NITA / CDACC examinedOpen to learners across KenyaIntakes: Jan · May · Sep
Courses / Catering & Food Production

Catering & Food Production

Turn your passion for food into a career. Learn professional cooking, food production and hospitality skills for employment or your own food business.

Study at Divine Mercy Kathagutari Technical Training Institute, a Catholic TVET college based in Siakago, Embu County, welcoming learners from every county in Kenya, and graduate with practical skills employers and customers trust nationwide.

COURSE AT A GLANCE

Catering & Food Production at DMKTTI: key facts

Duration
6 months to 1 year
Qualification levels
Grade 3, Level 4, Level 5, Level 6 (varies by course)
Entry
KCPE/KCSE to C− and above, by level
Examined by
NITA / CDACC
Learning mode
Practical, competency-based (CBET) with industrial attachment
Intakes
January, May and September
Campus
Siakago, Embu County, Kenya
Who can apply
Learners from all 47 counties
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

What is Catering & Food Production at DMKTTI?

Catering & Food Production at DMKTTI prepares you for a career in hospitality and food service. You learn food preparation, baking and pastry, nutrition, kitchen safety and hygiene, food presentation, menu planning and catering management in a working practical kitchen.

You graduate able to cook to a professional standard, cost a menu, manage a kitchen team and serve customers well, whether in a hotel, restaurant, institution or your own food business.

DMKTTI students undertaking practical catering and food production training
WHY THIS SKILL PAYS

The opportunity: why study Catering & Food Production now

Hospitality and food service never stop

Hotels, lodges, restaurants, schools, hospitals, institutions and event caterers all need trained cooks and kitchen staff.

Events create steady orders

Weddings, graduations, church functions, conferences and corporate events provide recurring catering work.

Food businesses start small

Baking, snacks, packed meals and outside catering can start from a home kitchen and grow into a brand.

Hygiene sets you apart

Employers and customers prefer people trained in food safety, presentation and costing.

CURRICULUM

What you will learn

Food preparation

Knife skills, cooking methods and balanced dishes.

Baking and pastry

Breads, cakes, pastries and desserts.

Nutrition

Planning healthy, balanced meals.

Kitchen safety and hygiene

Safe handling, storage and sanitation.

Food presentation

Plating and serving for impact.

Menu planning

Designing and costing profitable menus.

Catering management

Organising events, staff and supplies.

Customer service

Front-of-house etiquette and hospitality.

QUALIFICATIONS

Levels, entry requirements and duration

Choose the level that matches your KCPE/KCSE or KCSE grade. You can start at Grade 3 or Level 4 and progress to higher levels in the same trade. Confirm the current intake and level availability with the Admissions Office.

QualificationEntry requirementTypical durationAwarding / exam body
Food Technology – Level 6C− and above3 YearsNITA / CDACC
Food & Beverage Production (Culinary Arts) – Level 5D+ and D plain2 YearsNITA / CDACC
Food & Beverage Production (Culinary Arts) – Level 4D− and E1 YearNITA / CDACC
YOUR JOURNEY

From application to income

  1. Apply — Submit your application online or at the Admissions Office in Siakago with your academic certificate, National ID or birth certificate and passport photos. Intakes run in January, May and September.
  2. Train in real workshops — Learn by doing under Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET): short theory sessions, then supervised practice until you can perform each task to industry standard.
  3. Industrial attachment — Placement in a hotel, restaurant, bakery or catering business where you work in a real kitchen under supervision.
  4. Assessment and certification — Be assessed on demonstrated competence and sit the NITA / CDACC examinations for your level.
  5. Earn or progress — Take up employment, start your own business, or move up to the next level of the same trade.
AFTER GRADUATION

Career and business opportunities

Chef / Cook

Hotels, restaurants and institutions.

Caterer

Weddings, events and corporate functions.

Baker

Bakeries, cafés and your own bakery.

Restaurant Supervisor

Lead kitchen or service teams.

Hospitality Entrepreneur

Run a café, food stall or catering brand.

Start your own business

Many graduates in Catering & Food Production choose self-employment. Ideas to start with: start an events catering business; open a bakery or café; supply packed lunches to offices and schools; run a food stall or takeaway; offer cooking and baking classes.

IS IT FOR YOU?

Who should enrol

  • ✓School leavers who love cooking and hospitality
  • ✓Home cooks ready to turn skill into income
  • ✓Aspiring bakers, chefs and caterers
  • ✓Anyone planning a food business
WHY DMKTTI

Why train with us

Practical from the first week

Workshops and labs are part of the timetable from the start, so you finish with demonstrable skill and not only theory.

Nationally recognised awards

Courses are examined through NITA / CDACC, so your certificate is valid across Kenya, whether you work in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru or your home county.

Values that employers notice

As a Catholic institution guided by the motto “Growth to Responsibility”, we form character alongside competence: discipline, honesty and respect for clients.

Supervised industrial attachment

Every student gains workplace experience, builds references and often a first client list before graduating.

Flexible entry points

From Grade 3 (KCPE/KCSE) to Level 6, you can start where your grades allow and climb as you grow.

Open to learners from all of Kenya

Our campus is in Siakago, Embu County, and we welcome applicants from every county. Your certificate is a national qualification that works wherever you choose to work.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Catering & Food Production course FAQs

How long is the Catering course?

The flagship programme runs from 6 months to 1 year. Accredited qualifications run from 1 year (Level 4) to 3 years (Food Technology Level 6).

What are the entry requirements?

Level 4 requires D− and E, Level 5 requires D+ and D plain, and Level 6 requires C− and above.

Will I cook in a real kitchen?

Yes. Training takes place in our practical kitchen, followed by industrial attachment.

Can I start a catering business afterwards?

Yes. Menu planning, costing and catering management are part of the course.

Is the certificate recognised?

Yes. Courses are examined through NITA / CDACC.

How do I apply?

Apply online through the Admissions page. Intakes run in January, May and September.

Ready to start your Catering & Food Production journey?

Intakes run every January, May and September. Apply online, call 0703 270 154 / 0796 114 091, or visit us along the Siakago–Kamumu Road, near St. Matthew Kathagutari Secondary School, Siakago, Embu County.