Chef Apprentice in Banbury

Start your career as a Commis Chef at The George in Brailes. Gain hands‑on kitchen experience, learn from expert chefs, and build essential skills in a supportive, professional environment while earning as you train.

Wages & Benefits

• Wages: £14,560 to £23,132.20, depending on age. Minimum wage rates apply.
• All staff receive a share of any tips.

Working Hours & Duration

• Hours: 35 hours a week, including weekends and bank holidays.
• Duration: 1 year 4 months.

Training & Apprenticeship

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

Key Responsibilities

• 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; trims, de‑veins, portions, breaks down, bones, skins, fillets, shells.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit and 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 techniques.
• Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non‑sponge cakes.
• Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
• Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients e.g. 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.
• Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
• Exercises portion control and maximises 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.
• 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.

This program is delivered mostly in the workplace, allowing you to build the skills needed by the employer. Skills days in College are offered to help you develop your theory and also to target specialist skills.

More Training Information

Using the sector‑specific experience and knowledge of our assessors, we will focus on a bespoke delivery program for you and the business.

Requirements

• GCSE in English (grade 4 or above)
• GCSE in Maths (grade 4 or above)
• Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience.
• The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Customer care skills
• Creative
• Initiative
• Physical fitness

About this Employer

The George is a lovely gastro pub tucked away just a few miles from Banbury and Shipston in the idyllic village of Brailes. Our kitchen is headed up by our Head Chef Chris Coates who has a long history of fresh food around the area. We pride ourselves on using some of the best local ingredients including Shuckburgh venison, forged wild garlic, and berries even a few local growers who deal in organic and small batch growing. We change our menus seasonally and have daily specials that are constantly changing to allow us to use the best ingredients that we have to offer.