Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Nurseries; Biggleswade; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Professional development

Bee Curious discounts

Up to 28 days holiday including bank

Birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Cycle to Work

Pension available

Job summary

Busy Bees in Biggleswade (UK) is seeking an Assistant Chef to join our kitchen team. You will prepare healthy meals for children, support the Chef, and help maintain food safety and stock control within a thriving early years environment.

Flexible working options include four-day patterns and both part-time and full-time contracts. Join a leading nursery group committed to excellent care, development, and community involvement, with benefits and a supportive workplace culture designed for

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in early years settings.
• Mentoring and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations and maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
• Ensure kitchen inventory is well-maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
• Support meal preparation and assist in the cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Job description

Join Our Team at Busy Bees – Leading Nursery Group in the UK. Are you passionate about cooking and providing nutritious meals for young children? As an Assistant Chef at Busy Bees, you’ll be a key part of our kitchen team, preparing healthy meals that support children's growth and development. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a nurturing environment where you will contribute to the wellbeing of children while gaining valuable experience in catering within the early years sector.

About Us

Busy Bees is the UK's leading nursery group, with nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and more overseas. We are dedicated to giving every child the best start in life and are proud to have won awards for our workplace culture. At Busy Bees, we ensure that every member of our team feels heard, valued, and nurtured.

Why Work at Busy Bees?

We offer a supportive environment that empowers you to create engaging, educational spaces where children can thrive. As part of our team, you’ll be introduced to our unique Bee Curious curriculum, designed to foster curiosity and confidence in young learners.

Our Charitable Commitment

Through our partnership with BBC Children in Need, we offer fantastic opportunities for community involvement and fundraising to support children's lives.

About Our Nursery

Join our committed team at Busy Bees in Biggleswade, an Ofsted-rated Good nursery with a capacity of 112 children. Our dedicated staff, some of whom have been with us for over 12 years, prioritize the best interests of all children and their families. We maintain strong links with the local community, collaborating to provide the highest quality care and education. Conveniently located just a 15-20 minute walk from the town centre and close to bus stops and train stations, our nursery is easily accessible. We offer free parking and are near a local gym, swimming pool, and various shops, enhancing our community engagement. Flexible working options are available, including a four-day working pattern and part-time as well as full-time contracts. This is an excellent opportunity to advance your career in early childhood education within a supportive and community-focused environment.

Busy Bees Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• Our ‘Hive’ benefits and wellbeing hub, with discounts across a huge range of retailers
• Up to 28 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)
• Your birthday off – it’s our gift to you!
• 25% childcare discount
• Enhanced family leave and return to work bonus
• Menopause support through Peppy
• Financial support through Salary Finance
• Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Easy access to your workplace pension through Cushon
• Discounted Private Medical Insurance (PMI)

But wait, there’s more! You'll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive - offering huge array huge of retail discounts helping your money to go further, along with a Wellbeing Hub featuring resources to support your physical and mental health. A Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members. Plus, a dedicated Grow with Us area sharing the exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive and grow at Busy Bees.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations and maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
• Ensure kitchen inventory is well-maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
• Support meal preparation and assist in the cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Ideal Candidate

• Ideally experience in leadership within early years settings.
• Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.