Commis Chef Apprentice

The Royal Oak & Bull i' th' Thorn

Buxton (SK17 9QJ)

Closes on Thursday 31 July 2025

Posted on 7 February 2025


Summary

Working alongside an enthusiastic and experienced team over two well-known food establishments in the Peak District. Over the two sites, we offer a broad menu with food prepared from fresh and menus featuring seasonal produce, pizzas and specials.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Pay will be at least the national minimum wage plus a share of tips, more for candidates who have some experience.

Training course
Commis chef (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Sunday, lunch and evening shifts on a rota basis, no split shifts. Working hours will include college time.

40 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 6 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

2

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

  • Learning different food preparation methods 
  • Health & safety - food standards, daily checks, labelling 
  • Assisting the Head Chef with food service, pot washing & kitchen maintenance 
  • Working across different kitchen departments within a team to produce a high-quality end product 
  • Menu creation 
  • Costings 
  • Allergen awareness 
  • Training on kitchen equipment 
  • Stock control 

Where you'll work

The Royal Oak
Hurdlow
Buxton
SK17 9QJ

Training

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

College or training organisation

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Your 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.

Your training plan

  • Commis Chef level 2 apprenticeship. 
  • In the workplace, you will receive full training and mentoring. 
  • You will attend college weekly at the Buxton Campus, college transport available, to spend time in the industry training kitchens with other apprentices. You will also have workplace progress review visits from your college instructor-mentor. 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

  • English (grade 4/C or above)
  • Maths (grade 4/C or above)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Reliable
  • An interest in the industry
  • Ability to learn from peers
  • A desire to learn

Other requirements

Please consider how you will get to work each day as we are in a rural location, your working hours will include some evenings and weekends.

About this company

Country Pub & Pizzeria, sports bar

https://www.royaloakhurdlow.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

  • Excellent potential to join the team permanently, for further training and for promotions. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY OF DERBY

Apprenticeships Team

feapprenticeships@blc.ac.uk

+448000740099

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000301808.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 31 July 2025

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

Company’s application instructions

Please apply directly through Buxton & Leek College using the link provided.