Casual Chef

Anchor Hanover Group; Hastings; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Blue Light Card discounts

£250 refer-a-friend bonus

Retail and lifestyle discounts

Job summary

Anchor Hanover Group is seeking Bank Chefs to join Bethune Court's catering team in St Leonards on Sea on a casual, 0-hour basis. You’ll cover shifts as needed, work with a Catering Assistant, and ensure nourishing, home-quality meals for residents.

You'll prepare fresh meals, bake from scratch, and support the Chef Manager in maintaining high standards. On-call availability and flexibility are key, with care for diverse dietary needs and a path to permanence for strong performers.

Qualifications

• Must be on-call and able to respond at short notice.
• Professional cookery experience; care home/healthcare catering bonus.
• Able to cook from fresh and bake independently.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene and presentation.
• Hold or be working towards Level 2 Food Hygiene certification.
• Must have legal right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Cook from fresh daily using quality ingredients to deliver nutritious meals.
• Bake breads, cakes and desserts to bring warmth to residents.
• Support the Chef Manager in maintaining food quality and presentation.
• Step in during Chef Manager's absence and keep the kitchen running smoothly.
• Care for diverse dietary needs with care and creativity.

Skills

On-call availability

Care home catering experience

Cooking from fresh

Baking

Education

Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Bank Chef | Care Home Catering | 0-Hour Contract | Bethune Court, St Leonards on Sea

Ready to Cook with Purpose, On Your Own Terms?

If you're a skilled chef looking for flexible, rewarding work that fits around your life, this could be the opportunity you've been waiting for. At Bethune Court in St Leonards on Seawe're looking for passionate Bank Chefs to join our catering team on a casual, 0-hour basis, available to step in when shifts arise.

This isn't just cooking. It's crafting genuinely nourishing, home-quality meals and freshly baked goods for our residents who truly appreciate every plate.

What Does a Bank Chef Role Look Like?

As a casual bank chef, you'll be part of our wider catering support network, available to step in and keep our kitchen running smoothly whenever a need arises. This might be to cover annual leave, sickness absence, or to bridge the gap while we recruit into a permanent position. Shifts are not guaranteed but when they come up, you'll be first in line as a trusted, familiar face in our kitchen.

You won't be going it alone either. On every shift you'll be working alongside a Catering Assistant who will support you day to day, and on occasion you may overlap with an additional Chef or our Chef Manager too.

And before you cook your first shift, we'll make sure you know the kitchen, the residents' needs, and our ways of working, so you can hit the ground running with confidence.

Every shift you do take on will involve:

• Cooking from fresh daily, using quality seasonal ingredients to deliver nutritious, flavoursome meals
• Baking from scratch, bread, cakes, desserts and more, bringing real warmth to our residents' days
• Supporting the Chef Manager in maintaining the highest standards of food quality and presentation
• Stepping up when needed, confidently holding the kitchen together in the Chef Manager's absence
• Catering for diverse dietary needs, from texture-modified diets to cultural preferences, always with care and creativity

Why Bank Work Here Works for You

• Flexible to fit your life, shifts arise as cover is needed, making this ideal if you're looking to supplement existing work or commitments
• Sociable hours, no late nights, no split shifts; care home hours work around real life
• Meaningful work, cooking for people who truly value it, every single day
• Great perks from day one, big-brand retail and lifestyle discounts, Blue Light Card savings, and a £250 refer-a-friend bonus
• Career recognition, enter our annual Chef of the Year competition and showcase your talent on a wider stage
• A pathway to permanence, bank roles can be a great way to get your foot in the door; many of our permanent chefs started exactly this way

You're the Chef We're Looking For If You...

• Are happy to be on-call for shifts and can respond at short notice when cover is needed
• Have professional cookery experience (care home or healthcare catering a bonus, not essential)
• Are confident cooking from fresh and baking independently
• Take pride in food quality, presentation and hygiene standards
• Hold, or are working towards, a Food Hygiene qualification (Level 2 minimum)
• Hold the legal right to work in the UK

Hear From Our Chefs

Curious what it's really like to cook with us? Visit our dedicated Catering careers page to hear from the team:anchor.org.uk/careers/where-you-fit/care/care-home-chef-and-catering-jobs-anchor (Viewing on Indeed? Copy and paste the link into your browser.)