Commis Chef Apprentice
Dauntsey's School
Wiltshire (SN10 4HE)
Closes in 30 days (Friday 21 August 2026)
Posted on 21 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Kickstart your career in catering with an exciting Commis Chef Apprenticeship at Dauntsey’s School. This is a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn, gaining hands-on experience in a busy, high-quality kitchen while working towards a Level 2 professional qualification.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Commis chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
40 hours a week, worked on a rota over 5 days, Monday - Sunday between the hours 6.30am - 7.30pm.
You will have 11 weeks when you’re not required to work during school holidays, this includes 2 weeks off over Christmas.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 3 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
Working alongside our experienced chefs, you’ll be involved in preparing, cooking and presenting meals for over 1,200 pupils and staff, as well as supporting a wide range of events. From day one, you’ll build practical skills, learn industry techniques, and develop the confidence to thrive in a professional kitchen environment.
- Prepare, cook and serve meals under supervision
- Maintain high food presentation, hygiene and safety standards
- Monitor and record food temperatures throughout service
- Store, label and rotate food stock correctly
- Support meal service and ensure food choice and quality are maintained
- Clean kitchen areas and equipment in line with cleaning schedules
- Report equipment faults and maintenance issues
- Work as part of a team and complete Commis Chef apprenticeship training
Where you'll work
West Lavington
Devizes
Wiltshire
SN10 4HE
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WILTSHIRE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CENTRE
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
Training:
On site, in the kitchen
Training style:
Work based
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 3-9)
- Maths (grade 3-9)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
Must be able to get to and from the place of work in a safe and timely manner.
The successful candidate will not be required to work more than 15 weekends a year.
About this employer
Dauntsey’s is a leading co-educational boarding and day school for 11-18 year olds. Set in an estate of 150 acres of idyllic countryside, on the northern edge of Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, we offer some 830 pupils challenge and inspiration both inside and outside the classroom.
Academic success is at the heart of all that we do, but our ethos is about much more than exam grades. It’s about developing the skills and characteristics, such as resilience, flexibility and a willingness to have a go, which we all need to have a successful, happy life. We aim to be a school where everyone can be themselves, where friendship and kindness really matter and where pupils make the most of their talents and abilities.
An Adventurous Education
Central to this ambition is our approach to adventure. Adventure at Dauntsey’s is not simply an event but something that teaches invaluable life skills and changes attitudes and behaviour for the better. This spirit of adventure reaches into the classroom where inspirational teaching stretches and nurtures each pupil’s learning.
This approach ensures that we are equipping pupils with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in whatever the future holds for them.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, there may be an opportunity to apply for another position within the company.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
WILTSHIRE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CENTRE
Wiltshire College and University Centre Apprenticeship Team
apprenticeships@wiltshire.ac.uk
01249465282
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000043749.
Apply now
Closes in 30 days (Friday 21 August 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.