Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Nurseries; Holmes Chapel; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Career progression

Bee Curious benefits

Up to 28 days holiday including bank

Your birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Salary Finance

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work

Pension access

Private Medical Insurance

Job summary

Busy Bees Holmes Chapel, part of Busy Bees Nurseries, is seeking an Assistant Chef to join our kitchen team. You’ll prepare healthy meals, support dietary needs, and help maintain a clean, safe environment for children.

Working in our Ofsted-rated setting with the Bee Curious curriculum, you’ll gain valuable catering experience in the early years sector and enjoy benefits including discounts, generous holidays, and ongoing professional development.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering for young children preferred.
• Leadership experience in early years settings is ideal.
• Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance with standards.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals for children with dietary requirements.
• Support the Chef in kitchen operations and food safety.
• Maintain inventory and assist with stock management.
• Assist with cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Skills

Catering for children

Food safety & hygiene

Team support

Leadership potential

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 Holmes Chapel, rated "Good" by Ofsted, has a capacity of 105 children. Our nursery embraces a warm and welcoming environment, providing boundless learning opportunities for your child to flourish and thrive.With an expansive garden area, your child can explore their imagination and discover their independence outdoors while connecting with nature, developing their motor skills, and taking on safe risks.Conveniently located on Manor Lane just off the A54, we are only a 5-minute drive from the M6 at Junction 18. For those using public transport, Holmes Chapel train station and the nearest bus stop at Aldi are both just a 5-minute walk away. Free parking is also available for added convenience.

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.