Assistant Chef / Kitchen Assistant

The Orpheus Centre; Godstone; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 14,000; Part time

Job summary

The Orpheus Centre in Godstone, Surrey is seeking an Assistant Chef / Kitchen Assistant to support the catering team and provide meals to students, staff and visitors. You will work 20 hours per week during term time, Monday to Friday 10am-2pm, with flexibility and part-time consideration.

The role focuses on food preparation, kitchen operation, safe food handling and excellent customer service within a values-driven charity.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering or kitchen environments.
• Food preparation experience and health & safety awareness.
• Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate preferred; training can be undertaken.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the preparation and cooking of meals to a high standard.
• Support the daily operation of the kitchen and food service areas.
• Receive and check food deliveries and maintain stock areas.
• Prepare and deliver internal buffets and assist staff meals.
• Maintain food hygiene and health & safety standards and complete records.
• Handle cash and contactless payments as required.
• Cover other catering areas when needed and support the Chef Manager.

Skills

Catering/kitchen experience

Food preparation

Food Hygiene Level 2

Communication skills

Teamwork

Organisational skills

Allergy awareness

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

The Orpheus Centre is a specialist charity and college supporting young disabled adults to develop independence, confidence and employability through the arts. Founded by Sir Richard Stilgoe, Orpheus places joy, inclusion and ambition at the centre of everything it does.

Salary: Salary: £12,938.90 per annum (£22,643.08 FTE)

Location: Godstone, Surrey

Hours: 20 Hours per Week | Term Time Only (42 Weeks per Year) Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm (flexibility available) - Part-time considered

Are you passionate about cooking and making a difference?

The Orpheus Centre is looking for a friendly, enthusiastic and reliable Assistant Chef / Kitchen Assistant to join our Catering Team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who loves preparing great food and wants to work in a rewarding environment supporting disabled young adults to achieve their goals through the arts.

Working alongside our Chef Manager, you will help ensure the smooth day‑to‑day running of the kitchen, food service areas and dining spaces, delivering high‑quality meals and excellent customer service to students, staff and visitors.

At Orpheus, our values of being joyful, bold, inclusive, resilient and determined are at the heart of everything we do, and we are looking for someone who shares these values.

What you'll be doing

• Assisting with the preparation and cooking of meals to a high standard
• Supporting the daily operation of the kitchen and food service areas
• Receiving and checking food deliveries
• Maintaining stock rooms and food storage areas
• Preparing and delivering internal buffets
• Supporting staff lunch preparation
• Maintaining excellent food hygiene and health & safety standards
• Completing kitchen records and essential paperwork
• Handling cash and contactless payments
• Covering other catering areas, including the Arts Café, when required
• Supporting the Chef Manager and stepping up in their absence when needed

What we're looking for:

• Experience working in a catering or kitchen environment
• Food preparation experience
• Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate (or willingness to undertake training)
• Good communication, literacy and numeracy skills
• A genuine passion for food and cooking
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Understanding of healthy eating and food allergies
• Commitment to safeguarding, equality and inclusion

Why join us?

• Meaningful work that makes a real difference to young people's lives
• A supportive and welcoming team environment
• Term‑time working pattern
• Training and development opportunities
• Opportunity to work within a unique and inspiring arts‑based organisation

Safeguarding & Inclusion

The Orpheus Centre is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable young adults. All posts are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and satisfactory references.

This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with vulnerable adults and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

As part of our safer recruitment process and in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, online searches may be undertaken as part of due diligence.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. We value difference and are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and supportive workplace.

In order to be considered you must be eligible to work in the UK.

The Orpheus Centre is proud to be a disability confident employer.

We have made a positive commitment to employing disabled people. Reasonable adjustments will be made to the recruitment procedure as required in consultation with the applicant to ensure no-one is disadvantaged because of their disability. If a disabled person is selected for a position, reasonable adjustments will be made to the workplace, including premises and equipment, work duties and practices or policies, as appropriate. All disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role as set out in the role profile and person specification will be considered for interview.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are:

• Challenging attitudes towards disability
• Increasing understanding of disability
• Removing barriers to disabled people and those with long‑term health conditions
• Ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspiration