Apprentice Commis Chef – Cook from the heart and grow your career with Butcombe Pubs & Inns
Butcombe Pubs & Inns
Recruiting nationally
Closes on Tuesday 30 September 2025
Posted on 20 August 2025
Contents
Summary
Ready to start your chef journey at Butcombe Pubs & Inns? Join Butcombe as an Apprentice Chef, where hospitality is crafted from the heart. Get top-tier training from our skilled chefs, raise your spirits with every dish, and become the talk of the town in a team that sets the bar high with real ingredients, real skills and real growth.
- Wage
-
£11,778 to £19,047.60, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Commis chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
30 hours+ per week. Shift work including evenings and weekends, exact shifts to be confirmed.
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 October 2025
- Duration
-
1 year
- Positions available
-
10
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
Commis Chef what you will do:
As a Trainee Chef at Butcombe, you’ll be hands-on from day one, prepping fresh ingredients, developing your cooking techniques, and supporting service in our vibrant kitchens. You’ll work alongside experienced chefs who cook from the heart, helping you build real skills and confidence. From mastering knife work to plating dishes that raise the spirits, you’ll be part of a team that sets the bar high and delivers food that’s the talk of the town. You’ll also gain insight into menu development, supplier relationships, and sustainable kitchen practices all while progressing towards a recognised qualification and a future in hospitality.
As part of this apprenticeship, you’ll work towards a Level 2 Commis Chef qualification through hands-on, work-based learning—including functional skills if needed. You’ll be prepping, cooking, and plating delicious dishes with support from your Head Chef, learning the ropes in a kitchen that crafts hospitality from the heart.
- Chopping, prepping, and learning the basics - you’ll be working with fresh ingredients and picking up real kitchen skills every day
- Helping cook and plate up dishes that guests love, with guidance from chefs who’ll show you the ropes
- Keeping the kitchen clean and safe, because a tidy space makes everything run smoother (and keeps the team smiling)
- Pitching in with deliveries and stock, learning how we keep things fresh, organised, and ready for service
- Joining in on tastings and new ideas, because your creativity matters and we love fresh thinking in our kitchens.
You don’t need loads of experience - just some basic cooking skills, a great attitude, and a real appetite to learn. If you love the buzz of a busy kitchen and can work at least 30 hours a week, we’ll help you grow into a confident, capable chef.
Where you'll work
Work in stunning pubs and inns across the South of England - from the Cotswolds to the New Forest, Bath to Berkshire. Butcombe venues include city hotspots, countryside escapes, and coastal gems, each with its own character. Whether it’s a buzzing Bristol pub or a boutique inn in Somerset, you’ll be part of a team serving fresh food and proper pints in some of the UK’s most beautiful and welcoming locations.
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HIT TRAINING LTD
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.
Training schedule
Your apprenticeship will last 12-15 months, giving you hands-on experience and a nationally recognised Level 2 Commis Chef qualification.
All your learning happens on-site, no college days needed!
You’ll also have the chance to join chef masterclasses throughout the year, diving deeper into dishes like meat, poultry, fish, vegan and veggie options.
You’ll be supported every step of the way by your Head Chef, your manager, and our training provider.
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Initiative
About this employer
At Butcombe, we do hospitality from the heart. With a proud heritage and a bold future, we set the bar high in everything we do—from fresh food and crafted drinks to unforgettable guest experiences. Our teams raise the spirits daily, working in vibrant pubs and kitchens where individuality is celebrated and growth is real. Join us and become part of a business that’s the talk of the town—where your journey matters, your talent is nurtured, and your impact is felt.
https://butcombegroup.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
Work in stunning UK locations Join an award-winning, passionate team Cook with fresh, local produce Grow your career with real support Enjoy flexible hours & team perks Celebrate milestones & birthdays Access discounts & wellbeing support
After this apprenticeship
After completing your Commis Chef apprenticeship, you could progress to a Level 3 Chef de Partie role, taking charge of a section and building your leadership skills. From there, the path could lead to Senior Culinary Chef or Hospitality Manager specialising in back of House.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HIT TRAINING LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000338184.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 30 September 2025
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