Café Assistant

The Cornerstone Academy Trust; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cornerstone Academy Trust in Exeter is seeking a Kitchen/Catering Assistant to support the school dining service, preparing and delivering the daily lunch menu and special dietary meals for staff and pupils. You will work under the Head Chef and catering team, maintain high hygiene standards, handle food orders, and assist with events and meetings.

This role requires physical effort and ability to work with others in a busy kitchen.

Qualifications

• Should have experience of working within a busy kitchen environment preparing and cooking food.
• Food hygiene certification is desirable, although training will be provided.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and deliver daily lunch menu including special dietary meals.
• Assist in food preparation and cooking activities while maintaining high hygiene standards.
• Wash up kitchen equipment and maintain cleanliness of the coffee shop area and dining spaces.
• Assist with catering for meetings, conferences, and events as required.
• Liaise with administration staff to ensure food orders are processed and payments collected.

Skills

Kitchen experience

Clear communication

Initiative and teamwork

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Food hygiene certification

Job description

Salary Range: C ornerstone Support Pay Scale

Main purpose

• Support the dining service provided to children and staff within the Trust during each lunch time.
• To assist in the preparation and service of food and the cleaning of premises and equipment.

Duties and responsibilities

Provision of Food Service, including food preparation and cooking activities

• Responsible for the preparation and delivery of the daily lunch menu including the provision of special dietary meals for staff. Ensuring that there are varied and balanced meals.
• Producing meals of a high standard which are appetising but being responsive to feedback for changes or improvement.
• Awareness of food costs and how to use ingredients in an economical way to avoid waste or overspend. Ensuring food is correctly and adequately portioned.
• Familiarity with modern kitchen equipment.
• The making and provision of cakes and refreshments for sale in the coffee shop and for hospitality for meetings.
• Catering for additional lunchtime meals for visitors. This may include small groups hosted by the Head.
• Assisting in the provision of buffets and other styles of food for conferences and events.
• Liaison with administration staff to make sure that all food orders are processed.
• Ensure all monies due are received via either cash or cashless payment.
• Use of the electronic till system.
• To meet service deadlines and ensure adequate quantities of food are produced.
• Supporting and directing catering staff as necessary to achieve deadlines.
• Providing feedback to the Head Chef and leadership team as necessary around any challenges or issues.
• Washing up kitchen equipment and tableware.
• Cleaning the coffee shop area.
• Tidying and cleaning the outside patio area when in use.

Whole-school organisation, strategy , and development

• Support the dining service to ensure an efficient service and to support the ethos to provide a ‘whole family’ dining experience for the children .

Health, safety, and discipline

• Promote the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff and report any concerns to the appropriate person .
• B e aware of and ensure good hygiene practices and high standards of:
• Personal Hygiene
• Cleanliness of equipment and premises.

Professional Development

• Take part in the school’s appraisal procedures
• Take part in further training and development to improve own professional development and personal effectiveness

Communication

• Communicate effectively with other staff members and children, as necessary .

Working with colleagues and other relevant professionals

• Develop effective relationships with the catering and dining staff.

Personal and professional conduct

• Uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies, and practices of the school, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality.
• Demonstrate positive attitudes, values, and behaviours to develop and sustain effective relationships with the school community.
• Respect individual differences and cultural diversity.

Management of staff and resources

• Use resources in an effective and efficient way ensuring they are maintained to a high standard and looked after responsibly.

Other information

• Hours and times of work may be varied at any time in accordance with pupil numbers to meet the needs of the school.
• Support wider school initiatives, parental meetings, school fayres. Organising and delivering hospitality requirements as needed. Helping to promote the dining service.
• Support the wider school curriculum where needed, supporting the children and teaching staff with ideas for recipes, overseeing cooking events and helping with practical cooking skills.

Please note that this job description is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken, commensurate with the grade. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the postholder will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher or your line manager.

The post requires you to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the age range 2 to 11 years as consistent with the ages of students attending this Academy Trust and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct. This job description is not your contract of employment or any part of it. It has been prepared only for the purpose of school organisation and may change. It may be amended at any time after consultation with you.

Person Specification

Criteria

Qualities

Qualifications and experience

• Should have experience of working within a busy kitchen environment preparing and cooking food
• Food hygiene certification is desirable, although training will be provided

Skills and knowledge

• Be able to manage to talk adults in a clear and calm manner
• Show initiative, but also work as part of a group or on their own
• Respect confidential information
• Attend appropriate training as required
• Understand the records which need to be maintained in the kitchen and support the kitchen team in updating these
• This role can be physically demanding requiring standing for long period and lifting and carrying heavy equipment
• Enjoyment of working within a busy and demanding kitchen. Remaining calm under pressure