Proposer / providers: MTU Kerry & Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI). This appretniceship is due for proposed launch in 2024. This apprenticeship is still currently in development, but check back for updates. 

Proposer / providers: MTU Kerry & Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI). This appretniceship is due for proposed launch in 2024. This apprenticeship is still currently in development, but check back for updates. 

Chefs are responsible for ensuring that the food is maintained at a high quality and looks appetising to the customer. They must also have full knowledge of the regulations and law surrounding food preparation and hygiene as well as observing health and safety procedures.

But there are a range of different types of chefs and the tasks of each chef often depends on the sise of the kitchen.

In a small kitchen, in a pub for example, the chef might work alone or with the help of only one or two staff. The chefs then tend to do the full range of tasks, including the preparation and cooking of everything from starters to desserts. They may also do the administration and paperwork.

But 

in a kitchen of a large hotel for example, there can be dozens of staff, with a number of specialist chefs working under a head/executive chef. This is a typical hierarchy, from top to bottom:

Head Chef / Executive Chef – The Head Chef is at the top of the kitchen hierarchy and manages staff and costs, deals with suppliers and creates menus.

Sous Chef / Second Chef – The French term ‘Sous Chef’ translates as ‘under chef’ and the role usually involves more hands on cooking and the day-to-day running of the kitchen compared to the Head Chef. Smaller restaurants may not have a Sous Chef, but larger operations can have more than one.

Chef de Partie / Station Chef – A restaurant, if big enough, can have several Chefs de Partie and each one responsible for a specific section of the kitchen, such as ‘Pantry chef’, Fish chef’ and Pastry chef (or ‘Patissier’).

Commis Chef – A Commis chef often works under a Chef de Partie. This may be their first job after, or as part of their culinary training.

• Monitor sanitation practices to ensure that employees follow standards and regulations.
• Check the quality of raw or cooked food products to ensure that standards are met.
• Estimate amounts and costs of required supplies, such as food and ingredients.
• Instruct cooks or other workers in the preparation, cooking, garnishing, or presentation of food.
• Supervise or coordinate activities of cooks or workers engaged in food preparation.
• Inspect supplies, equipment, or work areas to ensure conformance to established standards.
• Order or requisition food or other supplies needed to ensure efficient operation.
• Determine production schedules and staff requirements necessary to ensure timely delivery of services.
• Check the quantity and quality of received products.
• Determine how food should be presented and create decorative food displays

Proposer / providers: MTU Kerry & Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI). This appretniceship is due for proposed launch in 2024. This apprenticeship is still currently in development, but check back for updates. 

Proposer / providers: MTU Kerry & Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI). This appretniceship is due for proposed launch in 2024. This apprenticeship is still currently in development, but check back for updates. 

Apprentices completing NFQ level 9 as an Executive Chef can develop their careers in the Tourism & Hospitality and Food & Beverage sectors.

Further support is available to explore your career development options in Enterprise & Innovation: 

Local enterprise office supports 

Franchsing 

Springboard Conversion course options 

Skillnets networking & professional development 

 

To find an apprenticeship, you can search apprenticeship vacancies and a list of currently approved apprentice employers on the Apprenticeship Jobs & Employers Portal. You can search for vacancies by location, and employers in each apprenticeship.

Use this link to explore a list of Approved Employers by Region and by Apprenticeship type.

In a kitchen for example, there can be dozens of staff, with a number of specialist chefs working under a head/executive chef. This is a typical pathway of career development:

Head Chef / Executive Chef – The Head Chef is at the top of the kitchen hierarchy and manages staff and costs, deals with suppliers and creates menus.

Sous Chef / Second Chef – The French term ‘Sous Chef’ translates as ‘under chef’ and the role usually involves more hands on cooking and the day-to-day running of the kitchen compared to the Head Chef. Smaller restaurants may not have a Sous Chef, but larger operations can have more than one.

Chef de Partie / Station Chef – A restaurant, if big enough, can have several Chefs de Partie and each one responsible for a specific section of the kitchen, such as ‘Pantry chef’, Fish chef’ and Pastry chef (or ‘patissier’).

Commis Chef – A Commis chef often works under a Chef de Partie. This may be their first job after, or as part of their culinary training.

Finding an employer and securing your apprenticeship

Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.

Proposer / providers: MTU Kerry & Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI). This appretniceship is due for proposed launch in 2024. This apprenticeship is still currently in development, but check back for updates.