Assistant Chef

Busy Bees Childcare; Ripon; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nursery group located in Ripon is seeking an Assistant Chef to prepare nutritious meals for children, support kitchen operations, and maintain food safety standards. The ideal candidate will have experience in leadership within early years settings and strong mentoring skills. This role offers a competitive salary and an array of benefits including professional development opportunities and a childcare discount.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

28 days holiday per year

25% childcare discount

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• Ideally experience in leadership within early years settings.
• Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.

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.

Skills

Leadership experience

Mentoring skills

Problem-solving skills

Job description

Overview

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 Day Nursery and Preschool Ripon is an Ofsted-rated "Good" facility with a capacity of 126 children, caring for ages from 12 weeks to 5 years. This purpose-built, one-storey nursery features eight rooms, all offering outstanding care and direct access to enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery also boasts a large garden space, complete with a woodland nature trail and forest area, providing an enriching outdoor experience. Located conveniently on College Business Park, it is an ideal setting for children's early learning and development.

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)
• Hive Benefits and Wellbeing platform access with discounts and wellbeing resources
• A Celebrating You section recognising and rewarding our valued team members
• A 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!