Potential occupational standard
Occupational standard in development
Approved occupational standard
Occupational standard without apprenticeship
Custom occupational card
Apprenticeship
T Level
Technical Qualification
Higher Technical Qualification
Career starter apprenticeship
Royal apprenticeship
Occupational progression
Technical education progression
Mid green occupation
Dark green occupation
Favourite occupation
View glossary of terms
home Catering and hospitality
Production chef

Production chef

Catering and hospitality

Level 2 - Technical Occupation

Working as part of a team in kitchen environments.

Print to PDF View occupation in map

Reference: OCC0589

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Average (median) salary: £21,467 per year

SOC 2020 code: 5435 Cooks

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 5435/00 Cooks
  • 5434/00 Chefs

Technical Education Products

ST0589:

Production chef

(Level 2)

Approved for delivery
  • Career Starter Apprenticeship

Employers involved in creating the standard:

1st Awards, Army Catering, Army Catering Training Trust (ACTT), Aspens-Services, Azzurri Central, City and Guilds, Compass Group, Elior UK, English Heritage, Excel Care Holdings, Greene King, HIT Training, Innovate Awarding, Inspiro Learning, James' Places, Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland, Lifetime Training, Marstons, Mitchells and Butler, National Federation of Fish Friers, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Parkdean Resorts UK Ltd, Professional Assessment Ltd., Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Skills Education Group, St Austell Brewery, Stonegate, TGI Friday, Whitbread, SSP

Summary

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. 

Employers involved in creating the standard:

1st Awards, Army Catering, Army Catering Training Trust (ACTT), Aspens-Services, Azzurri Central, City and Guilds, Compass Group, Elior UK, English Heritage, Excel Care Holdings, Greene King, HIT Training, Innovate Awarding, Inspiro Learning, James' Places, Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland, Lifetime Training, Marstons, Mitchells and Butler, National Federation of Fish Friers, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Parkdean Resorts UK Ltd, Professional Assessment Ltd., Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Skills Education Group, St Austell Brewery, Stonegate, TGI Friday, Whitbread, SSP

Typical job titles include:

Chef
Junior chef
Production chef

Keywords:

Catering
Chef
Food
Food Handler
Hospitality

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Methods of preparing and cooking pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
K2: Methods of preparing and cooking fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
K3: Methods of preparing salad vegetables to business standards.
K4: Techniques for cooking dishes including poaching, simmering, steaming, boiling, braising, stewing, baking, grilling, and frying.
K5: Methods for regeneration of dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
K6: Legislation and business standards for the storage of fresh, dried, tinned and frozen goods, following food safety procedures.
K7: Stock use and rotation methods that minimise waste.
K8: Principles of professional and effective communication with colleagues, managers, and stakeholders.
K9: Techniques for conflict resolution and handling difficult behaviours.
K10: Principles of teamwork within and across departments and the impact on service delivery.
K11: Business specifications for the production, portioning and presenting of food.
K12: Methods of planning own workload and prioritising tasks.
K13: Professional standards including behaviour, appearance and timekeeping.
K14: Techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing, including asking for help with daily tasks.
K15: Methods for using feedback to improve own performance.
K16: Procedures and techniques for preparing an area for service and closing down following service.
K17: Proactive and reactive problem solving techniques and own level of authority when responding to challenges associated with routine and non-routine issues.
K18: Prep and par levels needed to meet daily demand.
K19: Functions, use, and preventative maintenance of manual and electrical tools, equipment and technology.
K20: Standard operating procedures for the safe and appropriate use of knives and boards.
K21: Company standards and relevant legislation on the management and monitoring of food temperatures and allergens during preparation, cooking, holding and serving.
K22: Hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe, clean working environment for example COSHH, clean as you go, personal hygiene, and uniform.
K23: Methods to sustainably reduce the waste of resources, including portion control, yield, and plate waste.
K24: Characteristics of texture modification according to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework.
K25: Adaptations needed to increase the calorific density of food for those following a fortified diet.
K26: Health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines, and procedures relevant to own roles.
K27: Legislation and organisational policies relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
K28: Key performance indicators and own responsibility for contributing to them in terms of production, performance, and budget.
K29: Techniques, safety, and efficiency considerations for the use of manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment and technology.

S1: Prepare and cook pre-portioned fresh and frozen meat, fish, and poultry to business standards.
S2: Prepare and cook fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables to business standards.
S3: Prepare salad vegetables to business standards.
S4: Cook poached, simmered, steamed, boiled, braised, stewed, baked, grilled, and fried dishes.
S5: Regenerate dried and frozen ingredients and dishes.
S6: Undertake stock control, storage, and rotation.
S7: Communicate professionally with colleagues, line managers, stakeholders, and customers.
S8: Work as part of a team to support service delivery.
S9: Follow specifications to produce, portion, and present food.
S10: Manage own time to ensure allocated tasks are completed.
S11: Use techniques for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing to support self and others, including asking for and giving help with daily tasks.
S12: Use feedback to improve own performance.
S13: Prepare and close down an area for service.
S14: Use problem solving techniques to resolve routine and non-routine issues within scope of own role.
S15: Maintain prep and par levels according to business need.
S16: Clean and maintain manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, and technology.
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.
S18: Monitor and record food temperatures and manage allergens during preparation, cooking, holding, and serving.
S19: Apply hygiene management techniques to maintain a safe clean work environment, for example COSHH, personal hygiene, and uniform.
S20: Reduce the waste of resources, acting to measure and reduce plate waste, exercise portion control, and maximise yield.
S21: Comply with health and safety legislation, regulations, guidelines and procedures, including stress management.
S22: Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion legislation and organisational policies.
S23: Deliver to key performance indicators to support the production, performance, and budget within own area of responsibility.
S24: Use manual and electrical food-preparation and cooking tools, equipment, machinery, and technology.

B1: Prioritises hygiene and safety in working practise.
B2: Takes responsibility when completing individual and team tasks to expected standards, helping resolve operational issues that arise.
B3: Maintains a professional image and attitude that represents the values of the business.
B4: Advocates equality and respect, working positively with colleagues, managers and customers.

Duties

Duty D1

produce dishes using fresh and pre-prepared ingredients.

Duty D2

ensure food stock is stored correctly and used in rotation.

Duty D3

work effectively in a team, communicating internally and externally with customers and colleagues.

Duty D4

Follow standard operating procedures to produce and serve food to business standards.

Duty D5

Take personal responsibility for own development observing professional standards.

Duty D6

Ensure preparation , service and close down is undertaken as instructed and to meet daily demand.

Duty D7

use equipment and technology safely and effectively including preventative maintenance.

Duty D8

Adhere to food safety regulations and legislation, and undertake due diligence.

Duty D9

Follow sustainability best practice in relation to the use of resources including energy, water and reduction and disposal of waste.

Duty D10

Adapt and produce dishes to meet special dietary, religious and allergenic requirements.

Duty D11

Comply with health and safety legislation, policies and procedures, including fire regulations.

Duty D12

Observe equity, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing guidelines and contribute to a supportive, inclusive and motivational working environment.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

Professional Occupations

Levels 6-7

This is the focused occupation.
assignment_turned_in

Level 2

Progression link from focused occupation.
assignment_turned_in

Level 2

Progression link from focused occupation.
assignment_turned_in

Level 3

Progression link from focused occupation.
assignment_turned_in

Level 3

Progression link from focused occupation.
assignment_turned_in

Level 4

Catering and hospitality