Production Chef Apprentice

HIGHFIELD (NORTH EAST) LIMITED

Saltburn-By-The-Sea (TS12 1HE)

Closes in 30 days (Saturday 8 November 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 8 October 2025

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Summary

Northern Skills is recruiting on behalf of Highfield North East Limited for a Production Chef apprentice. You’ll work alongside our Head Chef Dawn in the kitchen to prepare and serve meals that meet the dietary needs and preferences of our residents. You’ll gain hands-on experience while studying towards a Level 2 Production Chef qualification.

Wage

£13,741 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Lunch break paid

Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday 8.30 am – 3.30 pm Term time only

35 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 15 November 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

  • Assist in the preparation and cooking of meals in line with menus and dietary requirements

  • Maintain high standards of food hygiene and kitchen cleanliness

  • Support stock rotation and inventory management

  • Learn portion control and cost-effective cooking techniques

  • Contribute to menu planning and resident feedback

  • Follow health and safety procedures at all times

  • Work collaboratively with care staff to ensure mealtimes are enjoyable and well-coordinated

Where you'll work

Rigwood House
Saltburn Lane
Saltburn-By-The-Sea
TS12 1HE

Training

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

Training provider

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

Training course

Production chef (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
  • Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
  • Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
  • Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
  • Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
  • Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
  • Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
  • Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
  • Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
  • Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
  • Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
  • Use feedback to improve own performance.
  • Prepare and close down an area for service.
  • Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
  • Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
  • Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
  • Follow standard operating procedures to select and safely use appropriate knives and boards for the task, for example red handled knife and red board for raw meat.
  • Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
  • Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
  • Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
  • Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
  • Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
  • Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
  • Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.
  • Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
  • Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
  • Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
  • Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
  • Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
  • Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
  • Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
  • Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
  • Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
  • Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
  • Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
  • Use feedback to improve own performance.
  • Prepare and close down an area for service.
  • Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
  • Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
  • Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
  • Follow standard operating procedures to select and safely use appropriate knives and boards for the task, for example red handled knife and red board for raw meat.
  • Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
  • Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
  • Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
  • Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
  • Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
  • Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
  • Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.

Training schedule

Production Chef apprenticeship Level 2

Weekly day release at Middlesbrough College

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

maths and English (grade 2 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
  • Team working
  • Reliable
  • Punctual

About this employer

Highfield (North East) Ltd, trading as Halcyon, operate an independent specialist school and two residential homes for young people in the North East of England. Established in 2009, we have a strong track record of delivering high quality holistic care and education.

https://halcyon-ne.com/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Supportive working environment Free meals on shift Uniform provided Access to further training and career development

After this apprenticeship

Depending on the circumstances of the business upon completion of the apprenticeship programme there could be a potential position of employment available

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000345472.

Apply now

Closes in 30 days (Saturday 8 November 2025 at 11:59pm)

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