Apprentice Chef

SOUTH PLANKS LIMITED

PRESTON (PR3 5AB)

Closes on Saturday 1 August 2026

Posted on 9 June 2026

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Summary

This is a great opportunity to gain practical experience in food preparation, kitchen operations, food safety, and customer service while working alongside our head chef. You will be involved in preparing fresh breakfast and lunch dishes, maintaining high standards of cleanliness, and developing valuable skills in a busy kitchen environment.

Wage

£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Tuesday - Sunday. Shifts to be disclosed.

40 hours a week

Start date

Sunday 2 August 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

Key Responsibilities:

  • Assist with the preparation of fresh salads, soups, breakfast dishes, and lunch menu items with a keen eye for presentation.
  • Support daily food preparation to ensure service runs smoothly and efficiently.
  • Assist with breakfast service from 9:00am and lunch service from 11:45am until 2:45pm.
  • Prepare ingredients, wash, peel, chop, and portion food as directed by the chef.
  • Maintain high standards of cleanliness and organisation throughout the kitchen during service.
  • Carry out end-of-day kitchen cleaning and closing procedures.
  • Label, date, and store food correctly in accordance with food safety regulations.
  • Follow stock rotation procedures (FIFO – First In, First Out) to minimise waste and ensure food quality.
  • Assist with stock checks and preparation of orders for the following day.
  • Adhere to all food hygiene, health and safety, and allergen management procedures.
  • Ensure kitchen equipment, work surfaces, and storage areas are kept clean and tidy at all times.
  • Work as part of a friendly team to deliver high-quality food and excellent customer service.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to learn new skills and undertake training as part of the apprenticeship programme.

Where you'll work

SOUTH PLANKS FARM
GARSTANG ROAD
BARTON
PRESTON
PR3 5AB

Training

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

Training provider

LANCASTER AND MORECAMBE COLLEGE

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

Level 2 Production Chef Apprenticeship Programme.

Relevant training will be provided through Lancaster and Morecambe College.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Team working
  • Reliable
  • Eager to learn
  • Passionate

About this employer

Planks Kitchen is a busy independent café serving fresh, homemade food, speciality coffee, smoothies, and cold-pressed juices. We pride ourselves on using quality ingredients and providing a welcoming atmosphere for our customers. Our kitchen focuses on preparing fresh breakfast and lunch dishes, with an emphasis on healthy living, flavour, presentation, and excellent service.

After this apprenticeship

Employment after the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LANCASTER AND MORECAMBE COLLEGE

Charlie Helme

c.helme@lmc.ac.uk

01524 521483

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035943.

Apply now

Closes on Saturday 1 August 2026

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.