10 Essential Kitchen Team Training Courses - Cloud Assess (2024)

Working in the kitchen of any cafe or restaurant requires good time management, swift but deliberate movements and a cool head to keep operations running smoothly. Kitchen work involves more than just cooking meals for customers; these roles are responsible for the upkeep of the kitchen, the organisation of stock and the presentation of food brought out to the dining area.

Besides training for culinary skills, kitchen employees will need to supplement their learning with key training modules to improve their performance at work. Whether you’re a kitchen manager, kitchen assistant or chef, you can advance your career by continuously learning and improving your work skills. Here are 10 workplace essentials for training kitchen staff:

1. Complete Work Process Course

From menu planning to closing up the kitchen for the day, kitchen operations move swiftly to accommodate the number of customers they welcome each day. Even with restaurant down times, there is still tons of work to do in the backend of the kitchen. Understanding these work processes will help you manage your workload better and smoothen your performance.

Our special course on the complete work process for the food and beverage industry is suitable for all restaurant roles. In this free course, you’ll learn to maintain and manage your work area, report unsafe or faulty work equipment and properly store inventory to prevent losses and spoilage.

Scope:

• Restoring Work Area
• Identifying and Reporting Unsafe Equipment or Materials
• Storing Surplus Food Items

Best for: Chefs, Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, Kitchen Supervisors, Waitstaff, Bartenders, Restaurant Managers, Dishwashers, Food and Beverage Managers
Cost: Free

2. Complete Operational Tasks Course

All employees from the head chefs who oversee food preparation to the waitstaff that deliver the food to the customers must abide by industry standards when it comes to food safety and personal hygiene. Kitchen staff need to be able to work in a commercial kitchen while communicating with coworkers, maintaining sanitation standards and maximising their efficiency at work.

Our complete operational tasks course provides a comprehensive overview of the tasks around the restaurant. Learn to safely navigate through a commercial kitchen while maximising your productivity. Communicate with coworkers, learn to handle concerns and improve the overall flow of your kitchen with this operations training course!

Scope:

• Maximising Efficiency Through Work Schedules and Communication
• Safe and Hygienic Practices in Hospitality
• Cleanliness and Tidiness in Hospitality
• Utilising Organisational Procedures and Technology in Food and Beverage Operations
• Anticipating and Resolving Operational Challenges in Hospitality

Best for: Kitchen Staff, Waitstaff, Hosts/Hostesses, Baristas, Shift Managers, Bussers, Food Runners, Sommeliers, Pastry Chefs, Restaurant General Managers
Cost: Free

3. Package and Label Food Course

Packaging and labelling food items is not just done in the warehouse, but also in the kitchen. The ingredients, dishes and spices you handle need to be properly stored according to food standards and must be labelled correctly to prevent mixups. Learning how to properly store and label foods will reduce the risks of contamination and food poisoning as well.

This free course will take you through the basics of handling, packaging and labelling food items. You’ll find standard labelling guidelines, learn about food safety and contamination risk and understand the environmental requirements for different types of food items.

Scope:

• Basics of Food Packaging and Labelling
• Packaging Food Items
• Labelling Guidelines
• Food Safety and Contamination Prevention
• Food Safety Environmental Requirements

Best for: Line Cooks, Food Handlers, Sous Chefs, Pastry Chefs, Kitchen Supervisors, Restaurant Managers, Catering Coordinators, Food Safety Inspectors, Culinary Instructors, Restaurant Owners
Cost: Free

4. Present And Store Food And Clean Work Area Course

Maintaining a clean kitchen can be challenging as spills and clutter happen during the hectic dinner rush. However, it’s no excuse to keep the kitchen dirty. Dirty and disorganised kitchens are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning, not to mention cross-contamination of different ingredients. Our course on presenting and storing food in a clean working environment provides the skills and knowledge you need to properly handle food items.

This course is essential for all food handlers but is also helpful for restaurant managers and owners. Learn to keep your restaurant clean, prevent pests and keep up to standard with the quality of your food.

Scope:

• Introduction to Food Presentation and Workspace Hygiene
• Presenting Food According to Organisational Guidelines
• Displaying Food in Appropriate Environmental Conditions
• Cleaning and Maintaining the Work Area

Best for: Line Cooks, Food Presentation Specialists, Kitchen Staff, Waitstaff, Prep Cooks, Dishwashers, Restaurant Managers, Food Safety Inspectors, Catering Coordinators, Restaurant Cleaning Crew
Cost: Free

5. Present And Store Appetisers And Salads Course

Appetisers and salads are among the first food items ordered by and brought to customers. These menu items are the first impressions you give to your guests during each meal and will set the course for their expectations of the rest of your food. Impress your customers with this special course on preparing and presenting appetisers and salads.

In this free training module, you’ll learn to present prepared food items according to the proper placement of sauces and garnishes and evaluate your presentation to find any areas of adjustment before sending out the plate to your customers.

