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 support the delivery of high‑quality meals for patients, staff and visitors in a healthcare setting. You will prepare, cook and present meals, including therapeutic diets, while upholding HACCP food safety standards and excellent hygiene practices.

You will work across restaurant, patient feeding and hospitality services, helping to minimise waste, promote sustainable practices, and contribute to continuous service

Qualifications

• Good level of general education including English and Maths GCSE.
• Level 2 Food safety NVQ equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the delivery of an efficient, high‑quality catering service for patients, staff and visitors.
• Prepare, cook and present meals including therapeutic and special diets.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and safety; complete HACCP documentation.
• Support restaurant, hospitality and patient feeding services; manage stock and minimise waste.
• Work flexibly across restaurant, patient feeding and hospitality services to deliver a positive customer experience.

Education

GCSE English & Maths

Level 2 Food safety NVQ equivalent

Job description

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Chef

The closing date is 12 November 2026

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.

About us

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

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.

Employer name

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

£25,272 a yearPer annum ( pro-rata for part time)