Location: Little Dragons Day Nursery, Reading
Are you a passionate and talented Chef/Cook looking for a new opportunity? Do you enjoy a varied role that encompasses all areas of kitchen management?
We believe that healthy, delicious meals are essential for the growth and development of our children, and we are looking for a skilled Chef/Cook to help us achieve this.
You will prepare nutritious and tasty meals for children aged 0-5, plan menus that cater to various dietary requirements, maintain a clean and organized kitchen, ensure food safety and hygiene standards are met, and collaborate with nursery staff to create a positive dining experience for children.
This is a solo role, and it is essential that you have a food hygiene qualification or relevant experience and a good understanding of healthy eating and allergens.
You will be confident and experienced in all aspects of the kitchen, including food preparation, cooking meals, serving food, cleaning up, and also working closely with our Area Manager to create menus.
Working hours:
We are open Monday to Friday, from 7:30am to 6:00pm; however, your hours will be from 8:30am to 4:30pm. We are closed on Bank Holidays and during the Christmas and New Year period.
What we need:
You must hold a City & Guilds 706/1/2 or an equivalent qualification/relevant experience, along with a Food Hygiene Certificate.
Main duties of the job
1. Working with the Area Manager for Nurseries to create healthy, well-balanced menus.
2. Full responsibility of the kitchen from meal prep to cleaning down of equipment.
3. Ordering of all fresh, frozen, and non-perishable ingredients from a variety of approved suppliers.
4. Maintaining good food hygiene standards.
5. Ensuring all allergen and dietary requirements are met and catered to.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
* Caring for and about you is our top priority.
* Committed to providing good quality, safe services.
* Working together with you to develop innovative solutions.
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
* Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
* 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell.
* Excellent learning and career development opportunities.
* 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles.
* Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services.
* Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants.
* Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment, and armed forces community to support equality.
* Generous maternity, paternity, adoption, and special leave.
* Free parking across Trust sites.
Interview will be held on 28th Feb 2025.
Applications for this role will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, and we may close the vacancy early if the right candidate is found.
Job responsibilities
The must-haves for this role:
* City & Guilds 706/1/2 or equivalent.
* Previous experience in a similar role.
* Strong communication skills both written and verbal.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Rebecca Croft, Nursery Manager on 01189 044 638 or email at rebecca.croft@berkshire.nhs.uk who'll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications /Training
* City & Guilds 706/1/2 or equivalent.
* Good standard of education.
* Literate.
Continuous Professional Development
* Commitment to personal development.
Previous Experience
* Experience of any work which demonstrates the skills required for the post.
* Previous experience within catering.
* An awareness of special dietary requirements and allergens.
* Good understanding of health-required diets.
* Good understanding of food preparation for next service.
* Good understanding of HACCP.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
* Ability to work as part of a team and unsupervised.
* Flexibility to change working patterns as required.
Additional Requirements
* Good health record.
* Confident.
* Well-groomed.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and as such, it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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