Commis Chef Apprentice

Summary

We will help you master our menu, with your food being the reason guests keep coming through our doors. You'll thrive off the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced kitchen, with the support of a close-knit team, because it's the people that make it all worthwhile. Duties include kitchen prep and assisting the head chef in day-to-day operations.

Wage

£11,778 to £19,047.60, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

We provide some uniform, paid holidays and a fair share of tips.

Training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Hours

Shifts will be between 7.30am and 9.00pm and will include some evening and weekend work (to be confirmed). Your working hours will include off-the-job hours such as attending college (30 - 40 hours per week on a rota basis).

30 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 6 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Duties will include:

Kitchen preparation
Assisting the head chef in day-to-day operations
Assisting the head chef in menu development
Following our guidelines to maintain our 5-star hygiene rating, cleaning, organising, etc.

Where you'll work

HOTEL RUDYARD
LAKE ROAD
RUDYARD
STAFFORDSHIRE
ST13 8RN

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Your training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Selects correct knife for task.
Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
Uses feedback to improve own performance.
Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.
Selects correct knife for task.
Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
Uses feedback to improve own performance.
Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.

Your training plan

Commis Chef Apprenticeship Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard
You will attend the Buxton Campus, with college transport available, each week to spend time with other apprentices in the kitchens and classrooms. Alongside college attendance, you will be visited in the workplace by your college instructor-mentor to complete progress reviews
There may be an opportunity to complete Functional Skills maths or English qualifications as part of this Apprenticeship, please contact the college to discuss further

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English (grade 4/C or above)
Maths (grade 4/C or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Reliable
An interest in the industry
Ability to learn from peers
A desire to learn

Other requirements

We are located just outside of Leek and public transport is not very good in the area. Please carefully consider how you will get to work each day including the walking/cycle track accessed from the west end of Leek and the Moorlands Connect bookable bus service.

About this company

Hotel Rudyard is a family-run business in the picturesque village of Rudyard, just 2 miles from the Leek town centre. Situated at the edge of the beautiful Rudyard Lake, amongst the breathtaking Staffordshire countryside, we have 13 stunning bedrooms and 2 cottages on-site to offer, we host breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday dinner, weddings, conferences, parties etc. See our website or our Facebook page for more information.

https://hotel-rudyard.com/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

The apprenticeship has excellent potential to become a permanent position alongside promotion and/or further training

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Apprenticeships Team

feapprenticeships@blc.ac.uk

+448000740099

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000301809.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 31 July 2025

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After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.

Company’s application instructions

Please apply through Buxton & Leek College using the link provided or search for 'Buxton & Leek College Apprenticeships' through your chosen web browser.

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