Trainee chef (weekend)

apetito; Trowbridge; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living wage level salary

20 days holiday per year + bank

Discretionary annual bonus

Pension scheme with employer match

Free parking

Canteen / staff welfare

Christmas turkey or voucher

Employee perks scheme

Job summary

apetito is recruiting for a Kitchen role in Wiltshire, working 36 hours per week (Friday to Sunday). Starting at Grade 4 (£14.78 per hour) with training provided, you will progress to Grade 5 (£15.93) on successful completion.

The role includes an hourly rate of £14.78 plus a shift allowance and bonus, with a competitive benefits package. You will be part of a team delivering quality meals across care sectors, with opportunities for development within a supportive, family-owned business

Qualifications

• Level 2 Food Hygiene certification is required.
• Positive attitude and good teamwork are essential.
• Willingness to undertake training and follow procedures.

Responsibilities

• Weigh products to be used in recipes.
• Apply FIFO to stock and manage leftovers.
• Cook products following provided recipes.
• Clean pots and liaise with High Care Op when switching from meat to vegetarian products.
• Complete paperwork accurately (legal requirement).
• Be flexible to work in other areas as required.
• Ensure finished dishes are right first time; raise issues if quality concerns.
• Take consistency readings to maintain product quality across batches.

Skills

Level 2 Food Hygiene

Positive attitude

Teamwork

Desire to help the team

Willingness to undertake training

Job description

£14.35 per hour (from 1 May 2026, it will be £14.78 per hour) + Bonus + Benefits

• Location: UK-Wiltshire-Trowbridge |
• Contract type: Permanent (Full-Time) |
• Closing date: 28th August 2026

Overview

The Low Risk Kitchen is keen to promote excellent team work by employing people who have a positive attitude, who are prepared to learn a number of skills so that they are able to work in various positions within the Prep Department. By achieving this, the department is in the best position to produce quality products, in an efficient manner. We aim to not only achieve our targets but improve on them as well.

This position is working 36 hours per week, Friday-Sunday.

You will start the role on a Grade 4(£14.78) apetito will put you through the training, and you will move onto a Grade 5(£15.93) when this is successfully completed.

£14.78 per hour + Shift Allowance of £2.70 per hour + Bonus + Benefits

Who we are

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, health care and education settings.

Our meals are expertly crafted by our dieticians and chefs, and then frozen to lock in the goodness.

Wiltshire Farm Foods, our sister company, is the UK’s largest ready meal supplier cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK.

Responsibilities

• Weigh products to be used in recipes.
• Control left over stock and apply F.I.F.O methodology.
• Cook products following the recipes supplied.
• Clean pots between products and liaise with High Care Op when pump strip is required when changing from meat to vegetarian products, different species.
• Complete Paperwork 100% fully, accurately and legibly - this is a legal requirement.
• It is also expected that persons in this role will be expected to be able to work in other areas as required
• Finished cooking's must be right first time. Ensure you carry out tasks to the required standard - if you are unsure you must check with the person running the area.
• Inform the person running the area if you think there is a potential issue with the quality of the product.
• Ensure accurate yields are attained to keep consistent product quality and enable zero devaluations for over yields.
• Taste test every cooking with another member of staff before release to the High Care Kitchen for assembly use.
• Take consistency readings against agreed specification to ensure consistency between batches fills.

About you

• Level 2 Food Hygiene
• Have a positive attitude
• Promote good team work
• Have a desire to help the team meet the department targets
• Undertake any training made available/organised

This role is not eligible for sponsorship under the skilled worker route as it does not meet the minimumrequirements set out under the UK Immigration Rules.

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary - accredited Living Wage employer
• 20 days holiday per year inclusive of bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Subsidised canteen
• Free parking
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.
Learn more about apetito's commitment to a more sustainable future.

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.