Chef-Bank

Thornford Park; Colthrop; On-site; GBP 1,254,000 - 1,320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hourly rate £13.25

Weekly pay

Three-week induction

Subsidised meals

Free parking

Mandatory training

Wellbeing support

Pension contribution

Career progression

Job summary

Thornford Park is a 141-bed hospital in Berkshire seeking a Catering Assistant to prepare, cook and serve meals to service users, staff and visitors to a high standard. You will follow dietary requests, maintain hygiene, and assist with menus and cost control within a multidisciplinary team.

You will work to Safer Food Better Business standards, keep HACCP records, and take shift responsibility for catering operations, with opportunities to progress. Weekly pay and induction are provided.

Qualifications

• GCSE English or equivalent required.
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 or equivalent qualification.
• Experience preparing and producing quality food to a high standard.
• Knowledge of menu planning and costing.
• Experience delivering a service on mass.
• Basic food preparation and hygiene competencies.
• Supervising qualification or working towards.

Responsibilities

• Maintain good food storage procedures and stock rotation.
• Prepare, plan and cook meals to a high standard with dietary considerations.
• Serve service users, staff and visitors professionally.
• Prepare foods for conferences and banquets.
• Participate in food costings through cost control procedures.
• Adhere to Safer Food Better Business standards and record keeping.
• Follow Food Hygiene Regulations and safety procedures.
• Take full shift responsibility for catering operations.
• Assist Head Chef with new menus aligned to healthy eating guidelines.
• Complete HACCP paperwork (fridge temps, logs, cleaning schedules).

Skills

Basic Food Preparation Cooking

Basic Food Hygiene

Supervising qualification

Experience preparing high-quality food

Menu planning and costing

Mass service delivery experience

Education

GCSE English

City & Guilds 706/1 and 2

Job description

Key responsibilities

• good food storage procedures and stock rotation according to established procedures
• Preparing, planning and cooking meals to a consistently high standard, taking account of any special requests or dietary requirements within the unit
• Serving service users, staff and visitors with food and beverage in a professional and courteous services manner
• Preparing and producing foods for conferences and banquets
• Participating in food costings through effective cost control procedures
• Adhering to the 'Safer Food Better Business' standards and record keeping
• Adhering strictly to Food Hygiene Regulations and other safety procedures at all times
• Taking full shift responsibility for the catering operation
• Assisting the Head Chef by researching and creating new menus ensuring meals are of a high quality and compliment healthy eating guidelines
• Correctly filling of all paperwork in relation to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system (HACCP) i.e. Fridge temperatures, food temperature logs and cleaning schedules

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• To be 18 years or older
• GCSE or equivalent English
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 (or equivalent)
• Basic Food Preparation Cooking
• Basic Food Hygiene
• Supervising qualification or working towards
• Experience preparing and producing quality food to a high standard
• Knowledge of menu planning and costing
• Previous experience in delivery a service on mass

Where you will be working:

Thornford Park is a 141 bed hospital set within 21 acres of Berkshire countryside, offering a seamless care pathway across medium and low secure services, psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs), and rehabilitation flats. The site supports men and women with complex Mental Health needs, Personality Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Autism-often with histories of offending or previous placement challenges.
Services include:
Medium & Low Secure Units for acute and long-term care
PICUs for individuals in psychiatric crisis
Older Adult Services with age-appropriate, holistic interventions
Specialist Learning Disability & Autism Pathways with integrated secure settings and step-down flats
You'll be part of a recovery-focused, multidisciplinary team helping people move safely toward greater independence. Thornford Park is easily accessible via Thatcham train station, with shuttle transport available.
Location: Crookham Hill, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 8ET

What you will get:

• Hourly rate of £13.25 (Plus a 12.07% Holiday Allowance Uplift)
• Weekly pay!
• Three-week paid induction
• Subsidised meals
• Free parking
• Mandatory training to ensure you are fully able to do your job at the best of your ability
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a great work-life balance
• Pension contribution to secure your future (Optional)
• There is also the option to progress into a permanent role to unlock additional benefits, including career development pathways to grow your career.

About your next employer:

You will be working for an established, stable and agile company with over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 80 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move. Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally. Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person's individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure.

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