Chef | University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Poole; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Poole is looking for a qualified Chef to join their Catering team. You will be responsible for preparing and serving meals for patients and staff, ensuring high standards of food quality. Ideal candidates will have experience in a similar environment and a commitment to teamwork. This role offers a generous starting salary, paid training, and various employee benefits, including holidays and NHS pension scheme enrollment.

Benefits

Generous starting salary

Enhanced pay for unsocial hours

27 days paid holiday plus bank holidays

Free uniform

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Experience in similar food preparation roles.
• Willingness to undergo COSHH and allergen training.
• Flexibility in working locations and hours.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals meeting City & Guilds standard.
• Communicate with food production management on meal quality.
• Follow recipes accurately for portion control.

Skills

Cooking skills

Teamwork

Food safety knowledge

Job description

Overview

University Hospitals Dorset is seeking a friendly, hardworking, reliable and 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.

What working for us will provide

• Generous starting salary
• 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 Department’s retail outlets
• NHS discounts to save on shopping, gym memberships and more

Base – Bournemouth Hospital

Interview Date – to be confirmed

Your tasks and responsibilities

• 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 the 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.

Qualifications and experience

• Experience of working in a similar environment and COSHH and allergen training (or willingness to work towards it) are required.
• Commitment to provide a first-class service and a belief in teamwork.
• A driving licence would be an advantage but is not essential; the role covers 7 days and you will work any 5 days.

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future.

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. The subsidiary will continue to offer NHS AFC Terms and Conditions to current employees who transfer in October as well as to new employees recruited after that date.

Please note: If the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, or if the role is no longer available, applicants will be advised accordingly.

This advert closes on Sunday 12 Oct 2025