Scope:

• Introduction to Presenting and Storing Appetisers and Salads
• Presenting Prepared Food Items
• Adding Dips, Sauces, and Garnishes
• Visual Evaluation and Adjusting Presentation
• Storing Dishes in Appropriate Conditions
• Cleanliness and Waste Management

Best for: Line Cooks, Food Presentation Specialists, Prep Cooks, Kitchen Supervisors, Sous Chefs, Restaurant Managers, Food Safety Inspectors, Catering Coordinators, Salad Chefs, Culinary Instructors
Cost: Free

6. Follow Procedures For Emergency Situations Course

Emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time. The kitchen is full of potential hazards as you work with flames, gas or electric power sources, hot oil, sharp blades and other potentially harmful materials. You will need to know what to do during an emergency situation to prevent panic and to keep yourself safe.

This course will prepare you for any emergency. Improve your emergency preparedness and response by recognising emergency situations, organising protocols and responding to emergencies when you can. This course is suitable for all restaurant staff from the restaurant manager to the food handlers.

Scope:

• Recognising Emergency Situations
• Organisational Security and Emergency Procedures
• Seeking Assistance During Emergencies
• Completing Emergency Incident Reports

Best for: Head Chefs, Sous Chefs, Line Cooks, Prep Cooks, Kitchen Supervisors, Dishwashers, Food Safety Coordinators, Restaurant Managers, Food Delivery Drivers, Catering Chefs
Cost: Free

7. Complete End Of Shift Duties Course

The end of dinner service isn’t the end of the work done in a commercial kitchen. There’s still the cleanup, storing unused ingredients and debriefing meetings with the restaurant manager or kitchen manager. There are also end-of-shift protocols that need to be done before you can call it a night.

All these additional tasks can seem overwhelming but our training courses are here to help you stay organised with your end-of-shift duties. Our free training course will get you ready for the end-of-shift in under 45 minutes as you learn to navigate the requirements for the food and beverage industry.

Scope:

• A Comprehensive Guide to Hospitality Excellence
• Navigating End-of-Shift Requirements in Hospitality Services
• Maximising Debriefing Sessions in Hospitality Services

Best for: Cooks, Kitchen Staff, Prep Cooks, Dishwashers, Kitchen Managers, Sous Chefs, Restaurant Managers, Catering Coordinators, Food Safety Inspectors
Cost: Free

8. Store and Handle Food Safely Course

There are a number of rules for storing and handling food safely to prevent contamination and spoilage. For one, raw and cooked meats cannot be placed in the same area as they can cross-contaminate. Chilled foods need to be stored at the proper temperature when not in use. Ingredients that are common allergens should be kept away from other ingredients to prevent mixups.

Regardless of your culinary skills, you can’t run a safe and clean kitchen without knowing how to properly store and handle food safely. Our free course will train you and your team to transport, handle, cook, display and dispose of food items the safe way to prevent accidents. This will not only help you stay organised, but it will keep you compliant with industry regulations as well.

Scope:

• Introduction to Safe Food Handling and Storage
• Food Transport and Storage
• Food Handling and Display
• Safe Food Disposal

Best for: Kitchen Staff, Kitchen Supervisors, Chefs, Kitchen Managers, Catering Coordinators, Food Safety Managers, Kitchen Assistant
Cost: Free

9. Food Safety and Sanitation Course

Sanitation is the top priority for any food and beverage business and most organisations require their employees to have formal qualification certificates to attest for their knowledge in food safety. All employees must ensure that each dish coming out of the kitchen is completely safe and sanitary. Continuous learning provides the best learning outcomes that improve your skills at work.

Our food and safety sanitation training module is a supplementary course that will update your knowledge of food safety. Learn the basics of cleaning and sanitising the kitchen and dining areas, storing food properly and handling food to prevent contamination.

Scope:

• Food Safety and Sanitation
• Cleaning and Sanitising
• Food Storage and Temperature Control
• Food Safety Management Systems

Best for: Food Handlers, Pastry Chefs, Food Service Workers, Banquet Chefs, Executive Chefs, Cafeteria Managers, Line Chefs, Kitchen Hygiene Inspectors, Food Quality Assurance Specialists
Cost: Free

10. Basic Kitchen Operations Course

The operations in the kitchens of different restaurants vary according to their internal standards and procedures. However, there are some basic operations that all kitchens follow, such as preparing the ingredients beforehand, cleaning the tools and equipment, executing recipes and more. All kitchen employees must know the basic operations in the food and beverage industry for smooth service.

Our course on basic kitchen operations will introduce you to the common tasks in commercial kitchens that almost all restaurants do. Equip yourself with the skills you need to stay focused during work while maximising your productivity in the kitchen. You’ll learn to work better and safer as you deliver quality food to your customers.

Scope:

• Introduction to Kitchen Safety
• Knife Skills
• Culinary Tools and Equipment
• Food Preparation and Organisation
• Recipe Reading and Execution
• Food Presentation and Plating
• Time and Task Management
• Cleaning and Sanitation
• Troubleshooting and Problem Solving

Best for: Head Chefs, Food Runners, Expediter, Kitchen Porters, Cooks, Chefs, Inventory Managers, Food Plating Roles, Pastry Chefs
Cost: Free

Other Retail Courses

If you’re looking for courses related to Retail, check out more of our curated lists:

• 10 Best Free Courses to Enhance Workplace Skills for Retail
• 10 Best Retail Workers Training Courses
• Top 10 Free Customer Focus Courses for Retail
• 10 Free Entry-Level Courses for Retail Teams

You can also browse our complete Course Library to find many more free training and assessment opportunities.