It's not by how long they have been cooking or who they have been working for or, if the truth be known, how many NVQs they have, there's only one way – to taste the dishes they cook. In other words a practical test under normal working conditions.

Strangely enough our industry doesn't have such a way of testing potential employees, Most of you will test people in your own way but there is no "benchmark" that you can rely on – until now.

The Applied Ability Awards – or Triple A – is a scheme to teach and test chefs of all abilities using the 'Mentor' system.

The scheme has been put together by the country's top chefs. The work involved is mostly practical, based on a common syllabus, tailored to the trainee and run in your own kitchens by a senior chef acting as Chef Mentor to the trainee. When you feel your trainee is ready there is a 3.5 hour practical examination taken by two senior Chef Examiners approved by the AAA National Committee (representing all the chefs organisations below).

The practical can cover any aspect of the syllabus and accounts for 70% of the final score. 20% is based on practical knowledge and 10% on an aptitude appraisal. And the good thing is that apart from the examination, it is all done in-house, no days-off going to college, everything is under your control.

The scheme operates at two levels, AAA Foundation Chef and AAA Chef, and successful candidates are awarded the AAA Certificate, which will signal to everyone that they are properly trained and able chefs.

Over the next few years the Triple A qualification will become the yardstick by which chefs are measured.

Don't miss out – ring today for details of the scheme and be one of the first in the country to achieve the chefs' own qualification.

Contact: Ruth Morris, AAA Coordinator, Wales          

Tel 07989 470899 or Email aaa@cambriantraining.com