Assistant Cook Plas Y Don

Gwynedd Council; Pwllheli; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Gwynedd Council is seeking a Cook for the Plas y Don Residential Home in Pwllheli. This role is crucial in ensuring that all meals are prepared in accordance with health and safety regulations, while meeting the needs of service users.

The successful candidate will manage food preparation and cooking, support staff meetings, and engage with service users to enhance their dining experience. A Food Hygiene Certificate is essential, along with skills in communication and teamwork.

Qualifications

• Hard-working and organised.
• Sensitive and committed to respecting the rights of individuals.
• Capable of operating as a member of a team.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and serve nutritious food in a clean environment.
• Manage kitchen organization and compliance with health and safety legislation.
• Support and assist the cook in all responsibilities.

Skills

Good cooking skills

Good interpersonal skills

Good communication skills

Understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities

Education

Food Hygiene Certificate

Training in health and safety

Job description

Job Overview

Gwynedd Council offers an attractive employment package for the post of Cook at Plas y Don Residential Home, Pwllheli, within the Social Services Housing and Leisure. The role is carried out bilingually, with a requirement to meet the linguistic level specified.

Essential Personal Attributes

• Hard-working and organised
• Sensitive, committed with the ability to work in a way that respects the rights of the individual at all times
• Capable of operating as a member of a team

Essential Qualifications and Training

• Food Hygiene Certificate
• Training in health and safety (e.g. manual handling or first aid)

Desirable Qualifications and Training

• Experience of preparing tasty and simple food for a number of people
• Experience of domestic work

Essential Experience and Knowledge

• Good cooking skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good communication skills
• Understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities

Desirable Experience and Knowledge

• Good cooking skills (duplicate, included for completeness)

Language Requirements

• Listening and speaking – Intermediate: Able to maintain a fluent conversation on everyday subjects and discuss cases involving the field of work; able to follow a discussion in Welsh, in Clear Welsh, on familiar matters relating to the post; able to contribute and answer questions.
• Reading and understanding – Intermediate: Understand everyday correspondence on familiar work issues; understand longer reports in Clear Welsh and pick up the main points.
• Writing – Intermediate: Able to write letters, e‑mails and short reports in Welsh and English with familiar vocabulary.

Job Description

Responsibilities

• Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the heart of everything we do.
• Assist with the organisation and management of the kitchen and deputise on behalf of the Cook in their absence.
• Prepare food and drink, and cook meals in accordance with the menus, preparing and catering these, washing dishes and performing general cleaning duties.
• Take responsibility for staff, finance and kitchen equipment in the cook's absence; inform the manager, property section or another agency of any defect in the kitchen building or equipment.
• Ensure that service users keep their dignity, independence and rights at all times; provide opportunity for food choice and input to food type.
• Support the cook to maintain meetings with Service Users to learn and get to know them.
• Prepare meals for individuals with complex needs and be willing to learn.
• Collaborate with organising themed evenings.
• Assist the cook and, in their absence, ensure the kitchen’s organisation and administration are effective, efficient and comply with Health and Safety legislation and the Council’s policies.
• Order, prepare, cook and serve nutritious and tasty food for the service users in a clean environment, complying with guidance.
• Plan and follow a menu considering nutritional needs.
• Control meal sizes in accordance with relevant guidelines and the wishes of service users.
• Adhere to cleaning arrangements; update the schemes.
• Report any defects in the kitchen, including property matters.
• Support the cook to ensure that the kitchen does not fall below standards.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings.
• Attend relevant training.
• Comply with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016.
• Agree to any medical investigation considered to benefit the worker and/or the Service.
• Take responsibility for self-development.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
• Manage information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines; ensure personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• Commit to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions as per the Carbon Management Plan and encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty that corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
• Report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Special Circumstances

Prepared to respond in an emergency to support another care home in the area.