Apprentice Chef

Summary

We are seeking a passionate and motivated Apprentice Chef to join our talented kitchen brigade. This is a unique opportunity to work alongside an experienced Head Chef and team, learning high-level culinary skills in a fast-paced, professional environment.

Wage

£17,000 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Annual Wage

Training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Hours

Various shifts including evenings and weekends

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

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

This is a unique opportunity to work alongside an experienced Head Chef and team, learning high-level culinary skills in a fast-paced, professional environment.

As an Apprentice Chef, you will gain hands-on experience preparing fresh, high-quality dishes, contributing to menu development, and understanding the intricacies of working in a Rosette-standard kitchen.

Key Responsibilities:

Assist in the preparation and cooking of menu items under the supervision of senior chefs
Learn to work all sections of the kitchen to a high standard
Maintain excellent hygiene and food safety standards at all times
Support in the delivery of consistent quality in line with our two Rosette status
Take part in training and development sessions
Contribute and develop ideas for new menus

Where you'll work

The Stag at Mentmore Ltd,
The Green,
Mentmore,
Bedfordshire
LU7 0QF

Training

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

College or training organisation

MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE

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

Health and Safety
COSHH
Allergen Awareness
Food Hygiene
First Aid

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths (grade 9-4)
English (grade 9-4)

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

Enthusiastic
Passionate
Motivated
Patient
Teamwork
Punctual
Loyalty
Communication
Dedication

Other requirements

Salary is not including tips. A full driving license would be an advantage as you will have to commute to the workplace.

About this company

We are a community owned, village country pub. We strive to offer all of our guests good food, service and value for money whether they are ordering just drinks, pub classics or from our a la carte menu. We have recently been awarded 2 AA rosettes for culinary excellence and have won a muddy stilettos award for best destination pub in Bucks/Oxon. We have been featured in the Good food guide for 2 consecutive years now also.

Company benefits

Annual Leave Benefits: 30 days including Bank Holidays Pension scheme Employee of the Month Awards On Site Parking Staff Discount.

After this apprenticeship

Upon completion of the apprenticeship there is opportunity on-going employment as a commis chef, Demi, CDP

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: