Lucky Cobh student secures apprenticeship at Cork’s Market Lane Restaurant Group

Market Lane Restaurant has announced that Misha (20), one of the very few graduates nationally to secure a place on the 2025/26 Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme*, has joined the team at Market Lane Restaurant in Cork City Centre. 

Misha’s appointment comes hot on the heels of the restaurant’s nomination as Best Apprenticeship Employer 2025, the overall winner of which will be announced in early December.

Misha will begin his studies at the Westside Hospitality Centre at the Cork College of Further Education, Bishopstown Campus, early next year. 

“Offering this opportunity to new staff members like Misha at the time of recruitment involves a leap of faith on our part and a big financial investment**”, says Conrad Howard, head of the Market Lane Group. “Many restaurants cannot afford to take on Commis Chef apprentices, but we believe that this is a great way forward to attract new blood into the industry and we are absolutely delighted that Misha has started his new career path with us.”

Misha, who lives in Cobh, Co Cork, said: “From everything I had seen and heard about Market Lane, it seemed like a great place to work. It is a very busy operation with plenty of opportunities for career development, which is exactly what I was looking for.  The frequent menu changes and scratch cooking shows that this is a restaurant that really cares about the quality of the food it serves.  I am so excited to be working here and feel very lucky to be one of the very few students to gain the backing of such a great restaurant to do a Commis Chef Apprenticeship this year.” 

The group has a dedicated Kitchen Training Co-ordinator, Lee Scahill, who oversees all aspects of the Apprenticeship programme and guides the students throughout.  This is a unique role within the restaurant industry and it has been key to the success of the programme within the group