Commis Chef Apprentice

Middlesbrough College Group; Tees Valley; Hybrid; GBP 11,000 - 14,000; Full time

Job summary

Imperial Express Cafe in Darlington offers a Commis Chef Apprentice role through MC Apprenticeships. You will work in a busy kitchen, learn on-the-job and gain hands-on experience while supporting the kitchen team in preparing and cooking food to a high standard.

The apprenticeship includes training away from work time and education toward professional kitchen knowledge, with wage £12,480 for the first year and potential increases as you gain age-related pay bands.

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths and English (grade 1) required.
• Apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect existing knowledge.
• Hardworking, teamplayer; willing to learn on the job.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with the preparation and cooking of menu items
• Learning food preparation techniques and cooking methods
• Supporting senior chefs with daily kitchen operations
• Maintaining high standards of food hygiene and safety
• Ensuring workstations are kept clean and organised
• Assisting with stock rotation and storage of deliveries

Skills

Initiative

Teamwork

Education

GCSE Maths & English

Job description

Closes in 17 days (Sunday 8 November 2026 at 11:59pm)

MC Apprenticeships are recruiting on behalf of Imperial Express Cafe for a hardworking, teamplayer to join their team as a commis chef apprentice. The successfil candidate will support the kitchen team in preparing and cooking food to a high standard whilst learning all aspects of kitchen operations.

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)

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Assisting with the preparation and cooking of menu items
• Learning food preparation techniques and cooking methods
• Supporting senior chefs with daily kitchen operations
• Maintaining high standards of food hygiene and safety
• Ensuring workstations are kept clean and organised
• Assisting with stock rotation and storage of deliveries
• Following all company policies and procedures
• Working effectively as part of a busy kitchen team
• Supporting the preparation of ingredients, sauces, and garnishes
• Contributing to a positive and professional working environment

Where you'll work

2 NORTHUMBERLAND STREET
DARLINGTON
DL3 7HJ

Training

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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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, correct 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.
• Middlesbrough College
• Day release one day per week

Requirements

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 1)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Initiative

About this employer

Imperial Express is a busy and popular restaurant in Darlington, committed to providing customers with high-quality food and excellent service. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our kitchen team as a Commis Chef Apprentice.
This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional kitchen

• Depending on the circumstances of the business upon completion of the apprenticeship programme there could be a potential position of employment available

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship isVAC2000058034.