GCSE
Food Preparation and Nutrition
from 2023 students
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FOOD PREPARATION & NUTRITION (AQA)
The Food and Hospitality Industry offers many opportunities for promotion and development in many different types of jobs both here and abroad. Because it is such a demanding and fast moving sector, there are plenty of opportunities to be given increased responsibilities and to move up the career ladder quickly.
This industry is so successful and so fast that there is a staffing shortage at all levels.
Working with food offers you a multitude of career opportunities:
1. Food product design and manufacturing
2. Food science and development –working out how to feed the growing population!
3. Food retail outlets e.g. supermarkets
4. Hotels, Restaurants, Fast Food Outlets, Cafes and Pubs
5. Leisure centres, holidays, tourist attractions and Theme parks e.g. Disneyland
6. Catering for customers on the move e.g. Cruise Liners, Inflight Catering, Motorway Service Areas
7. Consumer affairs: Health promotion, hygiene, Trading Standards, Marketing and Advertising
8. Dietitian working with professional sports people.
9. Outdoor Caterers and those offering special events and function catering.
Do you want to learn how to cook?
Ever fancy being a Master Chef, a Restauranteur, Dietitian or Food Product Designer? Does the career you want to follow involve food?
Then FOOD PREPARATION & NUTRITION may be the course for YOU: This is both a practical and academic subject. It focuses on learning and developing skills in preparing and cooking advanced food dishes. You will also learn the science behind cooking. This is combined with knowledge on hygiene, nutrition and factors that affect people’s food choice.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
It is important that you are prepared to work hard and complete tasks to a deadline. The course is 50% coursework - so organisation is key to stay on track and succeed.
SAFETY and HYGIENE are of prime importance in the food industry so you must be prepared to work safely, and collaboratively. Every other lesson is a practical lesson and sometimes more. You will need to provide your own ingredients (just as Years 7 and 8) and may be asked to buy some specific equipment.
You need to be willing to taste and handle a wide variety of food e.g. filleting fish, portioning chicken. You will also have the chance to take part in chef competitions and trips e.g. Future Chef, Rotary Young Chef.
The GCSE (9-1) specification in Food Preparation and Nutrition enables students to make the connection between theory and practice so that they are able to apply their understanding of food and nutrition to practical cooking.
A. Nutrition
Develop knowledge and understanding of the functional properties (“food science”), chemical processes and nutritional content of food and drinks. Understand the relationship between diet, nutrition and health, including the physiological and psychological effects of a poor diet.
B. Food (food provenance and food choice)
Students understand the economic, environmental, ethical, and socio-cultural influences on food availability, production processes, and diet and health choices.
C. Cooking and food preparation
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of functional and nutritional properties, sensory qualities and microbiological food safety considerations when preparing, processing, storing, cooking and serving food.
D. Skill requirements: preparation and cooking techniques
Assessment Overview GCSE (9-1)
50% written examination (1 hour 45 minutes)
50% assessed coursework:
The Food Investigation Assessment
15% of the total marks for the NEA (Non - Exam Assessment) are made available through tasks which assess the scientific principles underlying the preparation and cooking of food: carbohydrates, fats/oils, protein, fruit and vegetables. Through practical experimentation, we require each learner to investigate and evaluate an understanding of the working characteristics, functional and chemical properties of ingredients and use the findings of that investigation to achieve a particular result with respect to the preparation and cooking of food.
The Food Preparation Assessment
35% of the total marks for the NEA are made available through tasks which assess the planning, preparation, cooking and presentation of food.
We require each learner to:
● Prepare, cook and present a menu of three dishes within a single period of no more than 3 hours.
● Plan, in advance, how this will be achieved demonstrating the highest levels of skills.
Web Link: http://www.aqa.org.uk/