New Zealand School of Food and Wine

Our Story Founded by Celia Hay in 1995, the New Zealand School of Food & Wine has spent over three decades educating the next generation of baristas, chefs, restaurateurs, café owners, hospitality managers, sommeliers, wine professionals, tourism entrepreneurs and food enthusiasts. The school opened its first campus in Christchurch and now operates from a prime waterfront location in Auckland's Viaduct. It delivers NZQA-accredited, New Zealand Government-recognised qualifications through practical, hands-on programmes taught by a faculty of professional chefs, restaurant managers and wine experts. Founder Celia Hay is a qualified chef, holds the WSET (London) Diploma of Wine, a Master of Education with Distinction and an MBA from the University of Canterbury. In 2020 the school celebrated its 25th anniversary, and it maintains active partnerships with the NZ Sommelier & Wine Professionals Association, WSET, and the NZ Specialty Coffee Association. Programs & Trainings 🎓 Certificate in Cookery & Bakery, Foundation (Level 3) — introductory culinary and bakery qualification. 🎓 Certificate in Cookery, Advanced (Level 4) — 36-week programme designed to advance culinary careers with professional cookery training. 🎓 New Zealand Diploma in Cookery (Level 5) — higher-level culinary diploma. 🎓 Diploma in Cookery & Kitchen Management (Level 5, 2 Years) — two-year programme combining advanced cookery with kitchen management. 🎓 Certificate in Classic Cooking (Micro-Credential) — focused professional credential in classical cuisine. 🎓 Certificate in Baking & Patisserie (Micro-Credential) — specialist micro-credential covering pastry and baking arts. 🎓 Certificate in Hospitality, Tourism, Cooking & Baking (Level 3) — foundational blend of hospitality, tourism and cookery through practical training and industry knowledge. 🎓 Certificate in Food & Beverage, Barista, Wine & Spirits (Level 4) — practical front-of-house and bar skills including barista training, bartending, wine appreciation and cocktail making. 🎓 Certificate in Professional Wine Knowledge (Level 5) — intensive sommelier-oriented programme that completes WSET Award in Wine Levels 2 and 3 in a single qualification, with extensive tastings and discussion. 🎓 Diploma in Professional Wine Management (Sommelier) (Level 6) — advanced diploma for wine professionals seeking sommelier-level expertise. 🎓 Certificate in New Zealand Wine (Foundation) — NZQA-approved micro-credential exploring key grape varieties and regions that built New Zealand's international wine reputation. 🎓 Certificate in New Zealand Wine (Advanced) — deeper dive into New Zealand wine regions and styles. 🎓 WSET Level 1 Award in Wines — introductory wine qualification. 🎓 WSET Level 2 Award in Wines — intermediate wine certification. 🎓 WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits — dedicated spirits certification. 🎓 WSET Level 3 Award in Wines — advanced wine award. 🎓 French Wine Scholar — specialist wine programme focused on France. 🎓 New Zealand Wine Guide (2nd Edition) — educational resource and course tied to the school's published guide. 🎓 Barista Part One — introductory coffee and barista skills. 🎓 Barista Part Two — continuation of barista training. 🎓 Cocktails & Mixology — practical bartending and cocktail preparation. 🎓 Certificate in Barista and Service Skills (Micro-Credential) — compact, accredited barista and customer-service credential. 🎓 Certificate in Spirits, Cocktails and Bartending (Micro-Credential) — focused micro-credential for bartenders. 🎓 Artisan Breads: Bread dough to Ciabatta — hands-on short course in artisan bread making. 🎓 Chocolate Essentials — introductory chocolate work and confectionery. 🎓 Urban Forage — culinary short course focused on foraging. 🎓 Artisan Croissants — specialised viennoiserie workshop. 🎓 Artisan Macarons — dedicated patisserie workshop for macaron production. 🎓 Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) — mandatory compliance certificate for alcohol managers. 🎓 Food Safety — hygiene and food-safety certification. 🎓 Café Cooking 101 — introductory cookery programme for secondary-school students. 🎓 School Holiday Barista — youth barista experience during school breaks. 🎓 Mocktail & Bartending — non-alcoholic and bartending skills for younger learners. 🎓 Kitchen Confidential — team-building culinary event. 🎓 Food & Wine Dynamics — corporate team experience exploring food and wine pairing. 🎓 Team Cocktails — group cocktail-making session. 🎓 Wine Tasting & Quiz Night — social wine-education team event. 🎓 Restaurant for the Night — immersive team event where groups run a restaurant service. Specialties 🎯 Culinary arts and classical cookery 🎯 Baking, patisserie and artisan confectionery 🎯 Hospitality and tourism operations 🎯 Wine education, sommelier training and WSET qualifications 🎯 Specialty coffee and barista skills 🎯 Bartending, mixology and spirits 🎯 Food safety and regulatory compliance (LCQ) 🎯 Corporate team-building and culinary events 🎯 Secondary-school hospitality pathways Methods & Approach The school employs a practical, hands-on pedagogy in fully equipped training kitchens and hospitality spaces. Courses are led by industry professionals who integrate real-world restaurant, café, bar and wine-trade experience into daily instruction. The curriculum balances theoretical knowledge with repeated practical application, including live service scenarios, extensive guided wine tastings and kitchen production. The school actively facilitates work-experience placements in top restaurants and hospitality businesses to support career transitions. Pathways are modular and stackable, allowing progression from short micro-credentials and foundation certificates through to advanced diplomas. Who It's For Aspiring chefs, pastry cooks and bakers seeking foundation or advanced culinary credentials; future restaurant, café and hospitality business owners; aspiring baristas, bartenders, sommeliers and wine professionals; hospitality and tourism entrepreneurs; career changers and food enthusiasts pursuing professional short courses or recreational classes; international students and Working Holiday visa holders; secondary-school students exploring hospitality through holiday programmes and introductory certificates; and corporate teams seeking hands-on culinary team-building experiences. Facilities & Practical Info The campus is located in the Viaduct precinct at Level 3, 104 Customs Street West, Auckland. All classrooms are wheelchair accessible, with lift access from Customs Street and a step-free airbridge from the Viaduct Parking Building on Sturdee Street. Yakitori Daikoku Restaurant occupies the ground floor. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm (closed public holidays), though classes are regularly scheduled outside these times. International students receive dedicated enrolment support, accommodation guidance and pastoral care under the Education Code of Practice 2021. Recognition of Prior Learning is available, and the school publishes a monthly newsletter featuring upcoming courses and alumni stories. Location Address: Level 3, 104 Customs Street West, Viaduct, Auckland 1010, New Zealand Hours: Office: Monday–Friday 8am–5pm; class schedules vary — see website for specific course timetables The "+" ✅ NZQA-accredited, New Zealand Government-recognised qualifications with clear progression from Level 3 to Level 6 ✅ Over 30 years of heritage (established 1995) under founder Celia Hay, a qualified chef and WSET Diploma holder with a Master of Education (Distinction) and MBA ✅ Faculty of expert chefs, restaurant managers and wine professionals focused on student success and industry relevance ✅ Strong industry network facilitating work experience in leading Auckland restaurants and hospitality venues ✅ Comprehensive vertical pathways covering cookery, hospitality, wine, barista and compliance, including WSET and French Wine Scholar credentials ✅ Excellent student satisfaction record reflected in a TrustScore of 4.8 from 1,189 Trustpilot reviews ✅ Prime Viaduct waterfront campus with modern, accessible facilities and nearby parking ✅ Dedicated international-student support, Working Holiday options and Recognition of Prior Learning