The Level 2 Production Chef, and the 56 providers delivering it.
Working as part of a team in kitchen environments.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Production chefs work as part of a team to prepare and cook food at volume, typically using centrally developed, standardised recipes and menus. Apprentices learn safe food handling and kitchen hygiene, accurate portioning and presentation, stock management, and how to work efficiently under time pressure. The training covers core cooking techniques suited to high-output kitchens, along with an understanding of allergens, dietary requirements, sustainability practices, and the importance of minimising food waste.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves prepping ingredients, cooking dishes to specification, and plating to consistent standards within service deadlines. Apprentices work alongside senior chefs, following recipes precisely and maintaining records such as temperature logs and allergen documentation. They help with stock rotation, cleaning schedules, and setting up or breaking down kitchen stations. Communication with team members during busy service periods is a regular part of the role, as is adapting quickly when volumes or menus change.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into roles such as senior production chef, commis chef, or kitchen supervisor, depending on the employer type. Common progression includes the Level 3 Hospitality Supervisor or Senior Production Chef apprenticeship. Employers hiring for this level include NHS trusts, school catering contractors, local authority services, care home operators, pub chains, and casual dining groups. Volume catering contractors and contract food service providers are also significant employers in this space, offering structured career paths for those who progress.
56 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Southport College is a centre of technical excellence and a leading provider of vocational and techn...
Bath College is a further education provider offering a wide range of vocational and technical train...
The College of West Anglia is a large further and higher education college providing education and t...
Nottingham College is a general further and higher education college based in Nottingham, offering a...
New College Swindon is a further and higher education college offering a broad apprenticeship and pr...
Locomotivation is a UK training provider specialising in apprenticeship programmes that combine stru...
Furness College is a further education provider based in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, operating from ...
Education & Learning Academy (ELA) is a UK-based provider of vocational training focused on apprenti...
Shrewsbury College, part of Shrewsbury Colleges Group, offers one of the largest and most flexible f...
Umbrella Training is a UK-wide, award-winning training and apprenticeship provider specialising in c...
Lifetime is a UK apprenticeships training provider focused on helping employers upskill, reskill and...
Busy Bees Education and Training is the dedicated apprenticeships and training arm of Busy Bees, wit...
Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College is a further education provider formed by the merger of Weymo...
JS Consult Limited is a vocational training provider established in 2009, delivering education and t...
Phoenix4Training is an Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ training provider delivering apprenticeships and vocation...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Production Chef, Kitchen Assistant Team Leader, or Commis Chef in a structured kitchen operation. Some completers step into Catering Assistant Supervisor positions, particularly in contract catering or institutional settings. The qualification demonstrates the ability to work independently at pace, follow standardised menus accurately, and contribute reliably to a high-volume kitchen, which makes completers a practical hire for shift-based operations.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many production chefs move into Senior Production Chef or Chef de Partie roles, taking on responsibility for a section of service or a small team. Those in contract catering can progress to Catering Supervisor or Unit Manager. The deeper specialist track favours developing expertise in a particular cuisine type, dietary requirement, or production method, while the leadership track moves towards Head Chef or Kitchen Manager. Further qualifications at Level 3, including the Senior Production Chef standard, support both directions.
