Commis Chef Apprentice

Summary

We are looking for an eager apprentice to join our kitchen team. We will help you learn your craft, and develop your passion for cooking. You’ll thrive off the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced kitchen being part of our friendly welcoming team with the positive feedback from guests making it all worthwhile.

Wage

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

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Hours

30 hours per week minimum (up to 40 hours) on a rota basis, shifts will be between 7am and 10.30pm and will include some evening and weekend work. Your working hours will include off-the-job hours such as attending college.

30 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 6 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

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 team in day-to-day operations and service
Input in to developing specials
Assist in all aspects of cleaning/pot washing
Put deliveries away and stock rotation
Follow food storage procedures, including Food safety checks and due diligence

Where you'll work

THE DOG & PARTRIDGE INN &
MOTEL
SWINSCOE
NR ASHBOURNE
DE6 2HS

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

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

More training information

You will attend the Buxton Campus (college transport is available), spending time in the college training kitchens.

You will also be regularly visited in the workplace by a college instructor-mentor. They will complete observations, have professional discussions, and mentor you throughout your apprenticeship.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4 or above)
Maths (grade 4 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

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

Other requirements

As we are located in Swinscoe Ashbourne, you will need to consider how you will get to work as although we do have some bus services they are not particularly frequent and don’t always match up with shift start/finish times.

About this company

We are a family-run Country inn and restaurant with rooms in the small village of Swinscoe, just 3 miles from the market town of Ashbourne and 11 miles from Leek town centre. Situated at the edge of the beautiful Staffordshire/Derbyshire Border with fantastic views over the open countryside. We have 30 rooms in the grounds of the inn with a fantastic garden and play area as well as a sun terrace. We are open for breakfast, lunch, Afternoon tea and dinner but also offer our fabulous Sunday Lunch.

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

08000740099

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000313394.

Apply now

Closes in 15 days (Monday 30 June 2025)

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

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.

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