Summary
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
Training course
Production chef (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Friday. A typical shift pattern: 10.00am - 8.00pm 12.00pm - 8.00pm 2.00pm - 8.00pm
30 hours a week
Start date
Wednesday 1 July 2026
Duration
1 year
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
* 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
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE
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
* Production Chef Level 2
* Weekly online day release
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
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
* Communication skills
* Attention to detail
* Organisation skills
* Presentation skills
* Team working
* Creative