Cook

Toynbee School; Chandler's Ford; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD and induction programme

Private healthcare (Bupa)

Local Government Pension Scheme

1 personal day per year

Job summary

Toynbee School is seeking an enthusiastic Cook to join our in-house kitchen, The Kitchen. You will assist with food preparation, service, and maintaining a clean, safe working environment for pupils, staff and visitors. The role supports sustainable, high-quality school dining and may involve till duties during busy service periods.

Experience in catering or food-service is preferred. You will be part of a friendly team committed to health, wellbeing and excellent value meals for the school

Qualifications

• Experience in catering or food-service environment.
• Commitment to high hygiene and safety standards.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare food items such as sandwiches, salads and snacks.
• Serve meals to pupils and staff; operate tills during busy periods.
• Carry out routine cleaning duties to maintain hygiene in kitchen and dining areas.
• Support with food preparation and daily kitchen operations.

Skills

Food safety

Catering experience

Team player

Hygiene standards

Service and till operation

Job description

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and dedicated Cook's to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to support the daily operation of The Kitchen, helping us deliver a high-quality, healthy, and sustainable dining experience for our school community. Launched in September 2025, The Kitchen at Toynbee School is our in-house catering service for pupils, staff, and visitors. Our vision is to create a vibrant, sustainable dining experience - from nutritious main meals to convenient "on the go" options - that supports health and wellbeing across our whole community. We are committed to serving high-quality, locally sourced meals that promote health, celebrate variety, and respect the planet. By offering outstanding value for money and ensuring every stakeholder - especially the most vulnerable - enjoys the best meal of their day, we aim to build a welcoming and supportive food culture that fosters community, wellbeing, and a lifelong love of good food. As Cook, you will play a key role in helping deliver this vision. Working under the direction of the Catering Manager, you will support with food preparation, service, and maintaining a clean, safe, and efficient working environment. This will include preparing food items such as sandwiches, salads, and snacks; serving meals to pupils and staff; operating tills during busy service periods; and carrying out routine cleaning duties to ensure the kitchen and dining areas meet high standards of hygiene and safety. The successful candidate will:

• Be passionate about food, sustainability, and supporting young people's health and wellbeing.
  Have experience working in a catering or food-service environment.
• Be a reliable team player with good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrate excellent standards of hygiene, safety, and organisation.
• Be confident in completing daily tasks such as food preparation, cleaning, and till operation.
• Be adaptable, positive, and able to work effectively in a busy environment.

What the school offers its staff Whilst previous experience in a school setting is not essential, an interest in supporting young people and a commitment to high-quality service is highly valued.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a school that is not only proud of its strong reputation and success in the community but also committed to investing in its people. We have an excellent track record of developing and supporting our staff to progress both professionally and in their careers.

In return we offer the following :

• An inspirational, talented, committed staff, including a strong administration and premises team
• An extensive CPD and induction programme
• Private Bupa Healthcare
• 1 personal day per year in addition to your annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Free parking

We reserve the right to close this advert early should we receive suitable interest.