Production Chef Apprenticeship

Middlesbrough College Group; Eaglescliffe; Remote; GBP 11,000 - 14,000; Full time

Job summary

The Blue Bell Yarm is inviting applications for a Production Chef Apprentice. This apprenticeship provides hands-on kitchen experience, from knife skills to menu planning, with a structured on-the-job training.

The role is 30 hours per week over a 1-year period, starting at £12,480 for the first year, with potential increases as you gain age-based progression. You will learn by doing, under the guidance of senior chefs, and will follow recipes, health and safety standards, and food safety

Qualifications

• GCSE in Maths and English (Grade 4) is required.
• Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience.
• The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation and cooking of dishes to a high standard.
• Follow recipes and portion control guidelines.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene in all food preparation areas.
• Support senior chefs with daily kitchen operations.
• Learn and apply food safety and health & safety procedures.
• Contribute to stock rotation and waste reduction.

Skills

Creative

Education

GCSE Maths and English (Grade 4)

Job description

Northern Skills are recruiting on behalf of The Blue Bell Yarm for a production chef apprentice. This apprenticeship is ideal for someone looking to kickstart a career in professional cookery. You’ll be immersed in the daily operations of a busy kitchen, learning everything from knife skills to menu planning.

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)

Hours

Monday - Friday.A typical shift pattern:10.00am - 8.00pm12.00pm - 8.00pm2.00pm - 8.00pm

30 hours a week

Sunday 13 December 2026

Duration

1 year

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 in the preparation and cooking of dishes to a high standard
• Follow recipes and portion control guidelines
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene in all food preparation areas
• Support senior chefs with daily kitchen operations
• Learn and apply food safety and health & safety procedures
• Contribute to stock rotation and waste reduction
• Engage in training sessions and complete coursework as part of your apprenticeship

Where you'll work

663 YARM ROAD
EAGLESCLIFFE
STOCKTON ON TEES
TS16 0JF

Training

• 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.
• Weekly online day release

Requirements

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade Grade 4)

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

Skills

• Creative

About this employer

Our traditional pub classics are expertly crafted from our seasonal menus and the bar is crammed with local ales and tipples to tempt any taste buds. Using the most seasonal ingredients and decadent flavours, there’s a dish for every desire.

Upon successful completion, we aim to offer the apprentice a permanent role as Assistant Chef, with continued development and on-the-job training.

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship isVAC2000056161.