Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Nurseries; Horsham; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development and

Hive benefits and wellbeing hub

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave and return to工作

Menopause support through Peppy

Salary Finance support

Employee Assistance Programme

Mental Health First Aiders

Cycle to Work scheme

Pension access through Cushon

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Job summary

Busy Bees Horsham is seeking an Assistant Chef to join our kitchen team. You will contribute to preparing healthy meals for children and support the Chef in daily kitchen operations in a busy nursery setting.

The role emphasizes food safety, teamwork, and delivering nutritious options that meet dietary requirements, as part of Busy Bees’ commitment to early years nutrition and development.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in early years kitchen settings preferred.
• Ability to prepare healthy meals meeting dietary requirements for children.
• Solid understanding of food safety and hygiene standards.

Responsibilities

• Assist in cooking and kitchen duties as part of a team.
• Mainly washing up and housekeeping.
• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals for children.
• Support the Chef with kitchen operations and stock management.
• Maintain food safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Leadership experience

Mentoring

Problem-solving

Food safety & hygiene knowledge

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 Horsham, rated Good by Ofsted, has a capacity of 130 children and features a passionate team dedicated to giving every child the best start in life. Our staff actively participate in network meetings and training around West Sussex to build strong links with other nurseries and schools, enhancing our collaborative efforts in early childhood education. Conveniently located just a 10-minute walk from Little Haven station and with a bus stop just one minute from the nursery offering regular services, we ensure easy access for families. We also provide free parking for staff, fostering a supportive and accessible work environment.

Specific Working Hours

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Mornings only
• Friday and Monday: Full day

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

• Part cooking
• Mainly washing up and housekeeping
• 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.