Apprentice Chef
CASTLE HOWARD ESTATE LIMITED
York (YO60 7DA)
Closes in 14 days (Friday 23 October 2026)
Posted on 8 October 2026
Contents
Summary
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone eager to begin a career in hospitality and develop professional culinary skills within a fast-paced and supportive environment.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Year 1 over 19 pay rate £10.85.
- Training course
- Production chef (level 2)
- Hours
-
40 hours per week over 7 days (including one day at college)
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 1 November 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
Duties & Responsibilities
- Prepare the ingredients for more senior chefs
- Measure dish ingredients and portion sizes accurately
- Ensure the proper storage of all food, including fresh products
- Assist with deliveries and stock rotation
- Liaise with the Head Chef to ensure perishable items are used in a timely manner
- Follow all processes and procedures within the catering team and the wider company
- Carry out all aspects of Food Hygiene and Health and Safety and operate in accordance with Castle Howard’s Health and Safety policies at all times
- Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably required
- Assist with any special functions, including those which occur outside normal working hours
Where you'll work
Castle Howard
York
YO60 7DA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
YORK 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
Off the job training will take place at York College on a day release basis and the remainder of the training will be in the workplace
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- Any other subject (grade 3)
- English (grade 3)
- Maths (grade 3)
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
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
Other requirements
Desirable
- Allergy Awareness certificate
- A current Food safety qualification would be an advantage but not essential as training will be provided
About this employer
Castle Howard Estate is one of Britain's finest historic estates, welcoming visitors from around the world to experience its iconic house, beautiful gardens, cafés, farm shop and events.
https://www.castlehoward.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Free entry into the House and Gardens
- 20% discount in our retail shops and catering outlets
- 31 days holiday (including Bank Holidays)
- Company pension plan
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
- Passes to other visitor attractions
- Uniform and tools provided
- Training opportunities
- Social events throughout the year
- Sociable working hours
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- There may be an opportunity for a permanent position upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, subject to performance and business needs
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
YORK COLLEGE
Apprenticeships@yorkcollege.ac.uk
01904 770368
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000043893.
Apply now
Closes in 14 days (Friday 23 October 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.