Bank Chef | North Bristol NHS Trust

North Bristol NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Bristol seeks a Catering Assistant to manage patient meal preparation and supervise junior staff. The role requires adherence to dietary guidelines and hygiene regulations while producing meals for up to 2,500 patients daily. Strong communication skills are essential for addressing dietary inquiries and customer complaints. Experience in food preparation is highly regarded.

Qualifications

• Experience in food preparation and catering, especially in large quantities.
• Ability to follow dietary guidelines and hygiene regulations.
• Good communication skills for staff and customer interactions.

Responsibilities

• Planning, preparing, and chilling meals for patients.
• Supervising junior staff and handling customer complaints.
• Ensuring correct storage and hygiene standards.

Job description

Working in a busy Cook Chill CPU planning, preparing and chilling all aspects of a Patients nutritional and dietary needs, following guidelines, procedures and hygiene regulations.

Working in a busy team of catering staff, Preparing recipes, Producing meals on average 2,500 per day, specific dietary meal production in both cook chill and cook freeze methods. Duties also including the packing and sealing of meals and supervising junior members of staff.

North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.

North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.

• Communicate menu changes to staff and dietary information to patients and nursing staff. May be required to visit patients and discuss dietary requirements/complaints (in the absence of the head chef).
• May deal with customer complaints in the restaurant
• To produce a range of meals as per production schedules, to standard recipes and cooking methods, ensuring nutritional standards are maintained.
• To ensure the correct economical use of raw ingredients to prevent over-production and food wastage, including the requisitioning of goods from stores.
• To assess alternative courses of action with menu scheduling where required e.g. delivery shortfall, equipment breakdown etc.
• To delegate and supervise Trainee Chefs and General Assistants to provide direction and support in the preparation and cooking for patients/customers, ensuring that methods, procedures and service times are adhered to and achieve the best use of manpower.
• To assist, when required, with food service for patients and staff, ensuring continuity of service and maintain customer relations.
• To produce function catering to specified menus and recipes to ensure high standard and constant quality of catering is achieved.
• To ensure the correct storage of food is adhered to in accordance with the Trust’s Food Hygiene Policy to prevent food wastage and ensure correct stock rotation.
• In the absence of the Food Production Manager or Head Chef to be responsible for the overall smooth running of the kitchen and security of the stock and department, dealing with contractors, NHS supplies and delivery personnel to ensure a continuity of service to customers.
• In the absence of the Food Production Manager or Head Chef take responsibility for open up or locking the kitchen at the end of production ensuring all equipment is turned off.
• Completion of Temperature Monitoring Records to ensure that all foods are stored, cooked and served at the correct temperature.
• Maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene throughout the department in accordance with the Trust’s Food Hygiene Policy and current legislation.
• To follow safety regulations and safe systems of work in the catering department to ensure compliance with Health and Safety Legislation.
• Adheres to all departmental SOPs as required.
• To ensure catering assistants use equipment safely and correctly at all times.
• Maintain work records and time sheets appropriately at all times.
• To deal with Ward enquiries regarding patient meals.
• To attend regular individual personal development review to identify personal development needs in line with the Trust’s aims and objectives.
• Attend training as required and identified in personal development plans.
• As part of personal development programme participate in working groups involved in the development of patient and retail services, departmental procedures or user groups.


This advert closes on Friday 1 Aug 2025