Cook

Reed Specialist Recruitment; Ashford; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 19,000; Full time

Job summary

Reed Specialist Recruitment is seeking an Industrial Cook for a busy food manufacturing operation in the UK. The role involves preparing, cooking, and processing products to meet recipes and specifications while upholding food safety and hygiene standards.

The candidate should have experience in cooking, catering, or food production, be able to lift up to 25 kg, and be comfortable with automated production systems.

Qualifications

• Experience in cooking, catering, or food production.
• Ability to lift up to 25kg manually.
• Good attention to detail and quality.
• Comfort with automated production systems.

Responsibilities

• Follow recipes and production instructions to manufacture products to specification.
• Weigh, prepare and add ingredients to production machinery.
• Ensure traceability of raw materials and finished goods.
• Complete production documentation accurately.
• Maintain cleanliness of equipment, workstations, and areas.
• Adhere to food safety procedures including HACCP and heat processing.
• Store materials at correct temperatures and prevent contamination.
• Report non-conforming products or quality concerns.
• Ensure correct segregation of ingredients, including allergens.
• Report equipment faults promptly.
• Keep production areas organized and compliant with standards.
• Comply with site food safety, hygiene, and quality policies.

Skills

Cooking experience

Manual handling

Attention to detail

Automated production systems

Tools

Automated production systems

Job description

Industrial Cook

Contract: Temporary to Permanent

Pay Rate: £12.95 per hour, increasing to £13.80 per hour after 6 months

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11:30am to 8:00pm

About the Role

We are recruiting for an Industrial Cook to join a busy food manufacturing operation. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a background in cooking, catering, or food production who is looking for a long-term role within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing, cooking, and processing food products in line with production recipes and specifications, while maintaining the highest standards of food safety, quality, and hygiene.

Key Responsibilities

• Follow recipes and production instructions accurately to manufacture products to specification.
• Weigh, prepare, and add ingredients to production machinery.
• Ensure full traceability of all raw materials and ingredients used throughout production.
• Complete production documentation and control records accurately.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness across equipment, workstations, production areas, and personal protective clothing.
• Adhere to all food safety procedures, including HACCP controls, heat processing, filtration, and metal detection processes.
• Store and handle raw materials and finished goods at the correct temperatures and prevent contamination.
• Report any non-conforming products or quality concerns to the relevant department.
• Ensure correct segregation of ingredients where required, including allergens and other controlled materials.
• Report equipment faults or operational issues promptly to management.
• Keep production areas clean, organised, and compliant with company standards.
• Comply with all site food safety, hygiene, and quality policies.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Previous experience in a cooking, catering, chef, or food production role.
• The ability to undertake manual handling and heavy lifting of up to 25kg.
• Basic computer skills and confidence working with automated production systems.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• A proactive attitude with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• An understanding of food hygiene and food safety standards.

What's on Offer?

• Temporary to permanent opportunity with long-term career prospects.
• Pay increase after successful completion of 6 months.
• Monday to Friday working pattern.
• Opportunity to join an established and growing food manufacturing business.