A new First Nations culinary school is set to provide aspiring Indigenous chefs with the opportunity to gain a nationally recognised qualification while learning food knowledge and the traditions of Wadawurrung Country.

Gordon TAFE in Geelong has launched the Wirrpma First Peoples Culinary School, with its inaugural Certificate III in Commercial Cookery program scheduled to begin this year.

Named after the Wadawurrung word meaning "to taste", the year-long course was developed in partnership with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and blends commercial cookery with First Nations food knowledge, traditional cooking techniques and on-Country learning.

Students will learn through a curriculum centred on native ingredients, seasonal cooking and cultural knowledge.

The program's project manager, Cameron Madden, said the initiative "isn't just about the culinary arts".

"It's about history, culture, connection, yarning, storytelling and revitalisation of knowledge from generations for generations," he told the Geelong Independent.

"This course will showcase knowledge on native ingredients, traditional techniques, and most importantly, it will be a space of learning, pride and identity, led by community, for community."

Madden said there had already been strong interest in the program.

"There's a real hunger for this knowledge, and we're proud to create a space where it can be shared and celebrated."

The course has been more than five years in development with Wadawurrung Elders and community members.

Participants will spend time in commercial kitchens and on Country, learning traditional cooking methods and how native ingredients change with the seasons.

Leading the course is chef Luke Sharp, a Kureinji man who has worked in kitchens for more than two decades before moving into hospitality education.

Sharp told the Geelong Advertiser the role was deeply personal.

"This is the dream job for me," he said.

"We are not claiming to be Traditional Owners, we don't own the knowledge, we are just passing it on."

Sharp said the program offers a different perspective from conventional culinary training, which has traditionally focused on European techniques.

The course will include methods such as fire cooking, paperbark cooking and earth oven cooking.

Graduates will complete a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery, providing them with a pathway into the hospitality industry while also strengthening connections to First Nations food knowledge and culture.

The Gordon chief executive Joe Ormeno said the initiative reflected the organisation's commitment to working alongside community.

"Wirrpma is an exciting and important initiative that honours the cultural knowledge, identity and strength of First Peoples," he told Times News Group.

"We're proud to support a program shaped with community, that delivers real skills, deepens cultural understanding and strengthens connection to Country."

The program is open to First Nations people aged 15 years and over and applications are now open for the inaugural intake.

Students will study three days a week across 12 months, with the course offered free to eligible participants.