Assistant Chef

Sanctuary Group; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days annual leave

Pension

Training programme

Free meals

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Sanctuary Group's Sanctuary Care in Derby is seeking an Assistant Chef to support the preparation of nutritious, restaurant-quality meals at The Park Residential and Nursing Home. Working with the Chef Manager, you will contribute to high standards of food, presentation and dining experience in a calm, well-structured kitchen environment.

40 hours per week with no late nights or split shifts, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Experience in a catering environment.
• Valid food hygiene certificate.
• Friendly and approachable with a passion for good food.
• Ability to work well as part of a team.
• Commitment to high standards of safety and care.

Responsibilities

• Prepare varied, high-quality menus with the Chef Manager.
• Enjoy a better work-life balance - no late nights, no split shifts, and more time for you.
• Promote and maintain food hygiene and safety standards.
• Carry out risk assessments and keep the kitchen clean and safe.
• Engage daily with residents, visitors and colleagues in a friendly way.
• Support a positive dining experience for everyone.

Skills

Catering experience

Food hygiene certificate

Friendly demeanor

Team player

Safety and care

Job description

We're excited to welcome an Assistant Chef to support the preparation of nutritious, restaurant-quality meals at The Park Residential and Nursing Home in Derby - St Marks Road, DE21 6AH, without the long hours or split shifts often found in hospitality. Working alongside the Chef Manager, you'll play a key role in delivering high standards of food, presentation, and dining experience within a calm, well-structured kitchen environment. We're proudly Investors in People Gold accredited and not-for-profit, which means every penny we make goes straight back into our people and our homes. Whether you've already found your calling or you're still discovering it, we'll support you every step of the way. From your first day to your dream role, we'll help you get there. When you join Sanctuary Care, you're joining an award-winning team where colleagues and residents truly matter. We're proud winners of the 2025 Nursing Times Award for Care of Older People and the 2025 Care Home Awards Best for Training and Development, and Outstanding Larger Care Home Group.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare varied, high-quality menus with the Chef Manager
• Enjoy a better work-life balance - no late nights, no split shifts, and more time for you
• Promote and maintain food hygiene and safety standards
• Carry out risk assessments and keep the kitchen clean and safe
• Engage daily with residents, visitors and colleagues in a friendly way
• Support a positive dining experience for everyone

Work Environment & Requirements

• All roles require safeguarding and pre-employment checks, including criminal records and overseas police checks if needed; for more information, please get in touch.
• We work closely with the Home Office in order to prevent illegal working. An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for.

Experience and Skills

• Experience in a catering environment
• Valid food hygiene certificate
• Friendly and approachable with a passion for good food
• Ability to work well as part of a team
• Commitment to high standards of safety and care

Inclusion and Diversity

Inclusion is one of our core values. Our goal is to be a diverse, inclusive organisation where our people thrive and meet our customers' needs with fairness and empathy. We know having a range of ideas and opinions makes a difference. We encourage and welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds to support this mission. We will make adjustments throughout your application process, in line with Sanctuary's commitment to our Disability Confident employer status.

Salary & Working Hours

£13.96 per hour

40 hours per week - no late nights, no split shifts

Benefits

• 28 days' annual leave pro rata (including bank holidays)
• occupational sick pay linked to length of service
• contributory pension
• CQC inspection bonus
• Health and wellbeing support - including Aviva Digicare+ with virtual GP appointments, plus an Employee Assistance Programme offering medical, financial, and legal advice, as well as short-term counselling
• Company-paid life insurance
• Parental leave arrangements and annual leave purchase scheme
• Company-funded training and ongoing career development opportunities, including our Team Leader Development Programme
• Flexible working options and an inclusive culture where everyone belongs, supported by our staff networks including PRISM, Disability, Race Equality and Parent networks
• Free meals dependant on shift duration
• Exclusive retail discounts, Cycle to Work, and salary sacrifice arrangements