Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Childcare; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nursery group in Birmingham seeks an Assistant Chef passionate about cooking for children. You will prepare healthy meals while ensuring food safety, all within a nurturing environment. Ideal candidates will possess strong culinary skills and experience in early years settings. This role offers competitive pay and numerous benefits, along with opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Up to 28 days holiday

25% childcare discount

Flexible working options

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Experience in leadership within early years settings.
• Strong skills in mentoring and problem-solving.
• Passion for providing quality education.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations.
• Maintain food safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Culinary skills

Mentoring

Problem-solving

Job description

Overview

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.

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

Busy Bees Birmingham Kingsheath is an Ofsted-rated Good nursery with a capacity of 78, supported by a longstanding and passionate team dedicated to giving children the best start in life. The nursery has exemplary relationships with feeder schools, ensuring smooth transitions for the children. Conveniently located near transport links to Birmingham, Solihull, Shirley, and Kings Norton, it is also just a 10-minute walk from Kings Heath High Street and 20 minutes from Birmingham City Centre via public transport. Staff benefits include a free lunch, a birthday day off, flexible working options, and a thorough induction process.

Busy Bees Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• 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
• Meopause 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 a range of retail discounts and a Wellbeing Hub with resources to support your physical and mental health. A Celebrating You section recognises and rewards our valued team members. A Grow with Us area shares exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive 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.
• If you have a passion for leading teams and supporting quality education, apply today!