How Do Chef Apprenticeships Work?

Although all Apprentice chefs will cover the same units and learn the same skills at Level 2, your experience whilst training will differ, depending on the type of kitchen you are working in. It could be commis chef jobs in a small kitchen or a kitchen with many staff, preparing food for hundreds of covers. You could also be working in a restaurant that specialises in a particular cuisine such as Italian, French or classic British dishes.

As you progress to Level 3 Chef Apprenticeships, you will be able to choose which route you want to take your career in. You will already be a capable commis chef and will have a good idea of where you think your strengths might lie. Your choice of pathway as an Apprentice chef could depend on your place of employment where you are already doing chef jobs or, if the kitchen you are currently working in can’t offer you a role to suit you, you might opt to move on to another kitchen where you can work in a particular field.

Let’s take a look at the types of skills you will learn and the foods you could be working with whilst you are doing Chef Apprenticeships. Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards are in operation for trainee chefs and these replace the previous frameworks. The Chef Apprenticeship Standards have been drawn up by top employers who really know the trade and the skills you need to be a successful chef in the future so you can be confident you are getting quality training.

Level 2 Commis Chef Apprenticeship Standard

If you have little or no experience in the kitchen, your Apprenticeship career will begin as a commis chef. This is a Level 2 Apprenticeship and it will take a minimum of 12 months to complete. The employer who is offering Apprentice chef jobs will decide on the entry requirements for your role.

Commis Chef Apprenticeships are where you will learn the basics of working in a kitchen and you will be under the supervision of a more senior chef. You should be able to try hand in different areas of food and the kitchen so that you get a feel for where are most inspired. This will guide you in choosing your future progression route.

During your time as a Commis Chef Apprentice, you will Know It (the Knowledge element), Show It (the Skills element) and Live It (the Behaviours element). The areas you will cover are:

• Understanding how menus match the nature of the business
• Using technology in the kitchen and understanding how technology affects your role
• Checking food stocks and testing quality and freshness
• Correct storage procedures
• How to work methodically and keep your area clean when under pressure
• Identify ingredients and use correct portion sizes
• Developing skills and knowledge in food preparation
• Know how and when to use particular kitchen tools
• Identify and prepare different cuts of meat, poultry, fish and vegetables
• Food safety and the importance of high personal hygiene standards
• When to work under your own initiative and when to work as a team
• Knowing the role of all team members within the kitchen and how they contribute
• The importance of costing and waste management

Level 3 Chef Apprenticeship Standards

Once you complete your commis chef training and you are awarded with your Apprenticeship Standard, you can choose, if you like, to go on to a Level 3 Chef Apprenticeship Standard. By now, you’ll have a good idea about what really makes you tick in the kitchen so you can choose from the following Level 3 Apprenticeships:

• Chef de Partie Apprenticeship Standard
• Senior Chef Apprenticeship Standard in Production Cooking

Chef de Partie Apprenticeship Standard
This Level 3 Chef Apprenticeship will take 12-18 months to complete and your employer will decide entry requirements.

As a Chef de Partie (also known as a section chef or station chef), you will be responsible for your own area of the kitchen and, in larger kitchens, you will also be supervising your own team. You are in charge of making sure the food in your section goes out on time and you report to the senior chef or head chef.

When you were a commis chef, you learned the basics of the kitchen and food preparation. As a Level 3 Apprentice Chef, operating your own section, you will learn more advanced techniques and also learn skills in how to keep your team motivated. When you are doing section chef jobs, you will also have more input in menu creation.

Production Cooking Senior Chef Apprenticeship Standard
The Production Cooking Senior Chef Apprenticeship Standard is a Level 3 Apprenticeship and will take 12-18 months to complete. It will suit those of you who would prefer to work for brands and chains that serve customers all over the UK. These are the brands that customers use anywhere in the country because they know exactly the type of food they are going to get. When you are doing senior chef jobs in this environment, you will be responsible for making sure your team is producing the quality of food that customers expect from that brand.

The Production Cooking Senior Chef Apprenticeship will mean you will be able to work quickly, producing meals at high volumes. You will also need to keep your kitchen team motivated to do the same.

Further Career Development After Chef Apprenticeships

Once you have completed Level 3 Chef Apprenticeships, it doesn’t have to stop there. A Level 4 Chef Apprenticeship Standard is in the pipeline or you might want to go onto some further training via the establishment you are working for. Some of you might want to specialise in particular areas such as becoming a pastry chef, for example, whilst others of you might want to continue onwards and upwards so that you can do head chef jobs or executive chef.

Apply For Chef Apprenticeships In The UK

So you think you have got what it takes to keep your head in a busy kitchen, producing quality dishes and knowing how your kitchen functions? Whether you are doing kitchen assistant jobs or commis chef jobs and you would like more formal training and qualifications, or you have no experience and are looking to get a foot in the door, apply for Chef Apprenticeships now.