Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Childcare; Great Chart; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading childcare provider in the United Kingdom is seeking an Assistant Chef to prepare nutritious meals for young children. This role involves overseeing kitchen operations and ensuring food safety. Ideal candidates will have experience in early years settings and strong mentoring skills. Join us for a rewarding opportunity to contribute to children's growth in a nurturing environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

Employee discounts

Up to 28 days holiday

Birthday off

Childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Menopause support

Financial support

Mental health resources

Cycle to Work scheme

Pension access

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• Experience in leadership within early years settings is preferred.
• Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills are essential.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance is vital.

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Leadership in early years settings

Mentoring skills

Problem-solving skills

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 Busy Bees Ashford Godinton

Godinton, rated Good by Ofsted, is a beautiful purpose‑built nursery located within the secure grounds of Godinton Primary School, accommodating 108 children. Our facility features six spacious and airy rooms, each tailored to specific age groups, complete with their own secure outdoor environments. We have a large, longstanding team dedicated to providing children with the best start in life and maintain a fabulous relationship with the local school. Conveniently situated in the Godinton estate, we have close links to the local bus service, with the nearest bus stop just two minutes away, and are a 30‑minute walk from the town centre. Additionally, we are well‑connected to local rail links, the M20, A2, and other motorways. We offer free parking for staff and flexible working days, creating a supportive and accessible environment for educators.

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)

In addition, you'll enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive – offering huge array of retail discounts, a Wellbeing Hub with resources to support physical and mental health, a Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members, and a dedicated Grow with Us area sharing exciting development opportunities and training.

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!