Chef

The Methodist Church in Britain; Birtley; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Flexible working

Wellbeing focus

Job summary

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is seeking a chef to join its in-house fresh cook kitchen. You will prepare meals from scratch for patients, staff and visitors, record temperatures, manage allergen information and ensure HACCP compliance in a busy hospital environment.

You will work with the catering team, follow approved recipes, help with stock management and participate in mandatory training and team meetings.

Qualifications

• Three GCSEs or equivalent.
• NVQ level 2 in catering or equivalent.
• Experience in culinary service, hospitality, restaurant or large retail environment.
• Experience working in a large team.
• Working with basic PC, printers and scanners.
• Understanding of maths to adjust recipe quantities.

Responsibilities

• Prepare meals from scratch using approved recipes and methods, then cook and serve them on time.
• Record cooking temperatures and enter all temperature data into the HACCP system.
• Ensure allergen information is correct, using only listed products and reporting any substitutions.
• Keep the working area clean and safe, including taking part in deep cleaning of sections.
• Follow recipes and correct quantities to minimise waste and over-production.
• Optimise stock use by following FIFO.
• Ensure labels are clear and complete and that food is stored correctly and promptly.
• Ensure the section complies with HACCP procedures and all relevant legislation.
• Use departmental computer systems and the patient ordering system to collate figures, produce meals and pass on special diet requests.
• Support team members to meet time pressures and complete tasks to tight guidelines.
• Complete mandatory training and catering-specific training, including food allergen, food safety and Listeria training, and CPD as requested.
• Take part in team meetings and toolbox talks on service improvements and lessons learnt

Skills

Culinary service experience

Hospitality experience

Team working

Basic PC skills

Mathematical adjustments to recipes

Education

Three GCSEs

NVQ Level 2 in catering

Job description

This chef post sits in the in-house fresh cook kitchen of The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, where meals are prepared from scratch on site. The role centres on cooking and serving meals for patients, staff and visitors while keeping a section clean, safe and compliant with allergen and HACCP rules. The post holder works alongside the head chef and catering team and uses the department's patient ordering system to produce special-diet meals. An NVQ level 2 in catering is essential.

What the job involves

• Prepare meals from scratch using approved recipes and methods, then cook and serve them on time
• Record cooking temperatures and enter all temperature data into the HACCP system
• Ensure allergen information is correct, using only listed products and reporting any substitutions
• Keep the working area clean and safe, including taking part in deep cleaning of sections
• Follow recipes and correct quantities to minimise waste and over-production
• Optimise stock use by following FIFO
• Ensure labels are clear and complete and that food is stored correctly and promptly
• Ensure the section complies with HACCP procedures and all relevant legislation
• Use departmental computer systems and the patient ordering system to collate figures, produce meals and pass on special diet requests
• Support team members to meet time pressures and complete tasks to tight guidelines
• Complete mandatory training and catering-specific training, including food allergen, food safety and Listeria training, and CPD as requested
• Take part in team meetings and toolbox talks on service improvements and lessons learnt

What’s required

Qualifications

• Three GCSEs or equivalent
• NVQ level 2 in catering or equivalent

Experience

• Experience in culinary service, hospitality, restaurant or large retail environment
• Experience working in a large team

Skills & knowledge

• Working with basic PC, printers and scanners
• Understanding of maths to adjust recipe quantities

Nice to have

• NVQ or equivalent in nutrition
• Basic food hygiene qualification (CIEH Level 2)
• Previous experience in a hospital trust environment
• Previous experience in a hotel or similar large establishment
• Complaint handling experience
• Ability to conduct risk assessments and familiarity with risk management protocols

What’s offered

• Development opportunities
• Flexible working
• Strong focus on wellbeing