Chef

Independents by Sodexo; Newbury; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mental health support

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

24/7 virtual GP access & lifestyle

Discounts for you and your family

Retirement plan

Cycle to Work scheme

Volunteer day

Job summary

Sodexo is seeking a Chef for Denison Barracks in Thatcham to deliver fresh, nutritious meals for military personnel within a supportive catering team. The role offers 37.5 guaranteed hours per week with predominantly Monday–Friday shifts, including occasional weekends, in a structured working week.

You'll prepare meals, maintain high hygiene standards and work collaboratively to provide a high-quality dining experience that makes a real difference.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Chef in a professional catering environment.
• A genuine passion for cooking and delivering high-quality service.
• Level 2 Food Safety or Food Hygiene qualification or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and present fresh, nutritious meals following menus and quality standards.
• Support food service including food prep, hot plate service and live cooking when required.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and housekeeping.
• Use kitchen equipment and supplies responsibly, minimise waste, report faults or incidents.
• Collaborate with colleagues and managers to deliver a reliable, high-quality catering service.
• Attend team briefings and communicate clearly to keep services running smoothly.
• Follow food safety legislation and company procedures, and engage in training to develop skills.

Skills

Experience in professional catering

Passion for cooking

Good communication

Ability to work in busy kitchen

Teamwork

Flexibility to work shifts

Microsoft Office (Word/Excel/Outlook)

Education

Level 2 Food Safety / Food Hygiene qualification

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

Job description

• 37.5 hours per week
• Monday to Friday (occasional weekends)
• Various shift patterns
• Early shift: 06:30–14:30 | Late shift: 11:00–19:00
• £15.69 per hour

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Are you a passionate Chef looking for a full-time role with guaranteed hours, a regular working pattern and the opportunity to make a real difference?

Join Sodexo as a Chef at Denison Barracks in Thatcham, where your cooking skills will help deliver fresh, nutritious and delicious meals for military personnel. You’ll be part of a friendly, professional catering team where quality food, teamwork and great service are at the heart of everything we do.

With 37.5 guaranteed hours per week, predominantly Monday to Friday working choice , this is an opportunity to put your culinary skills to good use while enjoying a structured working week. You’ll have the chance to take pride in your work, develop your skills and contribute to a catering service that genuinely matters.

From preparing and cooking meals to ensuring every dish is served to a high standard, you’ll play an important part in creating a positive dining experience. If you enjoy working in a busy kitchen, take pride in producing great food and want to be part of a supportive team, we’d love to hear from you!

What you’ll do:

• Prepare, cook and present fresh, nutritious meals in line with menus, recipes and quality standards, ensuring food is served safely and at the correct temperature.
• Help deliver a smooth and efficient food service, including food preparation, hot plate service and live cooking where required.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene, personal presentation, cleanliness and housekeeping throughout the kitchen and catering areas.
• Use kitchen equipment, ingredients and supplies responsibly, helping to minimise waste and reporting faults, accidents or near misses promptly.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, managers, customers and clients to deliver a welcoming, reliable and high-quality catering service.
• Attend team briefings, contribute to effective handovers and communicate clearly to keep services running smoothly.
• Follow food safety legislation, company procedures and safe working practices, while embracing training and development opportunities to build your skills.

What you bring:

• Previous experience as a Chef or in a similar professional catering environment.
• A genuine passion for cooking, preparing quality food and delivering excellent service.
• A Level 2 Food Safety or Food Hygiene qualification, or equivalent.
• A positive, can-do attitude, good attention to detail and the ability to work effectively in a busy kitchen.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work well with colleagues and customers.
• The flexibility to work the required shift patterns, including occasional weekends.
• Experience in a military, contract catering or customer-facing environment would be an advantage.
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel and Outlook, would be beneficial.

What we offer:

At Sodexo, your work is about more than preparing great food. It’s about being part of a team that makes a difference every day. You’ll join an established organisation where you can develop your culinary skills, build your experience and explore opportunities for career progression.

Alongside your hourly pay and guaranteed weekly hours, we offer a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, finances and life outside work.

In addition, we offer:

• Mental health and wellbeing support.
• Employee Assistance Programme, providing personal, legal and financial advice.
• 24/7 virtual GP access and lifestyle rewards.
• Discounts for you and your family.
• Financial wellbeing tools and retirement plan.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Paid volunteering day.

Join Sodexo as a Chef at Denison Barracks and bring your passion for food to a team providing an important catering service for the Ministry of Defence.