Production Chef Apprentice

PHOENIX LEISURE LTD

Felixstowe (IP11 2QN)

Closes on Monday 10 August 2026

Posted on 10 June 2026

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Contents

Summary

This opportunity will give experience both in our coffee shop kitchen and within Saltwater, our seaside fish and chip restaurant. Time will be shared so that you may be preparing soups, baked goods and desserts, but at other times, menu items within the busy fish restaurant.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Monday- Sunday - 5 hour shifts, days to be arranged.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 7 September 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

A high standard of food production and quality within our business often dictates its success and leads to returning customers that have enjoyed our food. 

  • Maintain exceptional standards of personal, food and kitchen hygiene
  • Awareness when using kitchen machinery to ensure safety and effective usage
  • Following tested recipes and menu requirements
  • Adhere closely to portion control guidelines and stay within budget
  • Avoiding cross-contamination when preparing gluten-free and plant-based menu items
  • Working closely with colleagues in both kitchens

Where you'll work

Sweetwater
Sea Road
Felixstowe
IP11 2QN

Training

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

Training provider

SUFFOLK NEW 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

  • Production Chef Standard
  • English and maths (if required) Level 2

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English or Equivalent (grade 9-4/A-C)
  • Maths or Equivalent (grade 9-4/A-C)

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
  • Customer care skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Physical fitness
  • Positive manner
  • Passion for food
  • Punctual
  • Flexible work ethic
  • Respectful

About this employer

Phoenix Leisure Ltd has three component parts including The Forum, a family amusement centre, Saltwater, a fish and chip takeaway and restaurant serving traditional seaside food with additions and Sweetwater, a specialist coffee and dessert shop and ice cream parlour also serving light lunches, desserts and bakery items.

https://www.sweetwaterfelixstowe.com/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

There is always the possibility of promotion within our teams. The role will help to give insight into working areas of preference and lead to further opportunities elsewhere too as you gain confidence in your abilities.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE

Cat Townsend

apprenticeshipapplication@suffolk.ac.uk

01473 382600

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036505.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 10 August 2026