CSTC — Food Production — Trade Test Level 1
About This Course
Course purpose
This CSTC course provides a structured pathway in Food Production — Trade Test Level 1, with instructor-led learning, demonstrations, supervised kitchen production, knowledge checks, quality review and a learner evidence portfolio. Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Intended learners
CSTC learners on the Food Production trade-test pathway. Learners must complete kitchen induction, follow approved hygiene and safety controls, declare concerns to the instructor and never serve food where safety is uncertain.
Learning outcomes
- Work hygienically and safely
- Interpret recipes and production specifications
- Prepare products using suitable methods
- Check quality, portion, yield and storage controls
- Maintain production, cost, cleaning and handover records
- Explain decisions and reflect on improvements using accurate records.
Curriculum structure
- Kitchen safety and hygiene: Personal hygiene, cleaning, sanitising, cross-contamination, allergens, slips, cuts, burns and safe storage.
- Ingredients, recipes and mise en place: Ingredient freshness, measurements, standard recipes, yield, basic nutrition, knife skills and workstation organisation.
- Stocks, soups and cooking methods: Simple stocks, soups and sauces; boiling, steaming, simmering, poaching, roasting, baking and supervised frying.
- Baking, plating and portions: Simple baking, dough/batter, portion standards, plating, garnishing, service etiquette and holding quality.
- Integrated kitchen practical: Menu planning, ingredient lists, safe production sequence, cleaning schedules, portion records and reflection.
Delivery and assessment
Observed hygiene, mise en place, product preparation, quality rubric, recipe/yield records, knowledge checks and an integrated production task.
- Diagnostic questions and a hygiene/safety induction.
- Formative knowledge checks and observed activities for each unit.
- Integrated production task with planning, safe preparation, cooking, presentation, cleaning and handover.
- Formal trade-test/certification decisions must use authorised criteria; course completion alone is not a formal TEVETA award.
Equipment and resources
Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
Food safety and learner responsibilities
Apply the centre’s food-safety procedures, hand hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, allergen controls and approved time/temperature requirements. Unsafe food must be withheld and reported. Follow ingredient storage and cleaning instructions and report damaged equipment, unsafe readings or suspected contamination promptly.
Results and progression
Course participation, practical competency and formal examination results are separate records. Results remain Pending / not supplied until an authorised result is received.
Curriculum alignment notice
Content provenance: CSTC-developed material, not a verbatim copy or claim of TEVETA endorsement. Before formal assessment, instructors must map units, outcomes, tasks, assessment methods and weighting to the current TEVETA-approved curriculum/chart and centre food-safety procedures.
Curriculum
Kitchen Safety, Hygiene and Organisation
Personal hygiene and protective clothing
Preventing contamination
01 — Kitchen safety and hygiene
Unit overview
This unit develops competence in Kitchen safety and hygiene: Personal hygiene, cleaning, sanitising, cross-contamination, allergens, slips, cuts, burns and safe storage.
Expected competence
- Explain the key principles and product requirements.
- Work hygienically and follow recipes and process controls.
- Check results against product and food-safety criteria.
- Record evidence, defects, corrective actions and feedback.
Level expectation: Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Learning sequence
- Personal hygiene and food-safety habits
- Safe tools, equipment and kitchen movement
Practical activity
The instructor briefs learners, demonstrates, provides approved ingredients/equipment, observes the method and checks the finished product. Learners must stop and report when safety, allergen or holding conditions are uncertain.
Evidence
- Recipe/production worksheet.
- Observed safe practice and workstation care.
- Quality, yield, portion or temperature records as appropriate.
- Defect/correction record and reflection.
Resources: Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
02 — Ingredients, recipes and mise en place
Unit overview
This unit develops competence in Ingredients, recipes and mise en place: Ingredient freshness, measurements, standard recipes, yield, basic nutrition, knife skills and workstation organisation.
Expected competence
- Explain the key principles and product requirements.
- Work hygienically and follow recipes and process controls.
- Check results against product and food-safety criteria.
- Record evidence, defects, corrective actions and feedback.
Level expectation: Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Learning sequence
- Ingredients, measurements and standard recipes
- Mise en place, basic cuts and waste reduction
Practical activity
The instructor briefs learners, demonstrates, provides approved ingredients/equipment, observes the method and checks the finished product. Learners must stop and report when safety, allergen or holding conditions are uncertain.
Evidence
- Recipe/production worksheet.
- Observed safe practice and workstation care.
- Quality, yield, portion or temperature records as appropriate.
- Defect/correction record and reflection.
Resources: Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
03 — Stocks, soups and cooking methods
Unit overview
This unit develops competence in Stocks, soups and cooking methods: Simple stocks, soups and sauces; boiling, steaming, simmering, poaching, roasting, baking and supervised frying.
Expected competence
- Explain the key principles and product requirements.
- Work hygienically and follow recipes and process controls.
- Check results against product and food-safety criteria.
- Record evidence, defects, corrective actions and feedback.
Level expectation: Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Learning sequence
- Stocks, soups and simple sauces
- Moist-heat and dry-heat cooking methods
Practical activity
The instructor briefs learners, demonstrates, provides approved ingredients/equipment, observes the method and checks the finished product. Learners must stop and report when safety, allergen or holding conditions are uncertain.
Evidence
- Recipe/production worksheet.
- Observed safe practice and workstation care.
- Quality, yield, portion or temperature records as appropriate.
- Defect/correction record and reflection.
Resources: Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
04 — Baking, plating and portions
Unit overview
This unit develops competence in Baking, plating and portions: Simple baking, dough/batter, portion standards, plating, garnishing, service etiquette and holding quality.
Expected competence
- Explain the key principles and product requirements.
- Work hygienically and follow recipes and process controls.
- Check results against product and food-safety criteria.
- Record evidence, defects, corrective actions and feedback.
Level expectation: Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Learning sequence
- Basic baking and safe oven practice
- Portioning, plating and service standards
Practical activity
The instructor briefs learners, demonstrates, provides approved ingredients/equipment, observes the method and checks the finished product. Learners must stop and report when safety, allergen or holding conditions are uncertain.
Evidence
- Recipe/production worksheet.
- Observed safe practice and workstation care.
- Quality, yield, portion or temperature records as appropriate.
- Defect/correction record and reflection.
Resources: Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
05 — Integrated kitchen practical
Unit overview
This unit develops competence in Integrated kitchen practical: Menu planning, ingredient lists, safe production sequence, cleaning schedules, portion records and reflection.
Expected competence
- Explain the key principles and product requirements.
- Work hygienically and follow recipes and process controls.
- Check results against product and food-safety criteria.
- Record evidence, defects, corrective actions and feedback.
Level expectation: Foundation level: learn vocabulary and safe, repeatable procedures through demonstrations and closely supervised practice.
Learning sequence
- Plan and execute a simple meal
- Practical assessment and food-safety portfolio
Practical activity
The instructor briefs learners, demonstrates, provides approved ingredients/equipment, observes the method and checks the finished product. Learners must stop and report when safety, allergen or holding conditions are uncertain.
Evidence
- Recipe/production worksheet.
- Observed safe practice and workstation care.
- Quality, yield, portion or temperature records as appropriate.
- Defect/correction record and reflection.
Resources: Clean workstations, scales and thermometers where required, approved knives/utensils, cooking equipment, sanitation supplies, recipes, storage labels, temperature logs and costing sheets.
Basic Food Preparation
Foundational Cooking Methods
Practical Assessment and Work Readiness
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