Highfield Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering
The qualification for managers accountable for food safety across a catering operation — from regulatory compliance to the systems that keep service safe and audit-ready.
Is this the right qualification for you?
This is a management-level qualification — not food safety in theory, but the authority and the system to run it in practice. It suits anyone holding responsibility for food safety and the operational team working to it in catering.
What the qualification covers
Mapped to the Highfield specification — each area moving from what the standard requires to how you evidence it.
Compliance with legislation
What the law requires of a food business operator — and how to evidence it.
Operational requirements
The conditions and controls a catering operation needs to run safely.
Establishing procedures
Building food safety procedures that hold up in practice and on audit.
Controls for food safety
Identifying, applying, and verifying the controls that manage risk.
Maintaining the system
Keeping procedures live, reviewed, and continually improving.
Capability you can put to work
You leave able to apply the standard in practice — with the documentation and confidence to back it.
How you're assessed and what you earn
MCQ + written exam
Assessed by a multiple-choice examination and a written examination. Study commitment: 60 hours · 40 GLH.
- — Set and certificated by Highfield
- — Recognised across the food industry
- — Verifiable against the Highfield register
A regulated, internationally recognised award
On success you receive the Highfield Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering — an Ofqual-regulated qualification recognised across the food industry worldwide.
- — Progresses to Level 5 Food Safety qualifications
- — Progresses to Hospitality competency-based qualifications
Our programmes carry Highfield’s globally recognised accreditation
For 35 years, Hesham Abbas for Consulting has helped the Gulf’s leading organisations build the systems that keep them compliant, competitive, and trusted. Our work in ISO, quality, and food-safety management has always begun from the same question: not what a standard says, but how it holds up in practice.
That is what we bring to training. Learn with HAC and you learn from practitioners who implement and audit these systems for a living — who know where they hold, where they fail, and what it takes to get them right. Our programmes carry internationally recognised accreditation; their lasting value is the experience behind them. Whatever your role in the operation, you leave able to apply the standard with confidence.
Dr. Mai Tag El-Dien
She has delivered food safety training at the FIFA World Cup, the Hajj, and Formula 1 Saudi Arabia — operations where the margin for error is zero. You learn the standard from a practitioner who has applied it at the highest stakes, not from a manual.
Reserve your place
The inaugural cohort opens this September, with new cohorts every ~1 month. Reserve your place online to confirm your seat.
Next available course dates
Live, instructor-led cohorts delivered online. Reserve your place online to confirm your seat.
| Course | Date | Duration (days/GLH)* | Location | Spaces | Price (ex VAT) | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering | 13th – 17th Sep 2026 | 5 days (40 GLH) | Online | 12 | $400 | Book Now |
| L4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering | 27th – 31st Dec 2026 | 5 days (40 GLH) | Online | 12 | $400 | Book Now |
Dates shown are released on a rolling basis; new cohorts open every ~1 month. Prices exclude VAT — 10% VAT is applied at checkout.
* GLH = Guided Learning Hours, the total tutor-led study time for the qualification.
Good to know before you enrol
Is this qualification internationally recognised?
Yes. It is regulated by Ofqual and awarded by Highfield — one of the world's leading awarding bodies for food safety. The certificate is recognised across the food industry internationally.
How is the course assessed?
Assessed by a multiple-choice examination and a written examination, set and certificated by Highfield.
What certificate do I receive?
The Highfield Level 4 Award in Managing Food Safety in Catering — a regulated qualification, verifiable against the Highfield register.
Do I need a prior qualification to enrol?
There's no formal entry requirement. The course is designed for those already working in or moving toward the relevant role.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel 21 or more days before the course date for a full refund. Cancellations within 21 days of the course are not eligible for a refund.
Train your whole team, on your site
Run this qualification for your team at your premises, scheduled around your operation. Tell us your group size and location and we'll send a tailored quote.
Dr. Mai Tag El-Dien
Veterinarian and food safety consultant with 10+ years of experience across food safety auditing, training, and mega-event operations. Delivered 2,500+ audits and trained 25,000+ participants across Egypt and the Arab region. Key roles at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Formula One Saudi Arabia 2023, Hajj Project 1444, and Arab Cup 2025. Approved auditor for McDonald’s Egypt. Founder of Food Zone, an award-winning food safety awareness initiative reaching 35M+ views. Certified Excellence Assessor for the Egyptian Government Excellence Award. Holds an MBA from RB College, UK.