Apprentice Chef
Cartmel Old Grammar
Cartmel (LA11 7SG)
Closes in 16 days (Friday 1 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 July 2025
Contents
Summary
We are looking for a motivated and hard-working Apprentice Chef to join the kitchen team at Cartmel Old Grammar, a luxury boutique hotel with a growing reputation for outstanding dining. This is an exceptional opportunity to gain hands-on experience while working towards your professional chef qualifications in a supportive and ambitious kitchen.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Commis chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
As the hotel operates 7 days a week, shifts will range over the course of the full week.
Five days a week with potential starts as early as 8am.
Exact days and shifts are to be confirmed.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 8 August 2025
- Duration
-
1 year 3 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
What You’ll Be Doing:
As an Apprentice Chef, you’ll work closely with our talented kitchen team and Head Chef, supporting the preparation and service of seasonal, high-quality dishes. You’ll learn everything from knife skills to food safety, mise en place, and plating — all while gaining real experience in a working kitchen.
Your duties will include:
- Preparing ingredients under supervision
- Learning basic cooking techniques and recipes
- Assisting in service during lunch, dinner, and events
- Keeping your workstation clean and organised
- Following food hygiene and safety standards
- Supporting the kitchen team with daily prep and cleaning tasks
What We’re Looking For:
- A genuine passion for food and hospitality
- A positive attitude and willingness to learn
- Good timekeeping and a team spirit
- Enthusiasm for local, seasonal ingredients and attention to detail
- No prior experience required – just a commitment to the craft
Where you'll work
Cartmel Old Grammar
Cartmel
LA11 7SG
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
College or training organisation
KENDAL COLLEGE
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
Training will take place at Kendal College, one day per week.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Maths and English (grade 4)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
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
Other requirements
Five days a week at with potential starts as early as 8am.
About this company
Cartmel Old Grammar is a newly restored boutique hotel on the southern edge of the Lake District. With just a handful of exclusive rooms, a discreet wedding offering, and a refined culinary ethos, we are building something truly special for both guests and our team. Our kitchen celebrates seasonality, sustainability, and understated elegance—taking inspiration from the region while welcoming fresh ideas.
http://www.cartmeloldgrammar.co.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
• Mentorship from a skilled, professional kitchen team • Staff meals during shifts • Uniform and equipment provided • Staff discounts and perks • The opportunity to grow with a new and exciting hotel and restaurant
After this apprenticeship
Continue in employment and development throughout your time with the hotel.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
KENDAL COLLEGE
Greg Foggo
hello@cartmeloldgrammar.co.uk
07562 152014
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000331150.
Apply now
Closes in 16 days (Friday 1 August 2025 at 11:59pm)
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