Chef

Aramark Ltd; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training & development

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Employee benefits platform

Well-being hub

EAP

Job summary

Aramark UK is seeking an experienced Chef to join the team at MRC Harwell, OX11 0RD. This full-time, on-site role reports to the Catering Manager and covers food production for one main kitchen with support for ad hoc hospitality.

Responsibilities include managing breakfast and lunch, following Aramark recipes and standards, and ensuring food safety and health & safety compliance. The role involves shift opening/closing and training opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience operating as a chef.
• Organised with a hands-on ability and strong work ethic.
• Passion for people and food.

Responsibilities

• Manage all cooking - breakfast and lunch.
• Support occasional hospitality functions.
• Produce food in line with Aramark recipes, systems and brand standards.
• Learn procedures and standards for kitchen tasks.
• Assist with performance monitoring and record keeping for direct reports.
• Determine the food offer to meet customer demand and profitability.
• Handle customer complaints.
• Ensure team compliance with food safety and health & safety legislation.
• Report incidents and health & safety issues to Chef Manager.
• Open and close shift checklists.
• Maintain good relationships within the team.
• Undertake relevant training as required.

Skills

Experience as Chef

Organised

Hands-on

People & food passion

Job description

Aramark UK is looking to hire an experienced and dedicated Chef to join the fantastic team at MRC Harwell, OX11 0RD. This is an exciting, permanent, and full‑time opportunity reporting to the Catering Manager on site. The role will assume responsibility for all food production across from one main kitchen and support with planned ad hoc hospitality throughout the year. Aramark provides world‑class contract catering services to our extensive list of clients across the UK, including Defence and Judicial, private industry and Education. We are lucky to have some of the best Culinary and Catering talent that the UK has to offer working within our teams.

A day in the life of a Chef:

• Management of all cooking - mainly breakfast and lunch.
• Occasional working lunch hospitality functions.
• Food Production techniques in line with Aramark standard recipes, systems and brand standards.
• Learn procedures and standards for all kitchen tasks.
• Assists with performance monitoring, record keeping, for direct reports.
• Determine the food offer to ensure it meets customers' demands and is profitable.
• Handle customer complaints.
• Ensure complete compliance of team with food safety and health & safety legislation and in line with Aramark standards.
• Report any incidents, near misses and health & safety issues to Chef Manager.
• Responsible for shift opening and closing checklists.
• Maintain good working relationships with all other members of the team.
• Undertake relevant training as required.

Experience and attributes

• Experience operating as a chef.
• Organised with a hands‑on ability and strong work ethic.
• Passion for people and food.

This is a full‑time position 37.5 hours per week, shifts range between 7am and 3pm, leaving your evenings free - a rarity when you work within culinary/hospitality.

Salary and benefits

• £14.50 per hour
• Full training and development opportunities
• Generous annual leave that increases in line with service, with the opportunity to buy extra days
• Defined contribution pension scheme and life assurance benefits
• Access to our employee benefits platform offering discounts at hundreds of retail and leisure providers, as well as our Well‑being Hub.
• This hub provides on‑demand, free access to a variety of resources, including guided meditations, workout videos, sleep aids, virtual GP appointments, and financial and mortgage advice
• Employee Assistance Programme and in‑house Mental Health Champions
• FOOD! Opportunities to attend in‑house events and try the culinary genius of our teams (we are a food business after all!)