Culinary Arts Course Has the Right Ingredients for Gemma

Culinary Arts student Gemma Diamond (35), from Dunmurry, is learning about the fundamentals of starting her own business while studying at SERC for a foundation degree validated by The Open University.  

Gemma became interested in SERC after seeing her sister progress through her own course at the college. Gemma’s sister brought her along to an open evening at SERC, and after getting a tour of the facilities and chatting with the tutors about courses she was interested in, she applied. Gemma began her journey at SERC in 2020, studying a Level 2 Diploma in Culinary Skills. She later completed the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery, Level 2 Award In Social Media, OCN NI Level 4 Award in Social Media and Digital Marketing, and Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery - Patisserie and Confectionery, before starting her current Foundation Degree in Culinary Arts (validated by The Open University). 

Gemma comments, “Although I love the practical elements of the course, my favourite aspect of it is learning about the business topics, as I want to start my own culinary business. I love learning, and every day is a learning day on this course, which helps me build the blueprint for what I want my business to be. We learn about developing menus, how to make your own sustainable business, human resources, hiring, how to manage your accounts, how a head chef effectively runs a kitchen, and how to manage front of house roles too.  

“Since the course is part time, we only have one day in class, which is great for me to fit around work. It means we have plenty of time to study and do coursework too. I work at the Lagan Valley Educational project, and I’d love to see some of my students go on to SERC.”   

Gemma continues, “I would totally recommend my course. Nowadays businesses want accredited people, and they look to see if chefs have the right qualifications. If they look at your CV and see this Culinary Arts Degree, they’ll know you’re dedicated to the industry. I never thought I would be able to reach this level in my education. What I’ve accomplished since I started SERC has been amazing.” 

On her next steps after her course, Gemma says, “I want to use all the experience I’ve gained at SERC, and particularly on this course, to start my own business. I’d like to start with a food stall, and for long-term plans, eventually open a cafe or restaurant. To get there I plan on using the SERC Entrepreneur Club’s expertise, who offer lots of useful information on how to start and grow a business.” 

Gemma concluded, “I’d recommend SERC to everyone as a place to study. The personal development you’ll see over the course of studying here is great, and I’ve grown as a person since coming here to study, especially when it comes to my confidence. For anyone who wished they could redo their school years or go back and retrain, the opportunities are all around you and SERC can help you harness them.”