Summary
Begin your culinary journey at Alford Manor House as an Apprentice Chef. Learn from the Head Chef while helping prepare seasonal, locally sourced dishes. Build practical kitchen skills, understand allergens and dietary needs, and gain a solid grounding of professional kitchen standards.
Wage
£12,563.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
Starting Apprenticeship wage of £7.55 per hour, raising to £8.00 from 01/04/2026
Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Hours and days of work can vary, due to the different seasonal opening times of Alford Manor House. Work will include days, evenings, weekends and bank holidays (see below for a full breakdown on opening days and times).
32 hours a week
Start date
Monday 6 April 2026
Duration
1 year 3 months
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
At Alford Manor House, we’re passionate about great food and friendly, professional service. As our new apprentice you will assist our Head Chef with a variety of varied and interesting duties:
* Help with preparing ingredients for a range of different meals
* Cook and present dishes to recipe and quality guidelines, ensuring every plate looks and tastes great
* Maintain food hygiene standards, including correct storage, cleaning allergen awareness, date and temperature checks
* Batch cookery and preparations
* Support stock rotation
* As well as food preparation you will also assist with front of house service within the tearoom, bar and table service during functions and events
* Follow all safety practices– from safe knife handling to correct use of kitchen equipment
* Take part in structured training to build your skills, kitchen know-how, and career potential
* Handle fast-paced service and last-minute changes with a calm, flexible attitude
* Assisting with cleaning and washing-up
* All other associated duties as required
Where you'll work
ALFORD MANOR HOUSE
WEST STREET
ALFORD
LINCOLNSHIRE
LN13 9HT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
TEC PARTNERSHIP
Training course
Production chef (level 2)
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
All delivery for this apprenticeship will take place within your place of work at Alford Manor House. A dedicated Vocational Trainer will visit on average once every 4 weeks, to establish a personal learning and development plan, outlining a schedule of training activities and objectives.
You will complete a mixture of on and off the job training, including workshops, face to face training and working towards creating a portfolio of relevant practical evidence. You’ll also be supported by your colleagues at all times, and will be mentored and trained constantly.
You will have a review every 8-12 weeks with your Head Chef and Trainer to discuss your progress.
Requirements
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
* Logical
* Team working
* Creative
* Initiative
* Physical fitness
* Keen to learn
* Awareness of food safety
* Awareness of food hygiene
* Friendly and professional
* Passionate
* Genuine interest
Other requirements
Alford Manor House is located in the centre of Alford. Please check the location and ensure you would be able to reliably travel to and from work on a daily basis.
Working days will include weekends, days, evenings and bank holidays.
The opening times of Alford Manor House vary depending on the time of year:
* Alford Manor House is closed from mid December, until mid February
* From Tuesday 17th February opening days and times are Tuesday and Thursday, 10.00 - 16.00
* Spring opening times start from Tuesday 7th April and are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.00 - 16.00. Over Easter Alford Manor House is also open on Saturday and Sunday
* Summer opening times start from Tuesday 5th May, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10.00 - 16.00 (with additional Mondays and Sundays around the spring and august bank holidays)
* Early Autumn opening times start from Tuesday 8th September, and are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.00 - 16.00
* Late Autumn opening times start Tuesday 3rd November, and are then Tuesday and Thursday from 10.00 - 16.00
* Evening working will also be included to cater for weddings and other events