Assistant Chef

Lexington-Catering; Greater London; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

Lexington-Catering is seeking an Assistant Chef to join our school kitchen team. This hands-on role supports the Chef and wider catering team to deliver a safe, well-organised and high-quality food service during term-time.

You will handle food preparation and cooking, help during lunch service, manage stock and deliveries, and maintain food safety, allergen controls and clean working areas. This role requires reliability, flexibility and strong teamwork, with the pattern of 39.4 weeks per year

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a kitchen, catering or food preparation environment.
• Basic understanding of food hygiene and food safety.
• Understanding of allergen management and procedures.
• Strong cleanliness, organisation and attention to detail.
• Ability to work during busy service periods.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• Willingness to learn and develop kitchen skills.
• Reliability and flexibility.
• Positive attitude and commitment to good service.

Responsibilities

• Assist with preparation and cooking of food in line with menus and standards.
• Support kitchen team before, during and after lunch service.
• Ensure food is presented and served to a high standard.
• Support portion control and replenishment during service.
• Maintain cleanliness, hygiene and organisation across kitchen areas.
• Clean kitchen equipment and work areas per schedules.
• Complete and support food safety and due diligence records.
• Follow all food hygiene and health and safety procedures.
• Support allergen management and dietary requirements.
• Receive and check deliveries and store them promptly.
• Support stock control, rotation, labeling and stock levels.
• Highlight low stock or quality concerns to the Chef/manager.
• Minimise food waste and store ingredients effectively.
• Support the organisation and smooth running of the kitchen.
• Raise concerns to the manager as needed.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and other catering areas.
• Contribute to a positive, professional team environment.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Food hygiene

Allergen management

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Time management

Reliability

Willingness to learn

Job description

Assistant Chef

Working pattern: Term-time only, Monday to Friday, including INSET days, with a requirement to work up to two Saturdays per year to support key school events.

Contracted weeks: Approximately 39.4 weeks per year, inclusive of 5.6 weeks' annual leave entitlement.

Job ID: 7683

What you'll be serving up…

As an Assistant Chef, you'll play an important role in the day-to-day running of the kitchen, supporting the wider catering team to deliver a safe, organised and high-quality food service.

This is a varied, hands-on role that goes beyond food preparation. You'll support all areas of the kitchen operation, including food preparation and cooking, lunch service, kitchen cleanliness, deliveries, stock management, food safety, allergen management and completion of due diligence.

You'll work closely with the Chef and wider kitchen team to make sure everything is prepared, organised and ready for service, helping to keep the kitchen running smoothly throughout the day.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assisting with the preparation and cooking of food in line with agreed menus, recipes and standards
• Supporting the kitchen team before, during and after lunch service
• Helping ensure food is presented and served to a consistently high standard
• Supporting portion control and replenishment throughout service
• Maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness, hygiene and organisation across the kitchen, preparation and service areas
• Cleaning kitchen equipment and work areas in accordance with agreed cleaning schedules
• Completing and supporting food safety and due diligence records accurately and on time
• Following all food hygiene, health and safety and company procedures
• Supporting the safe management of allergens and dietary requirements
• Following allergen procedures carefully during food preparation and service
• Receiving and checking deliveries, including quality, quantity and temperature checks where required
• Ensuring deliveries are stored correctly and promptly
• Supporting stock control, stock rotation, date labelling and monitoring of stock levels
• Highlighting low stock levels, shortages or quality concerns to the Chef or manager
• Helping minimise food waste and ensuring ingredients are stored and used effectively
• Supporting the organisation and smooth running of the kitchen throughout the working day
• Raising any concerns relating to food safety, allergens, equipment, stock or service with the appropriate manager
• Working collaboratively with colleagues and supporting other areas of the catering operation where required
• Contributing to a positive, professional and supportive team environment

The ingredients you'll bring…

You'll be someone who enjoys working as part of a busy kitchen team and takes pride in maintaining high standards.

Ideally, you'll bring:

• Previous experience within a kitchen, catering or food preparation environment, or a genuine interest in developing your skills
• A basic understanding of food hygiene and food safety
• An understanding of the importance of allergen management and following agreed procedures
• A strong focus on cleanliness, organisation and attention to detail
• The ability to work effectively during busy service periods
• Good communication and teamwork skills
• Good time management and the ability to prioritise tasks
• A willingness to support across all areas of the kitchen operation
• The ability to follow instructions, procedures and recipes accurately
• A willingness to learn and develop your kitchen and catering skills
• Reliability, flexibility and a strong work ethic
• A positive attitude and a desire to contribute to a great food service

Working pattern

This is a term-time-only position, contracted for approximately 39.4 weeks per year, inclusive of 5.6 weeks' annual leave entitlement.

The normal working pattern is Monday to Friday during term time, including designated INSET days.

Due to the nature of the school catering operation, you will also be required to work up to two Saturdays per year to support key school events. These dates will normally be communicated in advance.