Commis Chef apprentice
NICHOLSONS TAPAS RESTAURANTS LTD
SOUTHSEA (PO4 0JR)
Closes in 13 days (Monday 1 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 18 August 2025
Contents
Summary
We're looking for someone who has an interest in good quality food and cooking who can work in a fast paced environment. You'll play a key role in our kitchen, preparing and serving our fresh food, working alongside a talented and diverse team helping to keep our restaurant thriving and our customers happy… come and enjoy the buzz.
- Wage
-
£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Commis chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
Flexible hours but usually includes some weekends and evenings. Days off and hours may vary from week to week. Exact shifts TBC
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 2 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
Your role will be developing your skills in the following areas:
- Prepare food items in line with current legislation. Follow our recipe and presentation specifications including portion control and waste management
- Finish food items in line with our brand standards
- Clean and maintain a safe and hygienic kitchen environment including preparation, cooking and storage areas
- Complete food safety management system documentation
- Carry out stock checks and follow stock rotation systems
- Operate and clean specialist kitchen equipment following safe handling procedures
- Receive and check deliveries of food items, equipment and chemicals and store correctly
- Work with our team of chefs to ensure dishes produced are of high quality, delivered on time and to the standard required
- Contribute to our ongoing review of menus to improve our culinary offer
Where you'll work
245 ALBERT ROAD
SOUTHSEA
PO4 0JR
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HAVANT AND SOUTH DOWNS COLLEGE
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
Commis Chef Level 2.
The apprentice will attend college one day per week at HSDC South Downs Campus, Waterlooville, in the training kitchens. In addition, they will have visits to the workplace by our chef trainer to review tasks they are doing there.
More training information
HSDC has been running chef apprenticeships for many years and recently refurbished their training kitchens. College days run for 10 months of the year during term time and a typical day consists of 4 hours in the training kitchen and 2 hours theory.
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
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Customer care skills
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Able to work at fast pace
Other requirements
This role will require some weekend working and some evening working.
About this employer
Nicholsons is set in the trendy Albert Road in Southsea. Established in 2005 the restaurant caters for locals and visitors to Portsmouth & Southsea offering their unique cuisine featuring Mediterranean Tapas including fish and meat dishes. Our kitchen is newly equipped to a high standard with dedicated cooking and serving areas including pass through dishwasher, cold room, chargrill, fryers etc. Our team share our values for quality and service (with a bit of fun too!) and a passion for food and cooking.
After this apprenticeship
The skills gained should prepare you for future progression within the industry. However upon completion of your Commis Chef Level 2 Apprenticeship it is our intention to offer the successful applicant a permanent position within Nicholsons at a competitive industry salary. There is also the option to progress to the Chef de Partie Level 3 qualification.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HAVANT AND SOUTH DOWNS COLLEGE
Liz Langley
liz.langley@hsdc.ac.uk
07702 885185
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000337715.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Monday 1 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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