Seven-strong Whiting & Hammond has recruited 10 apprentice chefs to be placed across its sites on a two-year programme in association with training provider Straight A Training, which will "pick up most of the cost".
The provider will visit once a fortnight to go through the next module, all of which are tailored to Whiting & Hammond’s business. It will be run in-house with candidates achieving a Level 2 Professional Cookery Apprenticeship qualification. Quarterly feedback and training sessions will be held at the firm’s site in Stanmer House, East Sussex.
The apprentices all went through an interview process and will start in early November taking the company’s total to 12.
"I think it is something we should all be doing," said managing director Brian Whiting. "Some of the 10 were already working for us as kitchen porters and were thinking about it as a proper trade. They’ll be paid more than an apprentice’s wage and I expect them to work hard. We plan to roll it on annually at that number."
Meanwhile, M&B brand Browns Bar & Brasserie has recruited 60 apprentices to a £150,000, 12-month scheme across front and back of house. They will gain the Level 2 Food & Beverage Service Apprenticeship and Level 2 Professional Cookery Apprenticeship, respectively. It will be run as an e-learning course with assessments carried out by Browns’ general managers and head chefs. The company plans to recruit 100 apprentices each year.
National Apprenticeship Service chief executive David Way said: "This programme shows the importance employers are placing on apprenticeships to help train talented young people to become the high-quality professionals they need for their growing businesses."