Chef Apprentice
Somerset
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: £ 12.95 per hour
Hours: 40 per week

An independent co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 2 to 18 in Street, Somerset. Catering for around 1,300 students daily. We provide a core feeding offer of breakfast, lunch and supper, along with vibrant hospitality provision. This is a term-time only contract and operates Monday to Friday, with additional weekend residential activity for boarders. A key benefit to this location is the extensive campus setting and outstanding facilities in the heart of the Somerset countryside.

Thomas Franks is a leading provider of exceptional catering services, celebrated for our innovative approach to food and our commitment to using the finest locally sourced ingredients. We are dedicated to creating unforgettable dining experiences and investing in the next generation of culinary talent.

Are you passionate about food? Do you dream of becoming a professional chef? Join ourChef Apprenticeship Programme at our newest location in Street, Somerset and start your journey with Thomas Franks. This is your chance to develop your culinary skills, learn from experienced chefs, and build a career in the vibrant world of hospitality and catering.

 

What You'll Do:

As a Future Chef Apprentice, you will:

• Work alongside talented chefs in dynamic kitchen environments.
• Assist in preparing high-quality meals, including learning key cooking techniques and recipes.
• Contribute to menu planning and learn about seasonal and sustainable ingredients.
• Maintain kitchen safety, hygiene, and cleanliness standards.
• Gain insight into the catering and hospitality industry, from kitchen operations to customer service.

What We're Looking For:

• A genuine passion for food and a desire to learn.
• A positive attitude, strong work ethic, and team spirit.
• Excellent communication and time-management skills.
• A commitment to completing your apprenticeship training programme.
• No prior experience is necessary—just enthusiasm and a willingness to grow.

Your training will cover the following areas:

• Menu & Food Strategy: Gain comprehensive knowledge, including understanding provenance.
• Food Safety: Master standards and best practices to ensure a safe kitchen envi-ronment.
• Knife Skills: Develop precision and efficiency in correct knife techniques.
• Teamwork & Communication: Build skills for effective collaboration in a profes-sional kitchen.
• Vegetable & Vegetable Protein Dishes: Learn to prepare creative and delicious plant-based dishes.
• Meat, Game & Offal Dishes: Gain expertise in working with a variety of proteins, in-cluding poultry.
• Fish & Shellfish Dishes: Master the art of preparing seafood dishes.
• Soups, Stocks & Sauces: Perfect the foundations of flavourful and well-balanced dishes.
• Hot & Cold Desserts: Craft exquisite desserts to impress any audience.
• Bread, Dough & Pastry: Hone your skills in baking and pastry-making.

 

Start your culinary journey today with Thomas Franks
and bring your passion for food to life!

Benefits

• Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers, restaurants, gyms etc).
• Free meals on duty
• Volunteers leave - up to one day per year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Recommend a friend bonus.
• Unrivalled individual training and development.
• Well established apprenticeship programme.
• Team & company social events.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Workplace pension.                                                                                                                                                                     
• Excellent career progression within a leading independent contract caterer.

About us

Thomas Franks is a founder led, fresh food catering business with a focus on excellence and service delivered with individuality, passion and style. We are unique in every approach and our clients, and our people are paramount to our daily success.

Disclaimer

All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.

An enhanced DBS, Identity & reference checks (covering the last five years) will form part of the selection process. As an organisation using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants' suitability for positions of trust, Thomas Franks Ltd complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed. However, for any post in a school please be aware that any application is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such any criminal conviction, caution or bind-over must be declared.

Diversity and Inclusion at Thomas Franks

We actively encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and continue to develop a culture of growth and inclusion and would like to invite applications from groups who are currently under-represented, because we believe greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life.