Production Chef apprentice

Summary

We are recruiting on behalf of Forest Friends for a production Chef apprentice. In this apprenticeship, you’ll work alongside our experienced kitchen staff to prepare nutritious meals and snacks for children aged 0–5. You’ll learn how to follow standardised recipes, manage food safety, and support the smooth running of a busy nursery kitchen.

Wage

£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course

Production chef (level 2)

Hours

Monday - Friday. Varied shift patterns.

30 hours a week

Start date

Friday 8 August 2025

Duration

1 year

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

Assist in preparing and cooking meals using fresh and pre-prepared ingredients
Follow nursery menus and portion guidelines to meet children’s dietary needs
Maintain high standards of hygiene, cleanliness, and food safety
Support with stock rotation, ordering, and minimising food waste
Help set up and clean down the kitchen before and after service
Learn to adapt meals for allergies, intolerances, and special diets
Clean down the kitchen after service, including pot washing and sanitising surfaces
Follow kitchen hygiene and safety protocols at all times
Work as part of a team and communicate effectively with nursery staff

Where you'll work

13B CLEVELAND STREET
REDCAR
TS10 1AR

Training

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

College or training organisation

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

Your training course

Production chef (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Use feedback to improve own performance.
Prepare and close down an area for service.
Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
Follow standard operating procedures to select and safely use appropriate knives and boards for the task, for example red handled knife and red board for raw meat.
Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.
Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Use feedback to improve own performance.
Prepare and close down an area for service.
Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
Follow standard operating procedures to select and safely use appropriate knives and boards for the task, for example red handled knife and red board for raw meat.
Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.

Your training plan

Production Chef Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard
One day release at Middlesbrough College a week

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

maths and English (grade 2 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
Customer care skills
Team working
Initiative
Patience

About this company

Forest Friends Nursery is a nurturing, nature-inspired early years setting dedicated to providing healthy, balanced meals that support the growth and development of young children. We believe food is a vital part of learning and wellbeing, and we’re looking for a passionate apprentice to join our kitchen team.

https://forestfriendschildcare.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Depending on the circumstances of the business upon completion of the apprenticeship programme there could be a potential position of employment available

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: