Apprentice Chef
EAST CHESHIRE HOSPICE LTD
CHESHIRE (SK10 3DR)
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 25 June 2026)
Posted on 16 June 2026
Contents
Summary
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience while working towards a recognised culinary qualification – Apprenticeship Standard Level 2 Production Chef course.
You will support the preparation and service of meals across the hospice, learning essential kitchen skills in a caring and supportive environment.
- Wage
-
£19,548 a year
- Training course
- Production chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
Day time shifts between 7.30am - 6.30pm, including weekends and bank holidays.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Monday 3 August 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 2 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
Food Preparation & Service
- Assist in the preparation and cooking of meals in line with menus and dietary requirements
- Support production of fresh, nutritious meals tailored to patients' needs (e.g. modified textures, special diets)
- Ensure food is presented attractively, appropriately and to a high standard for patients with varying needs
Patient & Service Focus
- Maintain patients’ dignity, respect, and sensitivity within the hospice environment
- Be mindful of patients’ individual preferences and dietary requirements
Food Safety & Hygiene
- Follow food safety, health and safety, and infection control policies and procedures
- Assist with cleaning of kitchen areas, equipment and utensils
- Comply with HACCP through food safety management systems
Where you'll work
MILLBANK DRIVE
MACCLESFIELD
CHESHIRE
SK10 3DR
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BUSY BEES EDUCATION & TRAINING LIMITED
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
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Team working
- Patience
Other requirements
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Demonstrates empathy and understanding in a healthcare setting
About this employer
Since 1988, East Cheshire Hospice has been caring for people living with life-limiting illnesses. We put our patients, their carers and families at the centre of everything we do, and our expert medical treatment is only the start of the holistic care we provide.
https://www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- A supportive working environment
- On-the-job training and mentorship from experienced chefs
- 7 weeks paid holiday – increasing upon length of service
- Free parking at the hospice
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
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Progress to Assistant Chef, Chef, Sous Chef, Catering Manager.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
EAST CHESHIRE HOSPICE LTD
HR Team
recruitment@echospice.org.uk
01625 664994
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000037525.
Apply now
Closes in 7 days (Thursday 25 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.