Sodexo: does its the sodexo live! academy with raymond blanc sponsor a UK visa?

No published policyThe Sodexo Live! Academy with Raymond Blanc (Commis Chef Level 2 or Chef de Partie Level 3 culinary apprenticeship)

Unconfirmed. Sodexo publishes no sponsorship policy for its the sodexo live! academy with raymond blanc, so we cannot state a firm answer. The Sodexo Live! Academy with Raymond Blanc is the most distinctive early careers programme in UK contract catering and it is deliberately tiny. Launched in February 2022, it takes six apprentices from the greater London area and puts them through either a Commis Chef Level 2 or a Chef de Partie Level 3 qualification. The rotation covers four London venues, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Wallace Collection, the RAF Museum at Hendon and the Bateaux London river cruise dining experience, plus work at major events including the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot. The centrepiece is a two month stage placement at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, Raymond Blanc's Belmond hotel and restaurant, to develop fine dining skills. Study topics include plant based eating, patisserie, game and offal, food safety and menu planning, and day to day duties include mise en place, plating and presentation and reducing kitchen waste. Each apprentice gets an on site mentor plus support from the Sodexo early careers team, with chef training delivered by HIT Training. Completion makes an apprentice eligible for a permanent culinary role within Sodexo Live!.

Sponsors grads?: Not published
Pay vs threshold: Not published
Opportunity: apprenticeship
2027 cycle: No published date as of 24 September 2026
Confidence: high

“The Academy is a structured culinary programme that gives six apprentices the chance to achieve either a Commis Chef Level 2 or Level 3 Chef de Partie qualification.”

Sodexo, from its own careers pages

The catch: Six places, and the stated aim is to launch chefs from the greater London area, so this is geographically targeted even though the page does not state a residency rule as a condition. The programme is a route into Sodexo Live!, the events and venues arm, not into wider Sodexo. English apprenticeship funding normally requires three years of UK residency or settled status, which Sodexo does not restate. Recruitment dates are not published on the page.

Sodexo early careers Verify on gov.uk See the licence record

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Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-24.

Common questions

Does Sodexo sponsor visas for its the sodexo live! academy with raymond blanc?

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with Sodexo?

Six places, and the stated aim is to launch chefs from the greater London area, so this is geographically targeted even though the page does not state a residency rule as a condition. The programme is a route into Sodexo Live!, the events and venues arm, not into wider Sodexo. English apprenticeship funding normally requires three years of UK residency or settled status, which Sodexo does not restate. Recruitment dates are not published on the page.

How should I confirm Sodexo's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Sodexo's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.