Chef Benson-Smith Academy

26/02/2026

CDP Level 3 | Session 1: Advanced Soups
Classic foundations. Modern ex*****on.
Bisque • Chowder • Gazpacho • Consommé 🔥

25/02/2026

“Behind the scenes from Pastry 1 with our Level 3 CDP group. Strong collaboration in the kitchen today; excited for what’s coming next.”
ChefMatthew Benson-Smith

17/02/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday to our Director and the Founder of the Academy! 🎂
Your dedication, energy, and belief in people is at the heart of everything you do. You’ve helped shape so many careers already, and you continue to champion the future of our industry every single day.

Wishing you a fantastic birthday from all of us! 👏👨‍🍳💛

17/02/2026

11/02/2026

In hospitality, apprenticeships aren’t about ticking boxes. They’re about building real skills, real confidence, and real careers.

This National Apprenticeship Week, we’re proud to celebrate the high-quality, bespoke programmes we deliver alongside our amazing employers, and the outstanding results that follow.

Over the past year, we’ve seen apprentices progress from kitchen porters to commis chefs, step up from commis to CDP with the right guidance and experience, and move from team members into supervisory roles they once thought were out of reach. We’ve also seen fantastic achievement across the board, including many Distinctions, driven by consistent support and high expectations.

What makes the difference is how we nurture every learner, remove barriers, and tailor support to individual needs so apprentices can thrive in the workplace and grow into the professionals they’re capable of becoming.

03/02/2026

We loved seeing this from The QHotels Collection (thanks for sharing).
Huge congratulations on being shortlisted for the Springboard Awards 2026 – Apprenticeship Programme Award 🏆

As an independent specialist training provider, we don’t always shout loudly, but moments like this really matter. They reflect what we see every day: committed employers, brilliant mentors, and apprentices growing in confidence and capability week by week.

We’re proud of the quality of training we deliver and, just as importantly, our commitment to each apprentice’s personal development — coaching, wellbeing support, and building the behaviours and professionalism that help them thrive in a real kitchen environment.

Well done to everyone across QHotels who champions development in the kitchen — we’re proud to be part of the journey 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳✨

22/01/2026

22/01/2026

18/11/2025

We’re hiring!

Chef Trainer – Join Our Academy Team

We’re looking for a passionate, experienced Chef to join our Academy as a Chef Trainer.
This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with strong industry experience who loves developing others and wants to move into (or continue) a training and coaching role.

If you’re excited about sharing your skills, supporting apprentices, and shaping future talent in the hospitality and food sector, we’d love to hear from you. 💬

What You’ll Do

• Deliver engaging, high-quality practical and theory-based chef training
• Coach, mentor and support apprentices to develop core culinary skills
• Provide constructive feedback and track learner progress
• Contribute to session planning and curriculum development

What We’re Looking For

✅ Level 3 culinary qualification (or equivalent)
✅ Strong, hands-on professional experience in the industry
✅ Great communication and coaching skills
✅ Organised, proactive and confident leading kitchen-based sessions
✅ Full driving licence and willingness to travel to different employer locations (occasional national employer sites)

Desirable

• Experience training, mentoring or coaching apprentices or junior chefs
• A teaching/training qualification (e.g. AET, PTLLS, CertEd) – or willingness to complete within 3–6 months (full support provided)
• Ability to support across wider food-sector apprenticeship programmes, such as Bakers and Front of House

What We Offer

• Competitive pay (pro-rata)
• Flexible 3-day working pattern
• Full support to gain a recognised teaching qualification
• Being part of a supportive, growing training academy

📩 Interested?
Send us a message or email your CV and a short note about why this role is right for you.
Come help us develop the next generation of hospitality talent! 🌟
email: [email protected]

06/11/2025

🎉 Celebrating Our Talented Apprentice! 🎉

We’re so proud of our Chef de Partie apprentice, Billie, who reached the Delifresh Young Chef of the Year Final this week! 👩‍🍳✨

Out of so many talented applicants in the first round, Billie’s creativity, skill and passion for seasonal cooking earned her a well-deserved place in the final, an incredible achievement so early in her career.

For the competition, Billie designed a beautifully seasonal and imaginative menu, featuring crab in her starter and partridge as the centrepiece of her main course 🦀🦚

This experience has been such a rewarding milestone in her journey, and we couldn’t be prouder of how she represented herself and our academy. With her talent and determination, there’s no doubt Billie has a bright future ahead in the culinary world. 💫

05/11/2025

Level 2 Commis Chefs in action in the Midlands👏. More finished dishes to come⭐️👨‍🍳👩‍🍳. We have even had a chopstick lesson from Kenny🥢

05/11/2025

Masterclass Session – Level 2 Commis Chef Apprentices 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳

Today’s focus: Bread, Dough, and Plant-Based Dishes ,part of our refreshed Version 1.4 Commis Chef Programme.

The updated curriculum continues to strengthen the core fundamentals across all food groups while embedding new skills to meet today’s hospitality demands, including a greater awareness of dietary needs and plant-based options.

A fantastic hands on session for our apprentices, developing creativity, confidence, and adaptability in the kitchen. 🌟