Production Chef Apprentice
POTTON HALL SPA LIMITED
SAXMUNDHAM (IP17 3EF)
Closes in 24 days (Monday 17 August 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 22 July 2026
Contents
Summary
Production Chefs work under the guidance of a Senior Production Chef or designated line manager. They follow centrally developed, standardised recipes and menus, often preparing dishes in high volumes. The role requires excellent organisational ability, precision, efficiency, strong attention to detail.
- Wage
-
£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Production chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
Able to work flexibly, including some weekends and evenings around wedding/event bookings
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 7 September 2026
- 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 with the preparation of raw ingredients, including different cuts of meat, fish and vegetables
- Prepare, cook and present dishes to a consistent standard under the guidance of senior kitchen staff
- Support with menu items across breakfast, bistro and event/wedding catering service
- Follow correct food safety, hygiene and allergen procedures at all times
- Assist with stock rotation, storage and minimising food waste
- Maintain a clean, organised and safe working section within the kitchen
- Work as part of a team to ensure smooth, timely service during busy periods, including weddings and events
Where you'll work
POTTON HALL
BLYTHBURGH ROAD
WESTLETON
SAXMUNDHAM
IP17 3EF
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SUFFOLK NEW 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 Standard
- English and Maths (if required) Level 2
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English or Equivalent (grade A-C or 9-1)
- Maths or Equivalent (grade A-C or 9-1)
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
- Presentation skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Interest in food and cooking
- Willingness to learn
- Calm under pressure
- Good timekeeping
- Reliable
- Good work ethic
About this employer
In a world that rarely slows down, Potton Hall offers space to pause, breathe and feel renewed. Set within the heart of the Suffolk countryside, our hotel is a peaceful retreat where nature, comfort and thoughtful hospitality come together. Our boutique accommodation blends rustic rural character with warm, African-inspired design, creating spaces that feel both grounding and quietly luxurious. Wake to birdsong, soft morning light and open landscapes, and begin your day surrounded by calm. Set within ten acres of Suffolk countryside, we offer a place where rest, nature and hospitality come together.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
On completion of this apprenticeship a Production Chef can progress onto various roles within the industry which include a Senior Production Chef, Chef de Partie, Pastry Chef or Commis Chef.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE
Catherine Townsend
apprenticeshipapplication@suffolk.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000043353.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Monday 17 August 2026 at 11:59pm)