The next generation of Irish chefs made their TV debut on Nationwide this week on RTÉ, as cameras followed participants in GRETB’s Commis Chef Apprenticeship at the BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry.
Viewers watched as Michelin-starred chef and GRETB Tutor, Enda McEvoy mentored the apprentices through a sustainability challenge, tasking them with creating delicious dishes using leftovers — all while keeping food waste to a minimum. The segment highlighted not only their creativity and technical skills but also the cutting-edge kitchen facilities at BIA Innovator Campus and the essential role GRETB plays in culinary training across the region.
If the programme caught your attention, the Commis Chef Apprenticeship could be the perfect first step into a professional kitchen.
This two-year course allows you to earn while you learn, combining real-world kitchen experience with expert classroom training. Apprentices work with approved hospitality employers and attend regular sessions at the BIA Innovator Campus, learning in a modern, industry-standard environment.
You’ll gain skills in:
Core culinary techniques (classic and modern )
Food hygiene and kitchen operations
Sustainable kitchen management and food waste reduction
Pastry and bakery skills
Nutrition for menu planning
Food safety and allergen awareness
Kitchen management and interpersonal skills
Communication and customer service
Graduates receive a QQI Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Culinary Arts, a nationally recognised qualification on Ireland’s National Framework of Qualifications. From there, you can progress to the Chef de Partie Apprenticeship (Level 7 ) or into employment across Ireland’s dynamic hospitality sector - including hotels, restaurants, food product development, nutrition, and health-focused roles.
Open to anyone aged 16 or over, this is your chance to begin a rewarding career in a fast-paced and creative industry.
GRETB also offers a Bakery Traineeship at the BIA Innovator Campus - a six-month, full-time course for those who want to train in a real bakery setting and learn the foundations of baking, doughs, and pastries.
GRETB’s culinary programmes are not just training chefs and bakers - they’re helping build the future of the West of Ireland’s food sector.
Interested in training as a chef or baker?
Email: [email protected] Visit: www.gretb.ie
