Apprentice Chef

DODMAN INNS LIMITED

Buckinghamshire (MK16 0HB)

Closes in 16 days (Friday 19 December 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 2 December 2025

Print

Contents

Summary

Begin your culinary career with The Carrington Arms; hands-on training, expert mentoring, and endless opportunities as a Commis Chef Apprentice.

Wage

£15,704 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Annual Salary

Training course
Commis chef (level 2)
Hours
4- 5 days per week. 8- 10 hours per day. Shifts to be confirmed.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 5 January 2026

Duration

1 year 3 months

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

  • As a Commis Chef Apprentice, you will work closely with the Head Chef and Sous Chef to develop your culinary skills and gain a thorough understanding of a fast-paced kitchen environment
  • This role provides hands-on experience and training, preparing you for a successful career in the hospitality industry.
  • Key Responsibilities:
  • Assist the Head Chef and Sous Chef with daily kitchen operations
  • Participate in food preparation and cooking during prep time and service
  • Learn and apply kitchen hygiene, health, and safety standards
  • Support the team in maintaining a clean and organised work area
  • Develop knowledge of ingredients, cooking techniques, and menu planning
  • Work collaboratively as part of a professional kitchen team

Where you'll work

Cranfield Road
Moulsoe
Buckinghamshire
MK16 0HB

Training

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

Training provider

MILTON KEYNES 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

  • Training with Milton Keynes College, one a week
  • Ongoing training, support and development with the employer

Requirements

Essential qualifications

“GCSE” in:

  • “Maths” (grade 9-4)
  • “English” (grade 9-4)

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
  • Team working
  • Organised
  • Problem solving
  • Flexible approach.

Other requirements

A drivers license is preferable, due to location of the role and hours worked. Please ensure you are able to manage the commute to both employer and MK College (Bletchley).

About this employer

A family run hotel, bar & restaurant near Junction 14 of the M1. The Dodman Family has owned The Carrington Arms for 14 years. Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 7 days per week with a modern British menu with steaks being a major feature, served from a butcher’s counter in our open kitchen.

After this apprenticeship

  • Clear career path to advance from Commis Chef to senior positions within the kitchen team

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MILTON KEYNES COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000003502.

Apply now

Closes in 16 days (Friday 19 December 2025 at 11:59pm)

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