Looking for a DofE cookery course that you can complete from home? Learning to cook is a practical way to develop a new skill for your Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, while gaining confidence in the kitchen and learning recipes you’ll use for years to come.
Whether you’re working towards your Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, cookery can be an enjoyable choice if you want to learn something useful, work towards a goal and develop your independence.
At Delicious & Real, I’ve created my DofE Kitchen, an online cookery course designed to help teenagers develop their cooking skills at home through recipes, video tutorials and regular practice.
Here’s how an online cookery course works, what you can learn and how to find out whether DofE Kitchen is right for you.
Can you do cooking for your DofE Skills section?
Cookery is a recognised type of activity for the DofE Skills section. It gives you the opportunity to develop practical abilities, learn new techniques and improve through regular practice.
You don’t need to be an experienced cook to get started. In fact, learning from scratch can be particularly rewarding because you can see how much your skills improve over time.
You might begin by learning to follow a recipe, prepare ingredients safely and use kitchen equipment correctly. As you become more confident, you can develop your technique, try new dishes and learn to make decisions for yourself in the kitchen.
The aim is not simply to cook a meal. It’s to develop your abilities over time and demonstrate what you’ve learnt.
Before you begin, discuss your proposed cookery programme with your DofE Leader to ensure it meets the requirements for your Award, including the expected commitment, goals and evidence of progress.
Why choose an online DofE cookery course?
Finding a suitable activity for your DofE Award can be challenging when you’re already busy with school, homework, exams and other commitments.
An online cookery course offers a practical way to learn at home, without needing to travel to a weekly class.
Here are some of the benefits.
Learn in your own kitchen at a time that suits you
You can practise using the kitchen equipment you’ll become familiar with at home and gradually develop your confidence preparing meals.
Having the opportunity to cook for yourself also means you can enjoy the results of your learning!
Follow step-by-step cooking videos
When you’re learning a new recipe, it helps to see how something is done rather than relying on written instructions alone.
Cooking tutorial videos can show you techniques, demonstrate different stages of a recipe and help you understand what to do as you work through each dish.
Fit your learning around school
With an online course, you can plan your cooking sessions around your other commitments, provided your schedule meets the requirements agreed with your DofE Leader.
You can decide when to shop for ingredients, prepare your kitchen and cook your chosen recipe.
Develop skills you’ll use beyond DofE
Learning to cook isn’t just about completing an award. It’s preparation for everyday life.
Being able to prepare a variety of meals can help when you’re cooking for your family, living independently or getting ready to go to university.
You’ll also have opportunities to develop useful habits such as planning ahead, organising ingredients, managing your time and making better use of food.
Introducing DofE Kitchen by Delicious & Real
If you’re looking for a structured way to learn cookery for your DofE Skills section, DofE Kitchen provides online recipes and cooking tutorial videos to help you develop your skills at home.
I’ve designed the course to make learning to cook accessible for teenagers, including those who are complete beginners.
Rather than having to work out what to cook and how to develop your skills independently, you have a collection of recipes and tutorials to guide your practice.
What’s included in the DofE Kitchen course?
The course includes:
- 30 recipes and accompanying cooking tutorial videos in the 3-month and 6-month options.
- A digital recipe booklet to guide your cooking.
- Video demonstrations to help you follow the recipes and develop your technique.
- A structured way to plan your cooking sessions and record your progress.
- Information about submitting your evidence, including photographs of your completed dishes.
- A 12-month option with additional recipes and opportunities to develop your ability to adapt recipes and cook more independently.
The course options allow you to consider a programme that fits the duration of your planned DofE activity. Check the current course details to see exactly what’s included in each option.
How does the online cookery course work?
The process is straightforward.
1. Choose a recipe.
Decide which dish you’re going to make and read through the instructions before you start.
2. Get your ingredients ready.
Check what you need, prepare your shopping list and gather your ingredients and equipment.
3. Watch the cooking tutorial.
Use the accompanying video to guide you through the recipe and help you understand the cooking process.
4. Cook the dish yourself.
Practise the techniques, follow the instructions and build your confidence as you work through each stage.
5. Record your progress.
Take a photograph of your finished dish and keep the evidence required for your agreed DofE programme.
6. Keep practising.
Continue working through your planned sessions, developing your cooking skills and learning from each recipe.
Your DofE Leader should agree your programme and evidence arrangements before you start. Completing a course alone does not automatically mean your DofE Skills section has been approved.
Which DofE Kitchen course should you choose?
DofE Kitchen offers different durations to consider when planning your cookery activity.
The 3-month cookery course
The 3-month option includes 30 recipes and accompanying tutorial videos. It may suit someone planning a shorter programme who wants a collection of recipes to practise and work through.
The 6-month cookery course
The 6-month option also includes 30 recipes and accompanying tutorial videos. It gives you a longer period in which to organise your practice and develop your confidence.
The 12-month cookery course
The 12-month option includes the original 30 recipes and videos, plus additional recipes and learning focused on adapting recipes and developing greater independence in the kitchen.
This longer option can be worth considering if you want to spend more time expanding your repertoire and learning to make your own cooking decisions.
Your choice should depend on your agreed DofE programme, the requirements for your Award and the current details of each course.
Explore the options here: DofE Kitchen online cookery courses
Is a DofE cookery course suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. You don’t need to know how to cook before starting.
If you’ve only ever helped with the occasional meal at home, an online cookery course can give you a starting point and a reason to practise regularly.
As you work through the recipes, you’ll have opportunities to become more comfortable with preparing ingredients, following cooking instructions and using kitchen equipment safely.
You’ll also begin to understand how different ingredients work together and how to approach unfamiliar recipes.
The most important thing is to be willing to try, learn from mistakes and keep practising.
What happens after you’ve completed your DofE cookery course?
The skills you develop don’t have to end when your DofE programme finishes.
You can continue cooking your favourite recipes, experiment with new ingredients and start adapting dishes to suit your tastes.
You might even find that you enjoy cooking fo
