Commis Chef Apprentice

Start your culinary career with The Romsey School as a Level 2 Commis Chef Apprentice. Gain hands-on experience in a professional kitchen while preparing fresh meals for a busy school environment. Learn from experienced catering staff, gain a nationally recognised qualification and build skills for a long-term hospitality career.

Requirements

• GCSE in: English (grade 4/C), Maths (grade 4/C). Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Passion for cooking
• You will need to undergo a full Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for this position.

Responsibilities

• Assist with preparing, cooking and serving fresh meals for students and staff
• Support experienced kitchen staff in food preparation and meal service
• Prepare ingredients, portion food and follow recipes accurately
• Maintain excellent food hygiene, health and safety standards
• Help with stock rotation, deliveries and food storage procedures
• Assist in keeping kitchen equipment and work areas clean and organised
• Support the catering team to ensure meals are prepared and served on time
• Learn a range of cooking methods and kitchen skills in a professional environment
• Contribute to maintaining a positive and efficient kitchen team
• 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.