Vocational.uk The route, drawn out

Hospitality & Catering

Chef

Cook professionally — the trade with the shortest route from beginner to genuinely skilled.

High demand Can go self-employed Level 2 apprenticeship
Typical pay once qualified
£26,000 – £45,000
Training length
1 year
Apprenticeship standard
Commis chef
Where to train
145 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG CBB4 · 4 stops · 1 year to qualify
  1. Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
  2. 1 year Fully qualified around £26k
  3. +3–5 years Experienced up to £45k
  4. Then Your own business you set the rate

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Kitchens train fast because they have to. A commis chef apprenticeship takes about a year, and you will learn knife skills, sections, service, food safety and the discipline of getting fifty plates out at once.

The UK is short of chefs at every level, so competent people move up quickly: commis to chef de partie to sous chef in a few years. The hours are the real cost — evenings, weekends, split shifts — but the skills work anywhere in the world and self-employment is very achievable.

A typical day

  • Prepare ingredients and mise en place to specification
  • Cook dishes to consistent quality and timing during service
  • Run a section under pressure and communicate with the pass
  • Follow food safety, allergen and hygiene procedures strictly
  • Control portions, waste and stock rotation

How you get in

  • No formal qualifications required for most commis chef apprenticeships
  • Level 1-2 English and maths, with support available
  • Stamina, a thick skin and reliability matter more than exam grades
  • A trial shift is the normal interview

Where it leads

  • Chef de partie (level 3), then sous chef and head chef
  • Specialise in pastry, butchery or a cuisine
  • Senior production chef roles in contract catering with better hours
  • Your own restaurant, food business or private chef work

Where to train for this

145 colleges and training providers on our list cover Chef training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 7
East of England 6
London 11
North East 2
North West 10
South East 13
South West 15
UK-wide 29
West Midlands 8
Yorkshire and the Humber 7
East Scotland 5
North Scotland 7
West Scotland 4
North Wales 2
South Wales 8
West Wales 2
Northern Ireland 6
Channel Islands 2
Isle of Man 1

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