Catering Assistant | Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust; Slough; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Slough is seeking Catering Assistants to join their busy Catering team. The role involves serving food, assisting with food preparation, and maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Previous catering experience and a Food Safety Certificate are desirable, but full training is provided. The position requires working 5 days a week, including weekends. Ideal for someone who enjoys a team-oriented environment.

Qualifications

• Desirable: Previous catering experience and a Food Safety Certificate (not essential).
• Maths and English assessment required as part of recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Help deliver high-quality catering service to patients and staff.
• Assist with food preparation and serving in dining areas.
• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards.

Skills

Customer service

Food hygiene

Teamwork

Job description

Overview

We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated Catering Assistants to join our busy and rewarding Catering team. In this role, you will help deliver a professional, high-quality catering service to patients, staff, and visitors across the hospital. As a Catering Assistant, you will play an important part in ensuring a positive experience for everyone you serve. Your day-to-day tasks may include serving in patient and staff dining areas, assisting with food preparation, delivering meals to wards, operating tills, and supporting the smooth running of the department. This is a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, ideal for someone who enjoys working as part of a team but is also confident taking responsibility for individual tasks. You must be committed to maintaining high standards of customer service, cleanliness, and food hygiene in line with Trust policies.

Previous catering experience and a Food Safety Certificate are desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided. As part of the recruitment process, candidates will be required to complete a Maths and English assessment to progress to interview. Please ensure you have the right to work in the UK before applying as we cannot provide sponsorship for this role.

Responsibilities

• You will be working 5 days out of 7 days, including weekends, between 6:45 am to 8:00 pm.
• The role requires that the job holder follow the duties laid out by the Café Supervisor in the day-to-day operational management of the café.
• You’ll be expected to treat visitors and staff in a welcoming, friendly and efficient manner while maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene; you will be working as part of a motivated team in the Courtyard restaurant.
• The job holder will assist the Supervisor to expand and/or make recommendations for improving standards and enhancing the service to all customers through quality initiatives and by looking at ways of maximising good customer care and income generation.
• You’ll need to be aware of menu content whilst understanding the importance of portion control, food presentation and customer care. You must ensure that the privacy and dignity of visitors, staff and patients are respected at all times.
• Undertake all duties relating to food service including:
  • Prepare food service areas and equipment (e.g., placing equipment ready for use such as woks, fryers).
  • Serve food and drinks in patient/staff dining outlets and on the patient meal assembly belt.
  • Ensure a full supply of crockery and cutlery to the restaurant during service hours.
  • Deliver and collect meal trolleys to/from wards and departments.
  • Deliver catering supplies to wards and departments including call orders.
  • Menu collation, picking of all ward food according to menu choice and recording information.
• Undertake preparation of all foodstuffs:
  • Assist in food preparation (e.g., peeling vegetables, prepping salad items, traying up and labeling items).
  • Assessment of good portion control, manage food waste and appropriate record keeping.
  • Decant chilled food.
  • Regeneration of food and garnishing.
  • Adhere strictly to standard recipes and production methods, check food and beverages served for quantity, quality and appearance and maintain correct standards of hygiene and temperature control as per HACCP.
• Operate cash registers in retail areas, demonstrating due diligence at all times:
  • Undertake cashier duties including receipt and accounting of cash and vouchers, operation of cash register to give correct change, ensuring cash security, maintaining records relating to cash handling, balance cash takings with till receipts and account for differences.
  • Comply with all organisational and departmental procedures relating to cash handling and security.
  • Replace or refund patients or retail customers to ensure immediate customer satisfaction, escalating to supervisor or manager as required.

Qualifications

• Desirable: Previous catering experience and a Food Safety Certificate (not essential; full training provided).
• Maths and English assessment required as part of recruitment; right to work in the UK before applying (no sponsorship).

This advert closes on Wednesday 22 Oct 2025