Catering Assistant

OCS Group; Southend-on-Sea; Remote; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-Winning Employer

Digital Learning

Retail Perks

Job summary

OCS UK & Ireland is seeking a Kitchen Assistant to support our catering team during term-time at a site in the UK. You will help with food preparation, keep the kitchen area clean, receive deliveries, and assist with serving customers.

Ideal candidates have basic catering awareness (Food Handling or equivalent), basic knife and food prep skills, strong time management, and the ability to work under pressure. DBS/enhanced security check and Right to Work in the UK are required.

Qualifications

• Commercial kitchen experience is valued.
• Basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling is desirable but not essential.
• Must have basic knife skills, food preparation and time management.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain good organisation.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Help with food preparation tasks (peeling, chopping, trimming, sandwiches, salads).
• Maintain cleanliness of kitchen area and equipment; clean utensils and stations.
• Assist with receiving/unpacking deliveries and organising food and supplies.
• Serve food items to customers according to the chefs' menu.
• Top up vending services daily.

Skills

Commercial kitchen experience

Knife skills

Food preparation

Time management

Organisational skills

Stamina (standing for long periods)

Education

Food Handling certificate

Job description

About The Role

Shift Pattern: Monday to Friday, term time only

As part of your role, your key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Help with food preparation tasks such as peeling, chopping, trimming, and making sandwiches and salads
• Be responsible for maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen area and equipment. This includes cleaning utensils, tableware, and catering stations
• Assist with receiving and unpacking all deliveries and ensure that the food and supply storage areas are organised
• Serve food items to customers in accordance with the menu prepared by the Chefs
• Top up the vending services daily

What are we looking for?

• Commercial kitchen experience is highly valued but not essential
• Possess a basic Catering and Hospitality certificate such as Food Handling or equivalent is desired but not essential as we can provide this for you
• Must have basic knife skills, food preparation skills, and time management skills.
• Can work under pressure and excellent organisational skills are also important
• Can stand for extended periods is often necessary due to the physical nature of the job

The ideal candidate should meet the following criteria

• Must have the Right to Work in the UK
• Must be prepared to undergo a DBS or Enhanced security check
• Good time-management and organisational abilities

About The Company

OCS UK & Ireland is a leading facilities management company with 50,000+ colleagues and a turnover in excess of £2bn. We deliver innovative, award-winning services within facilities management, hard services, cleaning, security and catering.

Our mission is to make people and places the best they can be for our colleagues, customers and the communities we serve. Our commitment to doing business the right way is rooted in our TRUE values -Trust, Respect, Unity, and Empowerment.

Why Work for OCS?

Award-Winning Employer: Ranked 36th on Glassdoor’s Best Companies to Work For 2025 — we value and motivate our people.

Digital Learning: The OCS Academy offers digital courses and resources to help you build skills and grow your career.

Retail Perks With our Hapi app, you can gain access to exclusive discounts, rewards and wellbeing resources.

Professional Growth: 600+ live learners across UK&I — Empowering colleagues with further development and qualifications!

Flexible Pay: Access a portion of earned wages before payday with our Wagestream App! (Contract Specific)

We are an equal opportunities employer and rely on a diverse workforce with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds to deliver our goals. We offer an inclusive and welcoming environment and actively encourage applications from all individuals regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.