Job Overview
Job purpose
As part of a City & Guilds Apprenticeship with Caledonian Heritable, you'll gain hands-on experience by working within the kitchens of our venues. Apprentices are placed in our kitchen brigades, spending six months at each site to build confidence, skills, and industry knowledge.
You'll begin by mastering the foundations of professional cookery, including:
Food safety and hygiene practices
Chemical handling and training
Maintaining kitchen cleanliness
Receiving deliveries and stock rotation
Basic food preparation
Core cookery techniques
All training is delivered within the City & Guilds framework, ensuring you develop the essential skills needed to progress in your culinary career.
Year 1 City & Guilds Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery
Term - First 3 Months (August until October 2025)
REHIS Elementary Food Hygeine
Shadowing Kitchen Porter and Basic food prep
* 101- Maintenance of a safe, hygienic and secure working environment
* 104- Working effectively as part of a hospitality team
* 203- Maintain food safety when storing, preparing and cooking food
* 102- Maintain, handle & clean knives
4-11 months (November to June)
Day to day
3 Months in the first venue doing basic preparation and working in larder sections and vegetable sections.
Next 6 months in a different venue
Mandatory Units
* 101 – Maintenance of a safe, hygienic and secure working environment
* 104 - Working effectively as part of a hospitality team
* 203 – Maintain food safety when storing, preparing and cooking food
* 102 – Maintain, handle and clean knives
Learning Units to be tackled
* 226 – Prepare vegetables for basic dishes
* 238 – Make basic stock
* 233 – Cook and finish basic vegetable dishes
* 220 - Prepare fish for basic dishes
* 227 – Cook & finish basic fish dishes
* 223 - Prepare poultry for basic dishes
* 230 – Cook and finish basic poultry dishes
* 222 - Prepare meat for basic dishes
* 229 – Cook and finish basic meat dishes
* 236 – Prepare, cook and finish basic hot sauces
* 240 – Prepare, cook and finish basic pasta dishes
Holidays to be preset and agreed with Joe prior to course starting all set, Apprentices are CHL apprentices and if a venue is short staffed the apprenticeship comes first, being short staffed would need to be covered by agency or another employee. Learning and assessment days at Archerfield are set in stone once a week for each candidate on a set day and this is a priority, and the venue must release the student on that day.
Year 2
13-24 months
Another Venue Change and start on Level 3 NVQ in Professional Cookery
Mandatory
* 302 - Develop productive working relationships
* 203 - Maintain food safety when storing
* 305 – Maintain the health, hygiene, safety and security of the working environment
Further Units
* 332 – Prepare fish & complex dishes
* 337 – Cook & finish shellfish dishes
* 333 – Prepare shellfish for complex dishes
* 338 – Cook & finish complex shellfish dishes
* 334 – Prepare meat for complex dishes
* 339 – Cook & finish complex meat dishes
* 340 – Cook & finish complex poultry dishes
* 342 – Cook and finish complex vegetable dishes
* 343 – Prepare, cook and finish complex hot sauces
* 348 – Prepare, cook and finish complex pastry products
* 347 – Prepare cook and finish complex cakes, sponge, biscuits & scones
About
Becoming an apprentice chef is as much about mindset and attitude as it is about skill. Apprenticeships are designed for people who are still learning, so you don't need to be perfect—but you do need certain qualities to thrive. Here are the key ones:
* Passion & Curiosity
Genuine interest in food, cooking, and ingredients.
Willingness to learn new techniques and cuisines.
* Discipline & Work Ethic
Kitchens can be tough: long hours, hot environments, repetitive tasks.
Punctuality, reliability, and the ability to stay focused under pressure are essential.
* Attention to Detail
Precision matters in cooking—measuring, timing, and presentation.
Care with hygiene and safety standards.
* Teamwork & Communication
Kitchens run on collaboration. Being respectful, clear, and cooperative is vital.
Willingness to take direction from head chefs and mentors.
* Resilience & Stamina
Physical and mental endurance to handle fast-paced, demanding shifts.
Ability to bounce back from mistakes and learn from criticism.
* Creativity & Initiative (with Humility)
Fresh ideas and problem-solving are valuable, but always balanced with respect for culinary foundations.
A good apprentice knows when to ask questions and when to observe.
* Adaptability & Willingness to Learn
Techniques, menus, and kitchen cultures differ—being flexible helps you grow.
Open to feedback and constant improvement.
In short: enthusiasm, reliability, resilience, teamwork, and a love of learning are the core qualities.
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