Chef

Busy Bees; Enfield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nursery group in the UK seeks a passionate Chef to provide nutritious meals for young children. The role includes overseeing kitchen operations, ensuring compliance with food safety standards, and managing staff. The ideal candidate should have a Food Hygiene Certificate and experience in catering. Join a nurturing environment, gain valuable experience, and contribute to children's development while enjoying competitive benefits and ongoing professional development.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

28 days holiday

Childcare discount

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above) is mandatory.
• Experience in catering or kitchen operations is needed.
• Ability to empathize and understand children's unique needs.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary needs.
• Oversee kitchen operations ensuring food safety and hygiene compliance.
• Manage kitchen staff and assist during inspections.

Skills

Food Hygiene Certificate

Experience in catering

Empathy and understanding

Job description

Role Overview

Join Our Team at Busy Bees – Leading Nursery Group in the UK

Are you passionate about cooking and providing nutritious meals for young children? As a Chef at Busy Bees, you’ll be a key part of our kitchen team, preparing healthy meals that support children’s growth and development. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a nurturing environment where you will contribute to the wellbeing of children while gaining valuable experience in catering within the early years sector.

About Us

Busy Bees is the UK’s leading nursery group, with nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and more overseas. We are dedicated to giving every child the best start in life and are proud to have won awards for our workplace culture. At Busy Bees, we ensure that every member of our team feels heard, valued, and nurtured.

Why Work at Busy Bees?

We offer a supportive environment that empowers you to create engaging, educational spaces where children can thrive. As part of our team, you’ll be introduced to our unique Bee Curious curriculum, designed to foster curiosity and confidence in young learners.

Our Charitable Commitment

Through our partnership with BBC Children in Need, we offer fantastic opportunities for community involvement and fundraising to support children’s lives.

About our Nursery

Montessori by Busy Bees Enfield, rated Good by Ofsted, accommodates 68 children and offers a carefully prepared educational programme in a happy, relaxed, and caring environment. Our nursery focuses on supporting every area of your child’s development, ensuring we lay the foundations for their future learning and fulfil their potential while facilitating a smooth and progressive transition to full-time education. Conveniently located in the heart of Enfield on Baker Street, EN1, we provide complimentary lunches for our children and free parking for staff, creating a welcoming and accessible environment for families.

Busy Bees Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• Our ‘Hive’ benefits and wellbeing hub, with discounts across a huge range of retailers
• Up to 28 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)
• Your birthday off – it’s our gift to you!
• 25% childcare discount
• Enhanced family leave and return to work bonus
• Menopause support through Peppy
• Financial support through Salary Finance
• Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Easy access to your workplace pension through Cushon
• Discounted Private Medical Insurance (PMI)

But wait, there’s more! You’ll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive – offering huge arrays of retail discounts helping your money to go further, along with a Wellbeing Hub featuring resources to support your physical and mental health. A Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members. Plus, a dedicated Grow with Us area sharing the exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive and grow at Busy Bees.

Role Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary needs.
• Oversee kitchen operations ensuring food safety and hygiene compliance.
• Manage kitchen staff and collaborate with regulatory bodies during inspections.
• Maintain kitchen inventory and efficiently manage purchasing.

Required Qualifications

Ideal Candidate

• Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above).
• Experience in catering or kitchen operations.
• Empathy and understanding – each child is unique.

If you’re passionate about food and nutrition and maybe you have experience as Chef, an Assistant Chef, a Cook or managed a cafe apply now!