This occupation is found in a diverse range of organisations including high street and pub casual dining, the armed forces, schools, hospitals and care homes, work canteens, maritime, and more.
The broad purpose of this occupation is to work with centrally developed standardised recipes and menus, producing food using majority pre-prepared ingredients often in high volumes. In some key environments, a production chef cooks for people with special dietary requirements such as children in schools, elderly people in care homes, or people who are unwell or recovering from illness in hospitals.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with the kitchen team, a front of house team, suppliers, and, in some environments, customers. Production Chefs typically report to a senior production chef or a kitchen manager.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for producing dishes using majority pre-prepared ingredients, including some fresh eg salad and some frozen dishes eg lasagne. Production chefs work as part of a team in time-bound and often challenging kitchen environments. They apply highly methodical organisational skills, energy, accuracy, attention to detail and are mindful of the importance of sustainability and protecting the environment. They are responsible for following standard operating procedures and centrally agreed menus and specifications to produce food on time and often in bulk. They are responsible for following instructions and guidelines on hygiene, health and safety, food safety, and fire regulations. They must also observe equity, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing guidelines and sustainability best practice.
| Duty | KSBs |
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Duty 1 produce dishes using fresh and pre-prepared ingredients. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K11 K12 K14 K17 K18 K21 K23 K28 |
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Duty 2 ensure food stock is stored correctly and used in rotation. |
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Duty 3 work effectively in a team, communicating internally and externally with customers and colleagues. |
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Duty 4 Follow standard operating procedures to produce and serve food to business standards. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K11 K17 K18 K20 K21 K23 K28 |
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Duty 5 Take personal responsibility for own development observing professional standards. |
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Duty 6 Ensure preparation , service and close down is undertaken as instructed and to meet daily demand. |
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Duty 7 use equipment and technology safely and effectively including preventative maintenance. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K17 K19 K20 K21 K28 K29 |
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Duty 8 Adhere to food safety regulations and legislation, and undertake due diligence. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 K11 K21 K22 K28 |
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Duty 9 Follow sustainability best practice in relation to the use of resources including energy, water and reduction and disposal of waste. |
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Duty 10 Adapt and produce dishes to meet special dietary, religious and allergenic requirements. |
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Duty 11 Comply with health and safety legislation, policies and procedures, including fire regulations. |
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K11 K19 K26 K28 |
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Duty 12 Observe equity, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing guidelines and contribute to a supportive, inclusive and motivational working environment. |
K1: Methods of preparing and cooking pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
Back to Duty
K2: Methods of preparing and cooking fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
Back to Duty
K3: Methods of preparing salad vegetables to business standards.
Back to Duty
K4: Techniques for cooking dishes including poaching, simmering, steaming, boiling, braising, stewing, baking, grilling, and frying.
Back to Duty
K5: Methods for regeneration of dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
Back to Duty
K6: Legislation and business standards for the storage of fresh, dried, tinned and frozen goods, following food safety procedures.
Back to Duty
K7: Stock use and rotation methods that minimise waste.
Back to Duty
K8: Principles of professional and effective communication with colleagues, managers, and stakeholders.
Back to Duty
K9: Techniques for conflict resolution and handling difficult behaviours.
Back to Duty
K10: Principles of teamwork within and across departments and the impact on service delivery.
Back to Duty
K11: Business specifications for the production, portioning and presenting of food.
Back to Duty
K12: Methods of planning own workload and prioritising tasks.
Back to Duty
K13: Professional standards including behaviour, appearance and timekeeping.
Back to Duty
K14: Techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing, including asking for help with daily tasks.
Back to Duty
K15: Methods for using feedback to improve own performance.
Back to Duty
K16: Procedures and techniques for preparing an area for service and closing down following service.
Back to Duty
K17: Proactive and reactive problem solving techniques and own level of authority when responding to challenges associated with routine and non-routine issues.
Back to Duty
K18: Prep and par levels needed to meet daily demand.
Back to Duty
K19: Functions, use, and preventative maintenance of manual and electrical tools, equipment and technology.
Back to Duty
K20: Standard operating procedures for the safe and appropriate use of knives and boards.
Back to Duty
K21: Company standards and relevant legislation on the management and monitoring of food temperatures and allergens during preparation, cooking, holding and serving.
Back to Duty
K22: Hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe, clean working environment for example COSHH, clean as you go, personal hygiene, and uniform.
Back to Duty
K23: Methods to sustainably reduce the waste of resources, including portion control, yield, and plate waste.
Back to Duty
K24: Characteristics of texture modification according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework.
Back to Duty
K25: Adaptations needed to increase the calorific density of food for those following a fortified diet.
Back to Duty
K26: Health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines, and procedures relevant to own roles.
Back to Duty
K27: Legislation and organisational policies relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Back to Duty
K28: Key performance indicators and own responsibility for contributing to them in terms of production, performance, and budget.
Back to Duty
K29: Techniques, safety, and efficiency considerations for the use of manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment and technology.
Back to Duty
S1: Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
Back to Duty
S2: Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
Back to Duty
S3: Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
Back to Duty
S4: Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
Back to Duty
S5: Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
Back to Duty
S6: Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
Back to Duty
S7: Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
Back to Duty
S8: Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
Back to Duty
S9: Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
Back to Duty
S10: Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
Back to Duty
S11: Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Back to Duty
S12: Use feedback to improve own performance.
Back to Duty
S13: Prepare and close down an area for service.
Back to Duty
S14: Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
Back to Duty
S15: Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
Back to Duty
S16: Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
Back to Duty
S17: Follow standard operating procedures to select and safely use appropriate knives and boards for the task, for example red handled knife and red board for raw meat.
Back to Duty
S18: Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
Back to Duty
S19: Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
Back to Duty
S20: Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
Back to Duty
S21: Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
Back to Duty
S22: Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Back to Duty
S23: Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
Back to Duty
S24: Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.
Back to Duty
B1: Prioritises hygiene and safety in working practise.
Back to Duty
B2: Takes responsibility when completing individual and team tasks to expected standards, helping resolve operational issues that arise.
Back to Duty
B3: Maintains a professional image and attitude that represents the values of the business.
Back to Duty
B4: Advocates equality and respect, working positively with colleagues, managers and customers.
Back to Duty
English and maths qualifications must be completed in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
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