Production Chef Apprentice L2
THE OLD CORN MILL CAFE LTD
Bretherton (PR26 9AH)
Closes in 17 days (Friday 8 May 2026)
Posted on 21 April 2026
Contents
Summary
Apprenticeship position available in a busy commercial kitchen.
- Wage
-
£14,560 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Production chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
We open our kitchen seven days a week, from 10:00 until 16:00.
The candidate will be expected to include weekend work, as would be expected in the hospitality industry.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 25 May 2026
- 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
We are looking for a motivated and passionate Apprentice Chef to join our kitchen team. This role is ideal for someone who is eager to learn the fundamentals of professional cooking while working alongside experienced chefs. The Apprentice Chef will assist with food preparation, kitchen organisation, and maintaining high standards of hygiene and food quality.
- Assist chefs with basic food preparation such as chopping vegetables, preparing ingredients, and portioning food
- Learn and follow recipes and cooking techniques under the supervision of senior chefs
- Maintain cleanliness and organisation of kitchen workstations and equipment
- Follow food safety, hygiene, and health regulations at all times
- Help with stock rotation, storage, and kitchen inventory
- Support the kitchen team during service periods to ensure timely food preparation
- Participate in training and development as part of the apprenticeship programme
Where you'll work
64 South Road Bretherton
Bretherton
PR26 9AH
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SOUTHPORT EDUCATION GROUP
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.
Training schedule
- Apprenticeship Standard Level 2 in Production Chef
- Apprentice will be trained in all aspects of food production in line with Level 2 Production Chef
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
- Maths (grade 4)
- English (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Ability to Learn
- Reliable
- Punctual
Other requirements
Kitchens rely on strong teamwork. You will need to communicate well and support other chefs during busy service periods. We don’t operate shifts so good working hours for the industry, so make sure you can travel to and from work easily.
About this employer
The Old Corn Mill Café is part of a unique antiques and collectibles centre located in a historic mill building in Bretherton, Lancashire. The venue combines a large antiques marketplace with a welcoming café where visitors can relax and enjoy freshly prepared food and drinks. The café offers a menu that includes breakfast dishes, homemade cakes, desserts, coffee, and drinks, many made using locally sourced ingredients. Visitors often stop for a meal or coffee while exploring the antiques centre, making the café a central part of the overall experience The business focuses on creating a friendly and relaxed environment where guests can enjoy good food, browse unique antiques, and spend time with friends or family.
After this apprenticeship
Further progression may well be available in other areas within our sector, upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SOUTHPORT EDUCATION GROUP
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000027367.
Apply now
Closes in 17 days (Friday 8 May 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.