Apprentice Production Chef

INSPIRATIONS NURSERIES AND FOREST SCHOOL LIMITED

Leeds (LS18 5JP)

Closes in 15 days (Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 9 October 2026

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Summary

To work alongside and support the Nursery Cook in the preparation and provision of healthy, balanced and nutritious meals and snacks for children from birth to 5 years.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday various hours between 8am- 6pm

30 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

  • Work alongside the Nursery Cook to prepare healthy, nutritious, and balanced meals and snacks for children aged 0-5 years
  • Learn how to plan and prepare varied and balanced menus in line with current early years nutrition guidance
  • Assist with preparing meals and snacks that meet individual dietary requirements and allergies under supervision
  • Develop an understanding of food allergies and dietary needs, ensuring all instructions from the Nursery Cook are followed carefully
  • Learn and follow safe food preparation, storage, and serving procedures
  • Assist with food temperature checks and accurately record information as directed
  • Help maintain food hygiene records, including: Temperature logs
    Allergen information and other relevant documentation
  • Maintain high standards of personal hygiene and cleanliness at all times
  • Follow food hygiene procedures and regulations
    Assist with washing: Crockery, Cutlery, Utensils and Kitchen equipment
  • Support the Nursery Cook in maintaining a clean, safe, and organised kitchen environment
  • Assist with cleaning kitchen equipment and food storage areas, including: Ovens, Freezers and Storage facilities
  • Help check food deliveries and ensure food is stored safely and appropriately
  • Support stock monitoring and identify when supplies need replenishing
  • Learn how to minimise food waste and use resources efficiently
  • Assist with the preparation and serving of meals and snacks throughout the day
  • Work collaboratively with nursery staff to ensure children's dietary requirements are understood and followed
  • Support positive mealtimes and encourage healthy and diverse eating habits among children
    Assist with cookery activities and nursery events when appropriate and under direction

Follow all nursery policies and procedures relating to:

  • Safeguarding
  • Food hygiene
  • Health and safety
  • Confidentiality

Report any concerns regarding:

  • Food safety
  • Allergies
  • Dietary requirements
  • Equipment issues
  • Kitchen hygiene

Where you'll work

West End Lane
Horsforth
Leeds
LS18 5JP

Training

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

Training provider

LUMINATE EDUCATION GROUP

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

You will attend Leeds City College Printworks campus 1 day per week

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 9-4)
  • Maths (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
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Patience

Other requirements

  • Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check

About this employer

Inspiration Nurseries is based in Horsforth and Adel, providing high quality childcare in beautiful surroundings.

In Horsforth our children can start from 3 months old and we operate 51 weeks of the year.

In Adel our children start at 3 years old and we are open Term Time only offering full day care, before and after school care and holiday clubs.

Both Nurseries work in partnership with a local Primary School to provide wraparound care to 3-4 year olds.  We also offer places at Enchanted Forest Holiday Club, based at Adel offering a unique experience for children to play in natural surroundings.

https://inspirationsnurseries.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

  • Permanent role on completion of apprenticeship subject to performance

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LUMINATE EDUCATION GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000058382.

Apply now

Closes in 15 days (Sunday 25 October 2026 at 11:59pm)