Culinary Academy Apprentice

ENGLISH LAKES HOTELS LIMITED

Lancaster, Windermere

Closes on Thursday 30 October 2025

Posted on 26 September 2025

Print

Contents

Summary

Commis chefs will work as part of a kitchen brigade to ensure the quality of the food items meets brand, organisational and legislative requirements, including completing food safety documentation. They receive, check, and store deliveries and monitor food items and stock levels. Commis chefs help improve the culinary offer of their organisation.

Wage

£17,550 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Starting Wage £9ph

Training course
Commis chef (level 2)
Hours
5 days per week 4 days in the workplace Shifts and days to be confirmed

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 5 January 2026

Duration

1 year 3 months

Positions available

4

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 an opportunity to train whilst also being employed by English Lakes Hotels, Resorts & Venues. Successful applicants will work alongside our Head Chefs and kitchen team at one of our Lake District hotels or Lancashire hotel. This element of in situ training is an invaluable way of introducing the students to professional life in the kitchen of luxury hotel. They will be part of a team delivering high end dishes in our restaurants and bars.

One day each week the students will attend a specific training session, delivered by Daniel at Kendal College. Additional day visits to suppliers of our kitchens, culinary demonstrations and Hospitality shows.

Each day you will work within the team at the hotel you work, you will be shadowing the skilled chefs in all areas of the kitchen, from preparing starters, cooking fresh foods for A la carte dishes and being involved in service periods. All aiding in your learning.

You will be expected to:

  • Arrive on time ready to work / study
  • Be in full uniform which is provided for you
  • Work as part of a team and support the department
  • Be open to learning and have a hands-on approach
  • Attend training sessions

Where you'll work

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

  • Lancaster House Hotel, Green Lane, Lancaster, LA1 4GJ
  • English Lakes Hotels Offices, Low Wood, Ambleside Road, Windermere, LA23 1LP
  • Wild Boar Hotel, Crook Road, Windermere, LA23 3NF
  • Low Wood, Ambleside Road, Windermere, LA23 1LP

Training

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

Training provider

KENDAL 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

  • 4 days in the workplace
  • 1 day studying off site, at Kendal College

 

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4 or above)

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
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Number skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Patience

Other requirements

Candidate should be able to demonstrate their passion for Cooking.

About this employer

Welcome to English Lakes Hotels, a family run hotel group with hotels in the Lake District & Lancashire. Lake District Hotels English Lakes offers two stunningly located hotels in the lake district, UNESCO world heritage site. Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa on the shores of Windermere, the longest of the lake district's lakes, The Wild Boar a traditional Lakeland coaching inn nestled in 72 acres of private woodland in the Gilpin Valley, near Windermere. Lancashire Hotel Lancaster House is perfect for exploring the coast & countryside of North Lancashire, the historic city of Lancaster and the fells and lakes of the southern Lake District.

https://englishlakes.co.uk/the-culinary-academy/ (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

  • Upon successful completion of the Qualification and meeting satisfactory employment terms and conditions apprentices can progress on to level 3 with the organisation as well as gain a permanent, full-time contract

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

KENDAL COLLEGE

Daniel Winstanley

daniel.winstanley@englishlakes.co.uk

015394 39340

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000343897.

Apply now

Closes on Thursday 30 October 2025

Sign in with your GOV.UK One Login to apply.