How Tristan has built skills for life through a chef apprenticeship

To celebrate this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, we want to introduce you to someone…

Meet Tristan, our kitchen whiz at Miller and Carter Grantham! Ditching the traditional route post-school, he craved hands-on learning and found his culinary calling with us.

Wondering what perks await you in a kitchen apprenticeship? Tristan's got the scoop – think boosted confidence, time management, and organisation. But, it's not just about skills - it’s opened his eyes to all kinds of opportunities.

Tristan admits that he did struggle in the programme at first, but looking back, he realises that he didn’t have anything to worry about. With the support of his manager Jake, a dedicated learning coach and his sheer determination, success was on the menu.

“Everyone wants to help you, so you’re never feeling left out, or like you can’t do it”

For Tristan, the best part about working at M&B is the people. He’s lucky to work with such a supportive bunch, where everyone feels like a family. They get the job done together.

“I get a qualification through practical learning, and doing something I enjoy”

An apprenticeship isn’t for everyone, but for Tristan, it was a no-brainer. He wanted a qualification that would show off his hard work, but classrooms just didn't click. Hands-on learning made the journey way more exciting, keeping him hooked and motivated to ace it.

“I have a lot more confidence in myself”

There were even a few surprises along the way for Tristan. He didn’t expect the confidence boost. And it wasn’t just about improving his skills - he started feeling more comfortable speaking to people, asking questions and helping others.

“You need to find your own rhythm”

Tristan's advice? It’s all about getting the balance right. For him, carving out some time to chill between work and learning was key.

“I’ve been training new starters and it brings flashbacks because that was me not long ago”

When we asked what’s been his favourite experience so far, Tristan explained that he now gets to help out other newbies. It reminds him how far he's come.

“I want to do the Chefs Academy to learn more cooking skills and hopefully run my own kitchen in the future”

Tristan told us that he found that apprenticeship challenging when he started, so to hear that he’s now thinking about more training and has his sights set on a head chef job… well, it’s left us feeling pretty proud. With his newfound confidence built from doing something he enjoys, Tristan just wants to focus on being a better chef, and we’re cheering him on!

Find out more about the Chefs Academy at M&B to see what you could gain from the Level 2 Apprenticeship.

“Cheese splattered all over the kitchen, and I ran away quickly so I didn’t get covered in smelly cheese sauce”

Tristan left us with a funny tale from his early adventures in the kitchen. We've all been in those shoes, maybe not with cheese sauce, but who can't remember a time you and your work bestie were rolling with laughter?

Build skills for life through an apprenticeship at M&B

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2024 marks the 17th annual celebration. And this year, like all others, has a unique theme - “Skills for Life”.

We don’t think we could have picked a better story to feature alongside this theme. Not only has the apprenticeship programme shown Tristan that he doesn’t need to learn in the classroom to pick up a qualification, but it’s also awakened a thirst for knowledge. We’re excited to follow him in his career at M&B.

If Tristan’s experience has got you interested, why not head to our chef apprenticeship page? We have a bunch of roles and want to hear from you!