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Apprentice Development Chef

Summary

Join our new product development team as an Apprentice Development Chef and learn how to create exciting new products. Through hands-on experience, college learning and expert mentoring, you’ll develop a wide range of skills and techniques to help you reach your full potential.

Posted date: 28th May 2026
Employer: BILLINGTON FOODS LIMITED
Location: Scunthorpe (DN16 1AL)
Wage: £23,132.20 a year
Training Course: Commis chef (level 2)
Hours: 35 hours a week - Monday - Friday, 09:00 - 17:00
Possible Start Date: 7th September, 2026
Duration: 15 months
Positions Available: 1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

As our new apprentice you will focus on creating, testing and improving new food products for large-scale production. Unlike a traditional chef, who prepares and serves dishes in a kitchen, a Development Chef works on recipe innovation, product consistency and emerging consumer trends.

You will receive full training, mentoring and support throughout your apprenticeship.

Your main duties will include:

Assisting the New Product Development team in developing commercially viable products for our customers
Taking every opportunity to learn the skills required to become a successful Development Chef, including product knowledge, nutrition and commercial awareness
Developing a strong interest in food, ingredients and emerging food trends, while building useful industry contacts and resources
Building effective working relationships across all areas of the business
Supporting the Process team with product trials and launches to ensure successful factory scale-up and develop your operational knowledge
Assisting the Development team in promoting a strong food culture and championing our food values both internally and externally
Accurately inputting recipes onto the development system and ensuring raw materials are sourced in a timely manner to support the costing process
Supporting Development Chefs with customer presentations while learning the skills and techniques needed to confidently lead presentations independently in the future
Learning about the ingredients, methods and processes used within the kitchen, and understanding how they translate into factory production

Where you will work

Arkwright Way
Scunthorpe
DN16 1AL

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

TEC Partnership

Your training course

Commis chef (level 2)

Course contents

Selects correct knife for task.
Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
Uses feedback to improve own performance.
Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.
Selects correct knife for task.
Uses knives effectively and efficiently.
Selects ingredients of the right quality that support sustainability and seasonality.
Weighs, measures, and scales ingredients.
Cooks from fresh producing complete dishes.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes meat, offal, game, poultry, fish, and shellfish from whole; trim, de-vein, portion, break down, bone, skin, fillet, shell.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes fruit vegetables.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes sauces.
Prepares, cooks and finishes pureed and cream soup and stock based dishes.
Prepares and cooks noodles, and fresh or convenience pasta.
Prepares and cooks pulses and grains, including long and short grain rice.
Prepares, cooks and finishes eggs or egg based dishes.
Prepares, cooks and finishes leavened and unleavened dough products.
Prepares, cooks and finishes sweet and savoury pastry products using short, sweet, and choux.
Prepares, cooks, and finishes scones, biscuits, sponge cakes, and non-sponge cakes.
Prepares, produces, and finishes hot and cold desserts.
Stuffs, fills and panés across food types.
Prepares and cooks dishes using alternative ingredients eg plant based, gluten free.
Prepares fresh ingredients, including from whole, using them across a menu to reduce waste and improve sustainability
Uses seasoning, spices, rubs, and marinades to flavour ingredients.
Sears, grills, deep fries, shallow fries, stir fries, sautés, braises, stews, bakes, roasts, boils, poaches across food types.
Portions, plates, finishes, garnishes, and presents individual dishes.
Exercises portion control and acts to maximise yield.
Achieves intended quality in terms of texture, flavour, and appearance
Identifies and resolves errors during the production process.
Assists in the resolution of feedback, complaints, and issues.
Prepares, cleans and uses manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking equipment and machinery safely, correctly and efficiently.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, including monitoring temperatures, during preparation, cooking, and holding.
Selects and applies hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, including personal hygiene, PPE, and uniform.
Complies with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
Undertakes stock control, storage, and rotation.
Applies food safety and allergen procedures, and monitors and records food temperatures, on delivery and in storage.
Follows equity, diversity and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
Uses techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
Communicates with colleagues, manager and other stakeholders in a professional manner.
Works as part of a team to support service delivery.
Uses feedback to improve own performance.
Manages own time to ensure tasks are completed.

Your training plan

Our Commis Chef apprenticeship has a college day-release, which you can attend at The Grimsby Institute (Nuns Corner, Grimsby)
You’ll complete master class sessions to learn to cook and prepare a wide range of different dishes, including seafood, offal, game, meat and fish
A dedicated Vocational Trainer will also visit you at work, on average once every4-6 weeks, to establish a personal learning and development plan, outlining a schedule of training activities and objectives
You will complete a mixture of on and off the job training, including workshops, face to face training and working towards creating a portfolio of relevant practical evidence
You’ll also be supported by Development Chefs and your colleagues at all times, and will be mentored and trained constantly
This type of practical learning is a great way to train, and you’ll learn a huge amount in a short time
You will have a review every 8-12 weeks with your Manager and Trainer to discuss your progress

Qualifications

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 3/D or above)
Maths (grade 3/D or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Number skills
Analytical skills
Logical
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Patience

Other requirements

Billington Foods is located on Arkwright Way, Scunthorpe, DN16 1AL
Please check the location and ensure you would be able to reliably travel to and from work daily
This apprenticeship runs on a day-release model, with one day of college attendance each week (in term-time). Day-release college sessions run from The Grimsby Institute, Nuns Corner, Grimsby, DN34 5BQ
Please check the location to ensure you would be able to attend the college sessions in Grimsby once each week

There is a free college bus available from Scunthorpe and the surrounding areas:

https://grimsby.ac.uk/visit/find-us/transport/

About the employer

Billington Foods is a leading UK food manufacturer supplying the Foodservice, Retail and business-to-business markets with high-quality chilled and frozen sauces, soups, pies and desserts. Part of the Billington Group, the business combines a strong heritage with a forward-thinking approach to innovation, product development and food production. Home to the well-known Glorious! soup range, Billington Foods is committed to creating delicious products for all occasions, whether enjoyed at home, out of home or on the go. With factories based in Scunthorpe and Wellingborough, the company prides itself on high standards of food quality, safety and creativity, making it an exciting place to begin a career in food development and production.

https://billington-foods.com/

After this apprenticeship

This apprenticeship programme provides a fantastic opportunity for apprentices to build a strong foundation of practical development chef skills
The apprenticeship will lead to a permanent job role for the right candidate, and could include internal progression opportunities