Chef

Busy Bees Nurseries; Lichfield; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

Bee Benefits and Wellbeing platform

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Peppy menopause support

Salary Finance

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work

Pension scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Job summary

Busy Bees Nurseries in the UK is seeking a motivated Chef to join our kitchen team at Busy Bees leading nursery group. You will prepare healthy meals that meet dietary needs for young children and maintain high food safety standards in a busy early years setting.

This maternity cover runs from December 2026 to mid October 2027, with opportunities to contribute to menu planning, staff supervision, and collaboration with regulatory inspections.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering or kitchen operations.
• Empathy and understanding that each child is unique.

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.

Skills

Catering experience

Food safety

Education

Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2+)

Job description

Chef

Date Posted: 2026-08-16T20:58:26

Location: Abbey Hulton, Staffordshire, GB, ST2 8

Application Deadline: 2026-09-15T03:38:40.693

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. This is a maternity cover role from December 2026 - mid October 2027.

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

Busy Bees St Matthews nursery, rated "Good" by Ofsted, is a beautifully converted church that provides a warm, welcoming, and stimulating environment for children to thrive. With a capacity of 111, our nursery is designed to give children everything they need to grow, develop, and prepare for school. The stunning architecture of St Matthews Nursery is integrated into various activities and areas for exploration, including cozy reading corners tucked behind exposed brick archways and main play areas flooded with natural light from vast windows. The space has been thoughtfully adapted to modern standards, featuring interactive smart boards that bring learning to life for the children at Busy Bees Burntwood.

Conveniently located just outside the historical city of Lichfield, our nursery is only a 10-minute drive from the nearest train station, Lichfield City. Free parking is available for staff.

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 is 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 array 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 showcases the ways we recognize 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

• 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

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