Where these roles sit
Employers hiring at this level include NHS trusts, local authority schools, care home operators, prison and Armed Forces catering services, and large contract catering companies running workplace or venue accounts. The high street casual dining sector and pub chain groups are also consistent hirers. Roles sit predominantly in the public sector and contract catering, though independent restaurant groups running high-volume operations recruit at this level too. Most positions are permanent, shift-based roles within mid-sized to large organisations.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place on the job, with the apprentice building knowledge and practical skills in a real kitchen environment throughout. Before final assessment can begin, the apprentice and their employer or training provider confirm readiness through a gateway stage, which typically involves checking that core knowledge, skills and behaviours have been met. Final assessment then confirms the apprentice can perform competently as a production chef, covering practical kitchen work and underpinning knowledge. Assessment arrangements for many standards are currently being updated following changes to the apprenticeship system, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Evidence of real workplace performance is central to demonstrating competence, so apprentices should keep records of their work throughout the programme rather than trying to compile everything near the end. This means documenting dishes produced, kitchen processes followed, and any responsibilities taken on across different service situations. Working closely with both the employer and training provider from an early stage helps ensure the apprentice is progressing against the standard's requirements and is ready when the gateway review comes around.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with achievement rates above 65% on their FATP profile; anything above 75% is a strong signal for a standard where high drop-off can reflect poor matching between learners and the physical demands of kitchen work. Providers worth shortlisting will have direct links to employers in high-volume catering settings such as contract caterers, pub chains, care home groups or institutional kitchens. Off-the-job training should happen in realistic production kitchen environments, not classroom-only settings. Check learner reviews for comments on practical skills development, food safety standards and how well coaches understand volume cookery rather than fine dining.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot explain how they deliver training in or alongside working production kitchens. A high learner volume paired with a declining achievement rate is a warning sign, particularly for a 12-month standard where momentum matters. Providers who talk mainly about hospitality in general, without specific reference to standardised recipes, volume cookery or institutional catering contexts, may not understand what employers in this sector actually need. Vague answers about how end-point assessment is prepared for should also give pause.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What proportion of your current apprentices on this standard are placed in high-volume catering environments such as care homes, school kitchens or pub chains?
- Where does the practical, hands-on training take place, and what equipment is available?
- How do you prepare apprentices for the end-point assessment, particularly the practical observation element?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- How do your coaches or skills coaches stay current with food safety legislation and production kitchen practice?
- Can you connect us with employers already using you for this standard so we can hear their experience?
- How do you handle an apprentice who is struggling with the pace or physical demands of a production kitchen environment?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the Production Chef apprenticeship?
There are no nationally set entry requirements for this apprenticeship, so employers set their own criteria. Applicants typically need basic literacy and numeracy, and some kitchen experience is useful but not essential. The apprentice must be employed in a relevant role for the duration of the programme, working in a kitchen environment where they can practise and develop production cooking skills on the job.
How long does the Production Chef apprenticeship take, and how does off-the-job learning work?
The typical duration is 12 months, though the exact minimum and the required proportion of off-the-job training hours are subject to current reforms. Check the current specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for this standard on gov.uk. Throughout the programme, the apprentice remains employed and applies learning directly in their kitchen role, alongside structured training from their provider.
How is the apprentice assessed at the end of the programme?
Before moving to end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, apprentice and training provider confirm that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been developed. Assessment models for many standards are being updated under current reforms, so check gov.uk for the current end-point assessment approach for this standard. The assessment will require the apprentice to demonstrate competence in production cooking to an independent assessor.
How does funding work for employers taking on a Production Chef apprentice?
This standard sits in the £7,000 funding band, which is the maximum government contribution toward training costs. Levy-paying employers draw on their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy co-invest with the government, contributing 5% of the training cost. Employers with fewer than 50 employees taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward training costs, with the government covering the full amount.
What does a Production Chef apprentice actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work involves preparing and cooking food in volume-led kitchen environments such as school canteens, hospital kitchens, care homes, pub kitchens or casual dining restaurants. Apprentices work from standardised recipes and menus, managing time carefully in busy kitchen conditions. Tasks include mise en place, cooking to specification, portion control, maintaining food hygiene standards and minimising waste. They work as part of a kitchen team and report to a senior chef or line manager.
What can a Production Chef apprentice do after completing the programme?
Completing this apprenticeship provides a foundation for progressing into senior kitchen roles or moving toward a Level 3 apprenticeship such as Senior Production Chef or Commis Chef. With experience, apprentices can develop into supervisory positions, specialise in a particular type of catering operation, or move between sectors such as healthcare, education or commercial hospitality. The apprenticeship also provides a basis for further vocational qualifications in catering and hospitality.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 364.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.