Apprentice Chef

As an apprentice chef, you will be working alongside the team of chefs and catering assistants at an English Heritage site helping them to produce innovative menus using fresh, local ingredients.

Number of Positions Available

1

About Employer

The historic places in our care span six millennia and include palaces, houses, hill figures, castles, abbeys, industrial sites, Roman forts and even deserted medieval villages. Caring for these places and their collections for the benefit of this and future generations is a cornerstone of everything we do. The generous support of many donors enables us to do this. We have now embarked on the largest conservation programme in our history. Highly skilled conservation work will be carried out on an unprecedented scale, and we will allow the public to witness this as it progresses.

Detailed Job Description

English Heritage cares for over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. Through these, we bring the story of England to life for over 10 million visitors each year.
No matter what you do or where you do it, by joining us you’ll be playing a vital role in looking after some of the greatest places in England so that they can be enjoyed today and for generations to come. You’ll find it’s a workplace like no other – taking you behind the scenes of these extraordinary sites and supporting you to share your ideas, inspire others and make a difference.
What you’ll achieve with us:
As an Apprentice Chef, you’ll help us maintain excellent standards of customer service, optimise all opportunities to generate income and ensure that the site and its assets are safe and secure. You will also complete a 12 month Catering Apprenticeship, funded by the apprenticeship levy.
What you’ll be doing as part of the team:
* To provide a consistently excellent service to our visitors that ensures their expectations are exceeded.
* To deliver prompt, efficient and personalised service to customers.
* To convey knowledge to the visitor of the catering offer and to be able to provide information on the historic property and English Heritage.
* To respond courteously and appropriately to visitor enquiries and feedback.
* To prepare and present food to the highest standard of quality and presentation following the set guidelines of each food product in a correct manner.
* To maintain consistency of food service to the visitor.
* To maintain excellent standards of site and personal presentation at all times as defined in the Historic Properties Pocket Guide, covering all aspects
from providing a warm welcome to visitors to site presentation including but not limited to general cleaning of all public areas.
* To ensure excellent standards of cleanliness within all food production and café areas and any other areas as deemed necessary.
* Preparing fresh ingredients daily, assembling,finishing and plating up of dishes.
* Participate in all opening and closing procedures including preparing food and equipment for cooking and service.
* Adhere to daily kitchen routines including cleaning, temperature checks and other duties related to food safety and Health and safety.
* Can demonstrate excellent communication skills, supporting team members and working on initiative without direct supervision at times.
* Perform stock takes, rotate stock, receive and safely store away deliveries as required.
* Understand and demonstrate awareness of food costs and prevent wastage of food and resources.
* Daily cleaning, Washing up and clean down duties to maintain clean and hygienic Kitchen and equipment.
* Undertake all necessary training on Food Safety,food handling and Health and Safety as necessary.
* To be goal orientated and self-motivated to achieve targets.
* To assist with the development of events and with the set-up and break-down of events in liaison with the management team and other colleagues.
* To assist with hospitality events and functions where applicable; this may mean working outside of normal working hours.
* To ensure wastage is kept to the minimum.
Teamwork
1. To work cooperatively and collaboratively in a high performing team to meet the needs of the charity and show initiative and take on additional responsibility when required.
2. To improve own role and strengthen job knowledge through undertaking training courses and attending conferences that are considered necessary as a result of the Performance Development Review process.
3. To work Bank Holidays and weekends as required and assist at other sites within reasonable travelling distance on occasion.
Statutory Compliance
1. To follow processes and procedures in a pragmatic way.
2. To ensure site meets with Health and Safety legislation by strictly conforming to food hygiene regulations, including maintaining all records which are required by law.
3. To maintain an up to date knowledge of kitchen operations.
4. To take all reasonable measures to ensure the practices of operations reflect the intentions of the EH Sustainability Policy through the recycling and correct disposal of waste.
5. To follow set processes to ensure the site is secure at all times.
6. To use personal protection equipment as provided and directed within English Heritage Health and Safety Guidelines.
7. To deal with emergency contract call outs e.g. maintenance.

Skills Required

Essential Skills
• Demonstrable understanding of the principles of excellent customer care and visitor service
• Experience of working as part of a team
• Experience of following and carrying out instructions
We'd also like to see the following, however they are not essential:
• Experience of providing excellent customer service
• Experience of working in a catering role
• Experience of supporting hospitality events and functions
• Experience of dealing with a fast paced environment
• Good numeracy and writing skills
• Able to prioritize own work and meet deadlines
• ITC skills for use of PC and other technologies on site

Personal Qualities

• Able to sustain excellent face to face communication skills for building and maintaining good customer and staff relations
• Able and willing to work with a diverse range of visitors and colleagues
• A natural problem solver able to use initiative to overcome practical issues
• Able to follow processes and procedures
• Ability to demonstrate tenacity in overcoming obstacles/objections
• Ability to work in a successful team
• Neat and tidy personal appearance in line with uniform guidance
• Reliable and punctual
• Commitment to complete a course of study leading to an NVQ level 2 in Catering

Qualifications Required

General awareness of health and safety and security issues
Maths and English will be assessed as part of the interview process
Applicants are able to complete a catering apprenticeship to Level 2 and Level 3

Future Prospects

Possible offer of full time permanent position with organisation on successful completion of the Apprenticeship programme.

Other Information

To apply for this vacancy, please complete an application form on our website at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/our-people/jobs/job-search/

Training to be Provided

L2 Commis Chef Standard Apprenticeship.
Maths and English Functional Skills if needed

Expected Duration

12 months

Working Week

Average of 36 hrs a week over 12 months.

Things to consider

The role requires:
* Standing and / or working outdoors for long periods as is necessary.
* Ability to access all public areas of the property, which may include stairwells, confined spaces, heights
or places with low lighting.
* Reasonable lifting of heavy / bulky objects within published health and safety guidelines on manual
handling.
* Ability/availability to work on a 5/7 day roster, which may include evenings, on-call duties and Bank
Holidays. Also the willingness for working at other sites within reasonable traveling distance.
* To be prepared to be flexible in working hour patterns if required
* To keep and wear English Heritage brand uniform as provided to an immaculate standard.