Chef

NHS; Poole; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Poole is seeking a qualified Chef to provide high-quality meals for patients and staff. The role involves cooking, following safety regulations, and ensuring service quality. Ideal candidates should have experience in large scale catering, culinary expertise, and excellent communication skills. This full-time position offers various employment benefits, including enhanced pay for unsocial hours and paid training.

Benefits

Enhanced Pay for unsocial hours

Free uniform

27 days paid holiday

NHS Pension Scheme

Salary sacrifice scheme opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience working in a kitchen under pressure.
• Knowledge of health and safety regulations.
• Ability to work flexibly in various locations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals for patients and staff.
• Maintain standards of food safety and cleanliness.
• Follow recipes accurately and ensure service quality.

Skills

Culinary expertise

Attention to detail

Experience in large scale catering

Communication skills

Education

City & Guilds 706/1 706/2 or equivalent

Level 3 Food Hygiene/Safety

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Chef

The closing date is 12 October 2025

University Hospitals Dorset is seeking a friendly, hardworking, reliable & qualified Chef to work within the Catering team to provide freshly cooked food to our patients and staff. The team is responsible for providing an efficient, high quality, dedicated food and beverage service, operating in compliance with corporate and local policies and procedures.

Experience of working in a similar environment and the professional qualification standard COSHH and allergen training (or willingness to work towards it) are required. But just as important are the commitment to provide a first class service and a belief in teamwork.

A driving licence would be an advantage but is not essential, this position has to cover 7 days and you will work any 5 days

What working for us will provide:

• Enhanced Pay for unsocial hours worked (Saturday, Sunday).
• No split shifts
• Paid training
• Free uniform
• 27 days paid holiday (pro rata for part time) plus bank holidays
• Increased holiday allowance after 5 and 10 years' service
• Enrolment in the NHS Pension Scheme
• Salary sacrifice scheme opportunities - including childcare vouchers, car lease and cycle scheme, home technology equipment
• Staff Rates on Items in the Catering Departments retail outlets.
• NHS discounts to save on your shopping, gym membership and more

Please Note: Previously unsuccessful applicants need not apply

Base - Bournemouth Hospital

Interview Date - to be confirmed

Main duties of the job

Your tasks could include:

• Ensure the preparation, cooking and service of meals for patients and staff is to the standard of City & Guilds 706 1/2 or NVQ equivalent.
• Liaise effectively with Food Production Manager on meal quality, and inform all staff about any menu changes.
• Follow recipes accurately, so as to ensure correct cooking times, cooking methods and number of portions produced.
• It may be necessary for you to work in differing sections of the Catering Department to meet service needs. This would usually be duties appropriate to band level.

You must be flexible to work locations and hours and to meeting the needs of our customers and patients whilst being supportive of the large food service operation at the UHD.

About us

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme. This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.

This post is part of the Operational Estates service that UHD may transfer to an NHS 'wholly owned subsidiary'; the proposed date of transfer is October 2025. This is an exciting opportunity to join a developing, expanding, organisation with a strong commitment to NHS values and putting patients first. The NHS wholly owned subsidiary will continue to offer NHS AFC T&Cs to current employees who transfer in October as well as to new employees recruited after that date.

Job responsibilities

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person Specification

Qualificaions

• City & Guilds 706/1 706/2 or equivalent vocational level 3 qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Level 3 Food Hygiene/Safety

Experience

• Large scale Catering experience within healthcare sector
• Experience of special dietary requirements gained through Education & training to level 3.
• ``Work unsupervised in all areas of the kitchen
• Previous experience within catering sector
• Previous NHS experience
• Attention to detail inc. Accuracy & ability to multi-task.
• Culinary Expertise (Excellent knife skills, Equipment knowledge, Safety/Sanitation methods, cooking methods)
• Evidence of creativity by introducing new recipe ideas in areas of control

Knowledge

• Good understanding of food nutrition
• Good understanding of H&S, HACCP & COSHH regulations
• Understand the needs of Special Diets for patients

Personal Attributes

• Able to work as part of a team and mix with other members of staff
• Ability to communicate effectively with all hospital staff
• Passion for cooking
• Evidence of working in busy kitchens

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust