Chef

Sodexo; Newbury; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mental health support

EAP programme

Virtual GP access

Family discounts

Financial wellbeing

Cycle to work

Volunteer day

Job summary

Sodexo is hiring a Chef at Denison Barracks in Thatcham to provide fresh, nutritious meals for military personnel. Join a friendly catering team focused on quality food, teamwork and excellent service.

This full-time role offers 37.5 guaranteed hours per week with Monday to Friday patterns and occasional weekends, giving a stable week and opportunities to develop culinary skills. You will prepare, cook and present meals to high standards while complying with food safety and hygiene requirements,

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Chef or in a similar professional catering environment.
• Passion for cooking and delivering excellent service.
• Level 2 Food Safety/ Food Hygiene qualification.
• Positive attitude, attention to detail, ability to work in a busy kitchen.
• Strong communication and teamwork.
• Flexibility to work shifts, including occasional weekends.
• Military/contract catering or customer-facing experience is an advantage.
• Basic knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and present fresh, nutritious meals to recipe standards.
• Assist in food service including prep, hot plate service and live cooking.
• Maintain high standards of hygiene and cleanliness in kitchen areas.
• Use equipment and ingredients responsibly to minimise waste.
• Collaborate with colleagues to deliver high-quality catering.
• Attend briefings and ensure smooth handovers.
• Follow food safety legislation and training to develop skills.

Skills

Chef experience

Food safety level 2

Communication skills

Flexibility

Military/catering experience

MS Office basics

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

Check your local transport links here: Plan Your Journey | Traveline – enter RG18 9TP as your destination.

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.