Catering and hospitality
Production chef
Working as part of a team in kitchen environments.
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.
Typical job titles include
- Chef | Junior chef | Production chef
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.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0589: Production chef (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0589
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,467 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5435 Cooks
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5435/00 Cooks
- 5434/00 Chefs
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.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0589: Production chef (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0589
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,467 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5435 Cooks
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5435/00 Cooks
- 5434/00 Chefs
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.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0589: Production chef (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0589
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,467 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5435 Cooks
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5435/00 Cooks
- 5434/00 Chefs
