Chef Apprenticeship

Summary

Join us at Vintage Inns, a charming collection of rural pubs. You'll find roaring log fires, traditional food and a cosy atmosphere. If you want to be part of the Inn crowd, we want to hear from you.

A great opportunity to develop your skills and experience to gain a qualification.

Wage

£16,926 a year

Training course

Production chef (level 2)

Hours

Shift work including bank holidays, evenings and weekends. Exact shifts to be confirmed.

30 hours a week

Start date

Thursday 20 August 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

As a Chef with us, your food is the reason guests keep coming through our doors! You’ll thrive off the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced kitchen, pulling together as a team. With 19 brands and 1600 businesses, the opportunities to develop and grow in one of our kitchens are endless.

Responsibilities:

• Have open communication with the entire team to ensure the delivery of outstanding food and service, promoting a supportive atmosphere where you assist other team members whenever possible.
• Participate and contribute to team meetings, offering your valuable insights.
• Prepare, cook and present food quickly, safely and efficiently to brand standard.
• Ensure any guest queries and complaints are handled promptly and professionally.
• Ensure cleanliness and tidiness of the kitchen and back of house areas with great attention to detail.
• Set up and closedown the department including stock rotation and prep and par process.
• Keep up to date with business information, promotions and new products.
• Participate in all in-house training, e-learning and the completion of assigned learning modules.
• Always adhere to brand standards, licencing laws and all company policies and procedures.
• Completing all appropriate documentation, due diligence records, daily and weekly cleaning tasks.

You don’t need any experience as we can teach you everything! If you are willing to learn, have a passion for cooking and be proud to work with us, we can show you exactly what it takes to become a vital team member in any kitchen.

At Mitchells and Butlers you will be working towards a Production Chef Level 2 Apprenticeship standard over the course of 15 months.

You’ll take on a full-time role in the kitchen under the supervision of passionate chefs alongside your training. Not only do you gain a nationally recognised qualification, you will be able to support the running of our kitchens, creating some amazing moments making sure that quality never slips for our guests!

What your apprenticeship includes:

• You won’t need to attend college, our apprenticeships are delivered through work based training which includes a mixture of face-to-face sessions and remote Team calls with your Lifetime Learner Coach every 6 weeks. You will also have a mentor within the workplace to support you.
• Obtain Functional Skills in English and Maths (if you don’t already have GCSE or equivalents).
• Reviews every 12 weeks with the Apprentice, Line Manager and Lifetime Learner Coach including feedback sessions.

Benefits for Mitchells and Butlers staff:

• Once completed, this is only the start of your career with us. There are further progression opportunities to explore higher level apprenticeships once you have completed level 2.
• A massive 33% discount across all our brands.
• 20% discount off all of our brands for friends and family.
• Wagestream – a financial toolkit that helps you manage your finances and allows you to access your earned pay when you need it.
• Opportunities to grow with paid for qualifications.
• Opportunity for progression; on average 200 Chefs are promoted to Head Chef every year.
• Discounts on gym memberships.
• Team Socials – work hard, play hard!

On top of this, as part of Mitchells & Butlers you will receive a pension; 28 days paid holiday; high-street shopping discounts; and we even give you free shares! There's also a free employee helpline- to support you with whatever life throws at you.

Wage will be:

• 16-20 year olds: £10.85 per hour
• 21+ year olds: £12.71 per hour

At M&B, we want people to be supported, valued, able to be themselves and work in a great team. Join us and help us make every guest feel truly welcome.

Where you'll work

20 Oundle Road
PETERBOROUGH
PE7 3UP

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

LIFETIME TRAINING GROUP LIMITED

Training course

Production chef (level 2)

What you'll learn

• 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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

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
• Customer care skills
• Team working

Other requirements

The closing date is just a guide, if a suitable candidate is found before the closing date, then the vacancy may close early.