Chef/Cook

Marton Care Homes; South Shields; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

Marton Care Homes is seeking a Chef/Cook to join The Lodge in South Shields. The role focuses on creating nutritious, resident-centred meals and supporting a caring kitchen team within a family-run care home.

You will plan, prepare and cook meals, supervise the kitchen staff, ensure HACCP and health and safety compliance, manage stock, and contribute to a warm, flexible dining service that fits residents' needs, including some evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Warm, approachable and positive
• Organised, reliable and capable of planning events
• Creative, enthusiastic and able to motivate others
• Passionate about improving the lives of older people
• Willing to work some evenings and weekends
• Previous care-setting experience is a bonus, but personality and values matter

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare and cook a variety of meals that are nutritious and tailored to residents' preferences and dietary requirements, following the care home's Good Food guidelines and obtaining approvals as needed from Head Office

Job description

Job Description: Chef/Cook

Location: The Lodge, South Shields, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom

Job Type: Permanent, Full-time (35 hours per week, includes occasional evenings and weekends)

Sponsorship: Not currently available

Join Marton Care Homes – Make A Difference, Every Day

Marton Care Homes is a family-run care group, built on a foundation of compassion, respect, and a deep commitment to personalised care. Our vision is simple: to create homes where people are treated as individuals, supported with dignity, and empowered to live their best possible life.

At home name l, these values are at the heart of everything we do. We’re currently looking for a Chef/Cook to join a team that truly cares about each other, our residents, and the quality of life we provide.

We believe life should be full of joy and purpose. That’s why we’re looking for an enthusiastic and compassionate Chef/Cook to help create meaningful, engaging experiences for our residents every day. This is your chance to be part of something truly rewarding, helping make people smile and turning ordinary moments into lasting memories.

What You’ll Be Doing

As our Chef Cook, you’ll play a vital role in enriching the lives of residents by:

• To plan, prepare and cook a variety of meals which are appealing, nutritious and centres around residents’ preferences, requests or any special dietary requirements, to follow Marton Care Homes’ Good Food Guide and, where appropriate, make amendments after authorisation from Head Office.
• To be active and encouraging, provide advice and guidance for the team ensuring that Marton is a friendly, supportive working environment.
• Responsible for the supervision and appraisals of the Kitchen Team.
• Interview applicants for vacancies within the Kitchen Team.
• To understand and comply with statutory and legal requirements such as HACCP, Health and Safety, COSHH, Environmental Health, ensuring a safe environment within the home.
• Implement, monitor and maintain cleaning schedules that meet the requirements of the Food Safety Manual, and ensure that all areas of the kitchen are immaculately clean. This will include the washing up of pots, pans and dishes when required.
• Ensure sufficient food stocks are ordered and received from approved suppliers and that stock rotation is taking place to maintain optimum freshness of all foodstuff ensuring the highest quality expected within Marton Care Home.
• Responsible for all kitchen equipment ensuring it is in full, safe working order, reporting any damage or faults to the Handyman and Home Manager and following up any appropriate action.
• To be an active member of the Marton team, contribute to team meetings, and assist the Home Manager with the selection, interviewing, induction and on-going development of catering staff.
• To be understanding towards residents and their needs and attend resident/relative meetings. Regularly monitor and assess resident’s satisfaction with the catering service provided in their home, and respond accordingly and positively to ideas and feedback.

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking someone who is:

• Warm, approachable, and brimming with positivity
• Organised, reliable, and confident in planning events
• Creative, enthusiastic, and able to motivate others
• Passionate about improving the lives of older people
• Able to work flexibly across some evenings and weekends
• Previous experience in a care setting is a bonus, but we’re just as interested in your personality and values

What We Offer

Working at Marton Care Homes means being part of something special. You’ll enjoy:

• A friendly, supportive, and welcoming workplace
• Real opportunities for ongoing training and career progression
• A chance to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives every day
• A valued role within a close-knit team that cares as much about each other as we do our residents