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Chef

Posted By: RAF
Address:
Contact: 0845 605 5555
Date Posted: 1st Dec 2008
Salary: Excellent
Location: Liverpool
Reference Code:
Views Since Posting: 14
Full Description:

Plan, organize and prepare meals for our personnel at home and overseas, cater for VIPS and cook in the field under canvas.

Your work

Overview
Chefs prepare food for our personnel, on RAF bases in the UK and overseas as well as on deployed operations and exercises. Like most people in the RAF, you’ll probably move jobs every few years, and each job is known as a tour. Most of your tours will be on RAF bases where you’ll work in our kitchens ordering, storing, accounting for and preparing food and helping to plan menus – both for everyday meals and for VIP occasions. Other roles for chefs include:
• preparation of in-flight meals;
• personal chef to a VIP or senior officer;
• catering instructor at RAF Halton; and
• participating in international and regional catering competitions.

Within your first few years, you’ll probably be detached overseas for anything from a few weeks to a few months. If facilities are limited, you’ll use deployed catering skills, and prepare food and beverages with field catering equipment. There are also opportunities to fulfil this role as a member of the Mobile Catering Support Unit – one of the spearhead units for UK forces, which sets up catering facilities for operations or exercises before other troops arrive.

Your first tour

For your first tour, you’ll be posted to either an Officers’ or Sergeants’ Mess – which serve food of hotel standard – or to a Junior Ranks’ Mess, which offers a wide range of high-quality self-service meals. It’s your first experience of life on base and a chance to understand how the RAF community works.

Your training

Recruit training
Your career will start with nine weeks of recruit training at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. The course is designed to help you adjust to a military environment. As well as fitness and military training, you’ll also learn about the RAF lifestyle.

Specialist training
If you are joining with little or no catering experience, you’ll stay at RAF Halton for specialist training. This four-month course will give you an overview of catering in the RAF and the basic craft skills required of a chef. You’ll also have a five-day introduction to deployed catering from our Mobile Catering Support Unit. At the end of the course, you’ll have earned an NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking, and you’ll be on your way to gaining an Apprenticeship in Hospitality. You’ll also get your first posting.

You may be eligible for fast-track promotion if you already have acceptable catering qualifications and two to three years’ experience in the hospitality industry. Before you join, however, you’ll have to pass a test of your catering abilities. If successful, and after nine weeks of recruit training at RAF Halton, you’ll stay there for a further six-week course in military catering. You’ll then qualify for promotion to Senior Aircraftman/woman and will get your first posting.

Ongoing development
As your career progresses, we’ll continue to train you in new skills, including management and leadership. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to complete further courses in food hygiene, in-flight catering and instructor duties. You’ll also receive regular training in deployed catering and food ordering, accounting and storage.

Your future

Prospects
You’ll initially join the RAF for a period of nine years. If you’ve joined without qualifications, after a year you’ll be eligible for promotion to Senior Aircraftman/woman if you pass a trade ability test. Further promotion to the rank of Corporal and beyond is by competitive selection.

Transferable skills
The NVQ and Apprenticeship you can earn are as valuable in the civilian world as they are in the RAF – which means that whenever you decide to leave the RAF, you’ll be well placed to find a job in the hospitality industry.

Entry qualifications

Age limits
16–29
Academic qualifications
GCSE/SCEs at Grade G/6 in English language and maths.

Entry test
You must pass a test at the AFCO.

Nationality
You must have been a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland since birth.

Residency
Whether or not you were born in the United Kingdom, you should normally have resided there for the three years immediately preceding your application.

Equal opportunities
The RAF values every individual’s unique contribution, irrespective of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or social background.