a career in food. Our Two Term qualification retains all the advanced professional technique, learnings and prestige of our Three Term Culinary Diploma without the initial Foundation term, suited to those with an existing skillset in cookery and culinary theory. Taught by some of the world’s most skilled and experienced teachers, guest chefs, and industry leaders, our training is grounded in fundamental culinary techniques and theory as well as covering progressive industry trends, world cuisines, practical menu and service planning and budgeting. Successful students gain the CTH Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts.
Highly esteemed and recognised across the food and hospitality industry, the Leiths Culinary Diploma equips graduates with a complete skills training and practical knowledge to excel in whatever career path they aspire to, having given rise to many of the leading food stars and entrepreneurs of today. Our students are trained by our exceptional Diploma teaching staff who are some of the most skilled culinary professionals in the country, unified in their passion for teaching. Students also experience demonstrations from a wide range of guest chefs and food royalty including the likes of Yotam Ottolenghi, Sally Abe, Olia Hercules, Ben Tish and Atul Kochhar.
Students enrolling for the Two Term Diploma begin with an induction week where you will go about revising a number of key skills to ensure you are prepared to begin the course.
This 6 month course runs annually from January to the start of July, five days a week from 9am-5pm.
The course is broken down into 2 terms that progress in complexity. The Intermediate term runs January to April and Advanced Term runs April to the start of July. The full Diploma cohort is divided into 6 classes with 16 students in each.
Each day is broken down into a morning and afternoon session. During these sessions, your learning will be divided between practical cooking and teacher demonstrations, led by our expert senior tutors and a host of guest demonstrators. These include leading figures of the hospitality world, featuring head chefs from acclaimed restaurants, caterers, home economists, food stylists and other culinary experts.
You will be continually assessed during the practical sessions. A theory and practical examination and completion of the coursework will form part of the graduation assessment. Daily reviews with your class tutor will provide feedback and support, throughout the course.
Part of your study will be managed at home – about 4 to 5 hours a week. This will include writing time plans, menu planning and costing exercises. You will also present a final portfolio of recipes and menus to be assessed at the end of the academic year.
Skills Week – Monday 5th January 2026 – Friday 9th January 2026
Intermediate Term – Tuesday 13th January 2026 – Friday 27th March 2026
Advanced Term – Tuesday 21st April 2026 – Friday 3rd July 2026
A typical day normally starts at 9am and finishes at 5pm with up to an hour for lunch. The day is divided between demonstrations and practical cooking sessions. You will also receive lectures and demonstrations from leading figures of the hospitality world and head chefs from acclaimed restaurants, as well as caterers, food stylists and other culinary experts.
Your weeks alternate so on one week, your day begins with a morning demonstration at 10.00am; arrive at 9.45am to be prepared for the start. The next week, your day will start with a practical cookery session; arrive by 9.15am to change into your chef’s whites and start organising ingredients.
During your lunch break a student common room is available. You can also remain in the demonstration room, do some research in the library or sit in the local park. All the food you cook is yours, so if you have a morning cookery session your lunch can usually be what you’ve cooked.
If you have a practical session in the afternoon, allow time to change and get into the kitchens early to weigh up the ingredients. Classes normally end by 5pm but may finish later on occasions. If you are cooking in the afternoon, the food cooked can be taken home to enjoy for dinner.
The Leiths Two Term Culinary Diploma is suitable for existing food professionals or those with accredited training in the foundations of cookery, who want to gain a comprehensive accredited training for a career in food.
Our teaching staff will determine whether your cooking ability is suited to the Two Term course during the one-to-one discussion process. To explore which course is right for you, book an introductory chat with our teaching staff here.
By completing this course, you will gain the following qualifications:
What is included in the course price:
Instructions and an order form will be sent out before the course begins. Further information can be found in the student handbook or by contacting the Head of Admissions.
Leiths School of Food and Wine is located over 4 floors of a light and airy space on a residential street between Shepherd’s bush and Chiswick in West London.
The school comprises four kitchens, three of which are used for the full time students while the fourth is used for recipe development, corporate team building, one day workshops, photography and filming.
The kitchens are all air-conditioned and equipped with gas ovens and hobs of the same design and high standard employed by most professional restaurants and catering kitchens, giving students access to all the equipment needed to learn to cook professionally.
The demonstration kitchen on the ground floor is fitted with LCD screens and cameras enabling students to see the close up details of each step of the dishes and techniques demonstrated by the teachers and outside lecturers.
Students have access to a library of cookery books and magazines for reference, a student dining room, changing facilities and Wi-Fi. There are computers at their disposal.
The past decade has seen a boom in the varied career opportunities available within food, from private cheffing and hospitality, to recipe developing, media and food start-ups and entrepreneurship. Whatever your aspirations, the Leiths’ professional courses equip you with the lifetime skills, resources, network and solutions needed to kickstart your career.
All our students benefit from access to Leiths List, our bespoke agency and career guidance service. Leiths List draws on a wide network of industry connections with some of the UK’s leading food businesses to provide work experience, job placements and advice. Students have access to this support from the point that they begin their course well into their professional careers.
As part of the course Leiths will also support you with access to bespoke training by top chefs, industry placements, career advice and an exclusive network of hospitality businesses partnering with us to offer Leiths students long term job opportunities.
Examples of business we partner with for work experience:
Interested in our professional courses? Follow the link to learn more about our admissions process. If you’re unsure which course is right for you, get in touch and we have plenty of options to help guide your decision.
You will be contacted by email following your interview by our Director of Culinary Diploma or Headteacher to offer a place on the course. To secure your place, a deposit of £2,000 will need to be paid. This is usually done over the phone, organised and facilitated by our Head of Admissions.
You will also need to fill out the enrolment form. This form will be sent over to you by email along with further information after booking by our Head of Admissions. By signing this form, you agree to our course booking terms and conditions. To read our terms and conditions, click here.
Payments for professional courses must be made by either bank transfer, or a debit/credit card payment. We do not accept American Express.
Places are offered on a first come, first served basis.
Once the deposit is paid, all remaining professional course fees will be due six weeks before the course starts. We’ll send you an invoice, along with instructions for ordering equipment and uniform closer to the time. View our full price list here.
For more information on finance and payment plans, please contact our Admissions team at [email protected] or call directly at 020 8749 6400.
Read more on the admissions page.
Take an in-depth look at Leiths Two Term Culinary Diploma, from our culture, to the techniques and dishes taught, teaching style, qualifications attained and so much more.
If you are unsure which course is right for you and you want to explore your options, book your 1-on-1 consultation today.
