Apprentice Chef - Malt Cross

Summary

Malt Cross is an iconic Nottingham venue bringing people together through hospitality, culture and community.

Our team delivers memorable experiences across food, drink, entertainment, weddings and events.

If you love hospitality, enjoy working with people and want to make a difference, join our team.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Hours

10am is the earliest start and latest finish is 9pm. Earlier finish on Sundays.

30 hours a week

Start date

Friday 30 October 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

• Working alongside the Head Chef in the day-to-day running of the kitchen.
• Support with the preparation of excellent food quality and service at all times including for bespoke events.
• Helping the kitchen achieve targets, quality standards and meet budgets
• Promote a welcoming, inclusive and community-focused environment.
• Act as an advocate and share messages about our charity work and the heritage of the Malt Cross with visitors.

Where you'll work

16 St. James's Street
Nottingham
NG1 6FG

Training

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

Training provider

NOTTINGHAM COLLEGE

Training course

Commis chef (level 2)

What you'll learn

• Selects correct knife for task.
• Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
• Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
• Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
• Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
• Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
• Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
• Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
• Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
• Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
• Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
• Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
• Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
• Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
• Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
• Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
• Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
• Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
• Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
• Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
• Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
• Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
• Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
• Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
• Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
• Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
• Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
• Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
• Uses feedback to improve own performance.
• Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.
• Selects correct knife for task.
• Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
• Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
• Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
• Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
• Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
• Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
• Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
• Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
• Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
• Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
• Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
• Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
• Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
• Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
• Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
• Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
• Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
• Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
• Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
• Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
• Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
• Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
• Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
• Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
• Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
• Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
• Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
• Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
• Uses feedback to improve own performance.
• Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.

Training schedule

Weekly day release at Fletcher’s Kitchen on Tuesdays, combining theory and practical training.

Learners must cook dishes from scratch and build evidence of preparing game, shellfish, soups and stocks, alongside all methods listed in the college recipe log.

Skills must be demonstrated both at college and in the workplace.

Learners should have their own chef whites and knife kit.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 9-3)
• Maths (grade 9-3)

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
• Presentation skills
• Creative