Cook

Sanctuary Group; Ely; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 17,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and wellbeing support

Company-paid life insurance

Parental leave arrangements

Paid volunteering days

Annual leave purchase scheme

Company-funded training

Flexible working options

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Sanctuary Group is seeking a Chef for our Ely Retirement Community in Cambridgeshire. The role involves preparing nutritious, restaurant-quality meals in a calm kitchen, working alongside the Chef Manager and supporting residents with diverse dietary needs.

The position emphasizes a balanced lifestyle with no late shifts, while offering funded hospitality qualifications and opportunities for progression within a compassionate, community-focused team.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a catering environment and cooking for diverse groups.
• Knowledge of health and safety procedures and budget management.
• Friendly and approachable with good customer interaction skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a high-quality catering service that meets individual needs, including special diets.
• Enjoy a better work-life balance with no late nights or split shifts, giving you more time for yourself.
• Manage food and labour budgets through effective planning and purchasing.
• Oversee stock control, audits, and accurate record-keeping.
• Ensure food safety standards are understood and followed by the team.
• Maintain high hygiene and safety standards through scheduled cleaning and maintenance.

Skills

Experience in catering

Food safety awareness

Budget management

Customer service

Education

Level 2 Diploma in Catering and Hospitality

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Department: Health and Social Care (Qualified and Non-Qualifie

Operation: Sanctuary Supported Living

Closing Date: .

Requisition: 228767

Chef

25 hours per week – 5 hours a day, 5 days a week including alternate weekend

Serving more than meals with a better work-life balance

We’re excited to welcome a Chef to support the preparation of nutritious, restaurant-quality meals at our Baird Lodge, Lumley Close, Ely Retirement Community in Cambridgeshire CB7 4FF, without the long hours or split shifts often found in hospitality. Working alongside the Chef Manager, you’ll play a key role in delivering high standards of food, presentation, and dining experience within a calm, well-structured kitchen environment.

You’ll be part of a compassionate, community-focused team supporting our retirement community residents, that puts people first – every single day. #BeYourBest is more than a hashtag – it’s our commitment to helping our people grow, thrive, and feel valued. We’ll support you with the tools, training, and encouragement to reach your full potential, while celebrating your individuality and the difference you make every day.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we reinvest in our people and our services, celebrating individuality and helping you thrive both personally and professionally. We’re committed to your progression, so we offer fully funded hospitality qualifications.

Your role

• Deliver a high-quality catering service that meets individual needs, including special diets
• Enjoy a better work-life balance with no late nights or split shifts, giving you more time for yourself
• Manage food and labour budgets through effective planning and purchasing
• Oversee stock control, audits, and accurate record-keeping
• Ensure food safety standards are understood and followed by the team
• Maintain high hygiene and safety standards through scheduled cleaning and maintenance

(This position is referred to as Chef but may also be known as Demi Chef, Line Chef, Cook, Chef de Partie (CDP), or Commis Chef)

• Experience working in a catering environment and cooking for diverse groups
• Level 2 Diploma in Catering and Hospitality
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Knowledge of health and safety procedures and budget management
• Friendly and approachable, with great customer interaction skills

Your rewards

You deserve more than the basics. That’s why, alongside 33 days’ annual leave pro rata (rising to 38, including bank holidays), occupational sick pay linked to length of service, and a contributory pension scheme, we’ve created a package to help you thrive:

• Health and wellbeing support – including Aviva Digicare+ with virtual GP appointments, plus an Employee Assistance Programme offering medical, financial, and legal advice, as well as short-term counselling
• Company-paid life insurance
• Parental leave arrangements , paid volunteering days, and annual leave purchase scheme
• Company-funded training and ongoing career development opportunities
• Flexible working options and an inclusive culture where everyone belongs, supported by our staff networks including PRISM, Disability, Race Equality and Parent networks
• Exclusive retail discounts , Cycle to Work, and salary sacrifice arrangements

Some rewards are subject to a qualifying period or other criteria – visit our website for more information.

Before you apply

• We can only accept applications from individuals with the right to work in the UK.
• All roles require safeguarding and pre-employment checks, including criminal records and overseas police checks if needed; for more information, please get in touch.
• Internal candidates should apply via their internal careers account.
• We may close this advert early, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job Reference: 228767

Inclusion is one of our core values. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and will make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process in line with our Disability Confident employer status.

Building Equality and Diversity

Sanctuary Group encourages and welcomes applications from people from diverse backgrounds to support our commitment to offering an inclusive environment for our employees and customers.
We work closely with the Home Office in order to prevent illegal working.
An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check will be necessary in the event of a successful application which we will pay for.
Sanctuary Supported Living is a trading name of Sanctuary Housing Association and Sanctuary Home Care Limited, both exempt charities.

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