Catering Assistant

Holroyd Howe; Godalming; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days holiday

Volunteer days

Grandparent leave

Maternity leave 24 weeks

Training & development

Pension & life insurance

Perkbox discounts

Wellbeing hub

Free meals on site

Career development

Onsite parking

Closed over Christmas

Gym discounts

Job summary

Holroyd Howe, at Charterhouse School in Godalming, is seeking a friendly Catering Assistant to support breakfast, lunch and dinner service for students, staff and guests in a busy school environment. The role covers 5 days out of 7 with shifts including mornings and the 12:30pm–8:30pm window.

You will help with food service, maintain cleanliness, assist the kitchen team and provide excellent customer service.

Qualifications

• Experience in contract or high-volume catering preferred.
• Good Health & Safety knowledge.
• Flexible with a can-do attitude and customer-focused.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
• Team player with strong customer service.
• Flexible with 5-out-of-7 shift patterns.

Responsibilities

• Support the preparation, service and presentation of food to a high standard.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene across kitchen and service areas.
• Assist with food labelling, temperature checks and allergen controls.
• Provide excellent customer service to pupils, staff and visitors.
• Set up and clear service areas, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations.
• Follow all food safety, health and safeguarding procedures.
• Contribute to hospitality events and occasional out-of-hours functions.
• Accountability for following and championing allergen controls.

Job description

Job Title: Catering Assistant

Location: Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey (GU7 2DX)

Salary: £27,300.00 per annum

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent (35 hours per week, 5 out of 7 days)

Why Join Us?

• 28 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development & HIT Apprenticeships for all experience levels
• Free onsite parking
• Fully closed over Christmas and New Year
• Access to discounted onsite gym membership (from £50 per year)

About the Role

We are looking for a friendly, reliable, and hardworking Catering Assistant to join the catering team at Charterhouse School. You will support the day-to-day operation of the catering department, helping to deliver breakfast, lunch, and dinner service to students, staff, and guests within a busy education environment. Duties will include food service, maintaining cleanliness standards, supporting the kitchen team, and delivering excellent customer service. In return, we ask for flexibility in your working approach, as this is a 5 out of 7-day role covering both morning and evening shifts. Evening shifts are typically 12:30pm – 8:30pm, meaning if you live locally, you can still be home relaxing by 9pm. Flexibility is essential, but shift patterns are designed to support a healthy work-life balance wherever possible. You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh, innovative food services exclusively to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering provision to meet the bespoke requirements of each school community. The safety and wellbeing of the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do. Through training, communication, and care, we create dining experiences that are safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for every pupil and guest.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the preparation, service, and presentation of food to a high standard
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene across kitchen and service areas
• Assist with food labelling, temperature checks, and allergen controls
• Provide excellent customer service to pupils, staff, and visitors
• Set up and clear service areas, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations
• Follow all food safety, health & safety, and safeguarding procedures
• Contribute to hospitality events and occasional out-of-hours functions
• Accountability for following and championing allergen controls

Candidate Profile

• Ideally have experience working within contract, or high-volume catering
• Possess a good Health & Safety knowledge
• Flexible with a can-do attitude, customer-focused
• Fun and enthusiastic
• Have excellent organisation skills
• Demonstrate great attention to detail
• Be a team player and enjoy succeeding as a team
• Possess great customer service skills
• Have a flexible approach to work

Additional Information

People first

We’re a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.

Great food, always

Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.

Food education

We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.

Respect in everything we do

Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.

Fresh thinking

New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.

In order to be considered for this role you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.