Apprentice Chef

About the role

A fantastic opportunity has become available at N Family Day Nursery Guildford. They are looking for an Apprentice Chef to join their ‘Outstanding’ setting, to fit well within their friendly team and learn skills on-the-job whilst cooking fresh and inspiring food for our children.

We are looking for someone that wants to learn to create balanced, nutritious, and exciting menus.You will work in purpose-built kitchens in beautiful London nurseries. We will value you as a member of the team and support and coach you as you learn.

Joining N is a chance for you to grow personally and professionally. To be successful in this role, you will; Go Beyond, Be Outstanding and Play as a Team.

Day-to-day you will learn to:

• Cook fresh and inspiring food for our children from 7.00am - 4.00pm, Monday - Friday
• Constantly develop and evolve our menu, but in a cost-effective manner
• Create fun and nutritional snacks/dishes for all children attending the nursery, including those with specific dietary requirements (3 snacks/meals a day)
• Promote healthy messages and ideas around food
• Deliver best-in-class customer service and maintain a positive rapport with children and parents
• Monitor portions and waste control to maintain profit margins
• Ensure that all policies and procedures are in compliance with Environmental Health & Ofsted guidelines and that all relevant records are kept in line with Health and Safety and Food Hygiene Standards

To become an apprentice, you must:

• Be 16 or over
• Not already be in full-time education
• You can start an apprenticeship whether you’re starting your career, want a change, or if you're upskilling in your current job
• You can have a previous qualification like a degree and still start an apprenticeship

As an apprentice, you’ll:

• Have regular one to one session with a dedicated trainer either remotely or through visits to your workplace
• Learn and train for a specific job
• Get paid and receive holiday leave
• Get hands-on experience in a real job
• Study for at least 6% of your working hours
• Complete assessments during and at the end of your apprenticeship
• Be on a career path with lots of future potential
• As an apprentice you will be included on a Level 2 Production Chef Apprenticeship

Training

As an apprentice you will be included in a Level 2 Production Chef apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship standards are aimed at developing skills within the apprentice’s chosen career route, each standard has set knowledge, skills and behaviours required to be successful within the job role. This will include the completion of Functional Skills in maths and English.

Once the apprentice has completed a minimum of 12 months training and the employer and Inspiro's Development Coach confirm they have met all the requirements of the standard, they will be put through to end point assessment. The end point assessment is independent from the training and includes a variety of assessment methods which test the skills and knowledge of the apprentice to ensure they are fully competent in their role.

Each apprentice will be supported throughout the apprenticeship by a structured programme of teaching, e-learning, face to face training and workplace mentoring; this will encourage and help them to meet the requirements of the new standards and will prepare them for the end of point assessment.

You will achieve a Level 2 Production Chef qualification upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship standard: Production chef (level 2)

Training provider: BABCOCK SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING LIMITED

After your apprenticeship

• This vacancy is for a position within N Family Nursery upon the successful completion of the apprenticeship programme

Working hours

Monday to Friday on a flexible shift patterns within the opening hours (7.00am - 7.00pm); shifts to be confirmed.

40 hours a week

Duration: 1 Year 3 Months

Possible start date: 30 November 2026

Wage

£17,950 a year

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Passionate and positive
• Interest in Cooking

Things to consider

What we can offer you: We don’t settle for people who can just do the job; we are looking for people that go beyond that and always push us to be better than yesterday. We believe that this is what makes N Family Club a great place to be - a space where you’re never far away from the best minds to learn from.

Our benefits package includes:

• £17,950annual salary
• Funding & paid time off for training Level 2 Production Chef Apprenticeship
• Up to 32 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) to start (rises with length of service)
• Personal development fund of £250 per year
• Annual clothing allowance of £100 (no uniform)
• 10 days full sick pay, 2 days leave for dependents leave and 5 days compassionate leave
• Paid overtime and training including 2 inset days per year
• Childcare discount of 10%

There's more...

• Round the world trip and 2 weeks additional holiday for 5 years' service
• Refer a friend bonus of £500 (plus other incentives) for existing and ex-employees
• Free daily lunch, smoothies and coffee

Amazing well-being benefits including

• Headspace membership, free counselling, 10% ClassPass membership discount, hardship fund, staff suggestion bonus
• Promotion opportunities in a fast-growing company
• Brilliant team culture, parties and celebrations

About the employer

★ 4.5 Glassdoor rating and N.1 highest quality, Outstanding nursery group in the UK Ofsted leaderboard! Would you like to join a fast growing nursery group with outstanding progression opportunities? We started with one nursery in 2017 and now have 20, and growing! Are you passionate about inspiring and developing the next generation to reach their full potential in this ever-changing world? At N Family Club, we’re rethinking careers in early years and challenging the way things are done in the sector. We empower you to reach your potential by supporting you with a mix of development initiatives and an unparalleled learning environment through our very own N Academy. We offer industry leading salaries, a refreshed approach to flexibility to ensure you have a positive work-life balance and a second-to-none benefit package.