# Cooking courses in Germany



## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

Dear All,

I wanted to know if there are any institutes that provide cooking courses in Germany?

I am assuming the private institutes will have handsome fee but what about the none private if someone can help?

Thanks


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

You may want to take a look at your local Volkshochschule. There is a website for the Volkshochschule program here: https://www.volkshochschule.de/

Use the site to search for cooking classes in your area. Class fees are very reasonable and there are a wide variety of classes on offer.


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

Thank you for sharing the site ... I will explore

I am currently not in Germany. The plan is to get the admission for my wife in cooking classes so I can get the work permit in Germany.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

If you're looking to get her a student visa, I'm not at all sure that Volkshochschule classes will qualify her for that. The idea seems to be that they classes are available to local residents.


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

Bevdeforges said:


> If you're looking to get her a student visa, I'm not at all sure that Volkshochschule classes will qualify her for that. The idea seems to be that they classes are available to local residents.


I see


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

First, a "cooking course" would probably not qualify for a student visa unless it was serious professional chef training. 

Second, it's unlikely that the spouse of a student would be granted a work permit.

However, do your research:

https://www.deutschland.de/en/studying-in-germany
https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/study-training/study/reasons/
https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/international/berlin/family/index.html


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

Nononymous said:


> First, a "cooking course" would probably not qualify for a student visa unless it was serious professional chef training.
> 
> Second, it's unlikely that the spouse of a student would be granted a work permit.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your feedback. One of my friends recently landed in Germany on a Student visa and his wife for a dependant visa and she can work full time. 

You are right, I have to check further if Cooking courses would get the same privilege of it has to be a proper degree in Hospitality. I need to do further research but thanks for your input. Very helpful.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

From what I could find permission for the spouse to work was possible but not guaranteed. Did your friend's wife, for example, receive an unrestricted work permit (i.e. she can take any job no matter how menial) or did she have a professional qualification?


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

insider580 said:


> Thanks for your feedback. One of my friends recently landed in Germany on a Student visa and his wife for a dependant visa and she can work full time.
> 
> You are right, I have to check further if Cooking courses would get the same privilege of it has to be a proper degree in Hospitality. I need to do further research but thanks for your input. Very helpful.


Another complication is that chefs are not university-trained in Germany. They do a three-year formal apprenticeship and after a certain number of years in the job can get their mastery (Küchenmeister, not to be confused with a Masters Degree in culinary arts) after attending classes while also working and passing pretty grueling exams in the end.

A cooking class at a Volkshochschule would probably be a once a week in the evening affair for 10 - 12 weeks in total or maybe a weekend workshop or week-long intensive course but not something that would get your wife a student visa. 

How good is your wife's German?

I hear that Hotels and Restaurants in certain areas of Germany are getting their chef apprentices from Malaysia and Kenia now. Under certain circumstances, non-EEA nationals can get residence/work permits for that. I am not sure about bringing dependents, though. Also, lots of non-EEA apprentices give up after a relatively short time, since those hotels and restaurants tend to be out in the countryside and they feel culturally isolated.


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

Nononymous said:


> From what I could find permission for the spouse to work was possible but not guaranteed. Did your friend's wife, for example, receive an unrestricted work permit (i.e. she can take any job no matter how menial) or did she have a professional qualification?


Yes, she got a full-time work permit and she even found a job there while my friend only did his 1st semester and he also got a very good offer already. 

So he is now changing his full-time masters to part-time and will start working full time now.


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

ALKB said:


> Another complication is that chefs are not university-trained in Germany. They do a three-year formal apprenticeship and after a certain number of years in the job can get their mastery (Küchenmeister, not to be confused with a Masters Degree in culinary arts) after attending classes while also working and passing pretty grueling exams in the end.
> 
> A cooking class at a Volkshochschule would probably be a once a week in the evening affair for 10 - 12 weeks in total or maybe a weekend workshop or week-long intensive course but not something that would get your wife a student visa.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your insights. 

Well, my wife does not know the German language at all, unfortunately.


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

If she can't pronounce "Spätzle" properly this plan is likely doomed.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

insider580 said:


> Thank you for your insights.
> 
> Well, my wife does not know the German language at all, unfortunately.


Okay, I'll bite.

Does your friend know German? Or did he manage to snag one of the rare English-taught courses?

How did you imagine your wife taking any sort of classes without German language skills?


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

ALKB said:


> Okay, I'll bite.
> 
> Does your friend know German? Or did he manage to snag one of the rare English-taught courses?



Well, there are several courses that are taught in English (mostly masters). He went with zero knowledge of the Germany language. 



ALKB said:


> How did you imagine your wife taking any sort of classes without German language skills?


For the same reason that I have mentioned above. If I can find a master's course that is taught in English then all she needs is A1 in German language or maybe not even that to start off.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

insider580 said:


> Well, there are several courses that are taught in English (mostly masters). He went with zero knowledge of the Germany language.
> 
> 
> 
> For the same reason that I have mentioned above. If I can find a master's course that is taught in English then all she needs is A1 in German language or maybe not even that to start off.


Okay, yes, what I was saying is, that he was lucky to get a spot, the English medium programmes are usually oversubscribed. Or charge high tuition fees.

Of course your wife can go for a Masters. It just won't be in cooking/culinary arts.


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## insider580 (Nov 16, 2015)

ALKB said:


> Okay, yes, what I was saying is, that he was lucky to get a spot, the English medium programmes are usually oversubscribed. Or charge high tuition fees.
> 
> Of course your wife can go for a Masters. It just won't be in cooking/culinary arts.


Thanks for your feedback.


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