Branch Cook

Waitrose & Partners; City Of London; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK supermarket chain is seeking a Supermarket Assistant Branch Cook in London. You'll work in the kitchen providing meals and assist the shop floor team in delivering exceptional service. Candidates should have experience in catering, a passion for food, and the ability to engage with customers. Flexible working options available.

Qualifications

• Experience working as a cook in a catering or hospitality environment.
• Ability to engage Partners with the food on offer.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness in the partner dining room.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the smooth running of the kitchen.
• Maintain a clean and safe kitchen environment.
• Assist with stock replenishment and general shop-keeping duties.

Skills

Catering experience

Passion for food

Customer-focused

Commercial awareness

Flexibility and adaptability

Education

City & Guilds 706 1 and 2 or NVQ equivalent

Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2

Job description

Job Overview

As a Supermarket Assistant Branch Cook, you'll be working in the back‑of‑house of one of our shops in the Partner Dining Room, providing hot and cold food for Partners to enjoy during their break times. When not working in the kitchen, you'll support the wider shop floor team as a Supermarket Assistant, delivering the distinct service and passion for food that our competitors can’t match.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure the smooth running of the overall kitchen with support and direction from the management team.
• Maintain a clean, tidy, and safe kitchen environment.
• Ensure portion control, proper preparation, storage methods, and due diligence to avoid food wastage, protecting our profits.
• Adhere to high food hygiene standards.
• Assist with shop‑keeping tasks: stock replenishment, keeping shelves full, fulfilling online customer orders for delivery, reducing wastage through markdowns for items approaching sell‑by dates, checkout support, managing Click & Collect orders, fulfilling on‑demand customer orders, and general shop‑keeping duties.
• Maintain a safe and tidy working environment across the shop.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience working as a cook in a catering or hospitality environment.
• Passionate about food and serving a varied and nutritious menu.
• Customer‑focused with the ability to engage Partners with the food on offer.
• Demonstrate commercial awareness, driving sales within the partner dining room while controlling costs and wastage.
• Flexible and adaptable to work between kitchen and shop floor as required.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• City & Guilds 706 1 and 2 or NVQ equivalent.
• Food Hygiene Certificate Level 2.

About the Company

We’re the largest employee‑owned business in the UK and the home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. As Partners, we share responsibility, treat everyone with kindness and respect, and cultivate an environment where we can thrive together. We support flexible working—including flexible or compressed hours, job sharing, or shorter hour contracts—where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.