Assistant Chef

VerseOne Group; Basildon; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an Assistant Chef to join our Catering Services team in Basildon. You will assist with the preparation, cooking and presentation of meals for patients, staff and visitors, including special diets, ensuring high standards of quality and nutrition.

You will help maintain HACCP-compliant hygiene, support restaurant and patient feeding services, and contribute to waste reduction and sustainable practices while working across catering areas.

Qualifications

• GCSE English and Maths required.
• Experience working in a kitchen and in a team.
• NHS experience desirable.
• Experience working in catering or retail.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and present meals including therapeutic and special diets.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and food safety in line with HACCP.
• Support restaurant, hospitality and patient feeding services and minimise waste.

Skills

Teamwork

Communication

Food preparation

Education

GCSE English and Maths

Level 2 Food safety NVQ equivalent

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is one of the biggest trusts in the country, following the merger of Mid Essex, Basildon and Southend hospitals in April 2020.

Site Basildon Town Basildon Salary £25,272 Per annum ( pro-rata for part time) Salary period Yearly Closing 12/11/2026 23:59

Regarding your application please be aware :-

We need your application to be in your FULL NAME as per your ID and any Professional Registration to be able to check these.

As per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold. for the role.

Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values, please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored. We remain vigilant against candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills, and you will be required to declare on your application if AI has been used before submitting your application.

Job overview

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Assistant Chef to join our Catering Services team. This is an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of high-quality meals for patients, staff and visitors while contributing to an excellent dining experience within a healthcare environment.

The Assistant Chef will assist with the preparation, cooking and presentation of a wide range of meals, including therapeutic and special diets, ensuring all food is produced to the highest standards of quality, nutrition and food safety. The post holder will play a key role in maintaining excellent hygiene standards, adhering to HACCP requirements and supporting the smooth day-to-day operation of the kitchen and associated catering areas.

The successful candidate will have a passion for food, excellent teamwork skills and a commitment to delivering outstanding customer service. You will be required to work flexibly across restaurant, patient feeding and hospitality services, whilst helping to minimise waste, promote sustainable practices and contribute to the continuous improvement of Catering Services.

This role offers the opportunity to make a positive difference to the experience of patients, staff and visitors through the provision of safe, nutritious and high-quality food within Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

No VISA sponsorship available for this role

Please be aware that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a suitable number of applications.

Main duties of the job

The Assistant Chef is responsible for supporting the delivery of an efficient, high-quality catering service for patients, staff and visitors. The role involves preparing, cooking and presenting meals, including therapeutic and special diets, in accordance with agreed menus, recipes and food safety standards.

The post holder will contribute to the smooth day-to-day operation of the kitchen by maintaining high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and safety, completing required HACCP documentation and ensuring the safe use of catering equipment. The Assistant Chef will also support restaurant, hospitality and patient feeding services, helping to deliver a positive customer experience while maintaining effective stock control, minimising waste and promoting sustainable working practices.

The role requires a flexible and proactive approach, working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure catering services meet operational requirements and support the continuous improvement of service quality and efficiency across the Trust.

Working for our organisation

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be. As one organisation we will recruit the finest and retain more specialist staff due to more employment opportunities across our Trust.

Qualifications

• Good Level of general education incl, English and Maths GCSE
• Level 2 Food safety NVQ equivalent

Experience

• Experience working within a kitchen
• Experience of working within a team
• NHS Experience
• Experience working in Catering or retail

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population.

Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust. There are also three main community and mental health service providers who work together through a community collaborative.

We collaborate with other valuable partners, including three Healthwatch organisations, nine voluntary and community sector organisations and three top tier local authorities, with seven district, borough and city councils, as well as our local universities.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.