River Cottage Named Dual-Accredited Online Cookery Course

Mark of Culinary Excellence from CPD and ICSA signifies industry mindset move

The River Cottage Diploma, developed with online learning specialists, Learning With Experts, has been named the world’s first online cookery course to gain accreditation by the CPD Standards Office, Continue Professional Development, and ICSA, Independent Cookery Schools Association. 

A first for the culinary education sector, the endorsement by such internationally recognised bodies marks a step change in attitude towards online courses, demonstrating the significance of its value in the workplace.

Hosted by pioneering, Oxford-based, online learning platform, Learning with Experts, the CPD highlighted exemplary ‘course content’, with the ICSA promoting excellence in teaching standards, a first for the ICSA on an online course.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said:

“In these challenging times, whether you are a professional or amateur cook, being able to up your cooking skills, and make healthy and sustainably sourced food consistently delicious, is always going to be worthwhile. And so, we’ve set out to democratise our cookery courses, making it more accessible than ever to achieve a certified River Cottage qualification in cooking.”

“River Cottage and Learning with Experts have created two diplomas covering a huge range of practical, professional and artisan cooking skills, learned through a genuinely interactive and mutually supportive community. Our key difference of studying together in small intimate groups creates a powerful and nurturing online learning environment, which works brilliantly for cooking. Myself and our talented team of River Cottage chef-tutors are hugely enjoying the teaching and interaction with our brilliant students.”

James Day, Director of Operations at ICSA, said:

“River Cottage Cookery School was awarded our onsite accreditation last year, scoring full marks. Being awarded one of our ‘Centres of Excellence’, sampling their online content, delivered by Learning with Experts, was the next natural step.”

“Our team rigorously watched and tested the extensive course range; the teaching quality was exceptional, and the courses delivered transferrable culinary skills for both domestic cooks and aspiring career chefs. We’re delighted to provide teaching accreditation to River Cottage as our very first ‘ICSA Online Teaching Academy’ in partnership with CPD for their course content accreditation.”

Thanks to the combination of revolutionary, teacher-led online learning, real-world accreditation and recognisable, trusted sources, students find themselves armed with the tools needed to retrain with confidence when seeking a career change without the traps of traditional tuition fees and commitments.