Cook

Rainbows Hospice For Children And Young People; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days annual leave

Generous pension

Life assurance

Healthcare cashback plan

Free onsite parking

Subsidised meals

Free tea, coffee and fruit

Employee assistance programme

Wellbeing support

Team events

Job summary

Rainbows Children's Hospice in Loughborough is seeking a Cook to join our friendly Catering Team. You will prepare fresh, nutritious meals for children, families and staff, while adapting to individual dietary needs and maintaining high hygiene standards.

Hours are 22.5 per week (Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00–16:00) with weekend cover flexibility. NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking and Level 2 Food Hygiene are required.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking required.
• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergy Awareness training required.
• Experience preparing fresh meals from scratch preferred.
• Excellent understanding of food safety and kitchen hygiene.
• Positive, caring attitude and strong team spirit.

Responsibilities

• Prepare fresh, nutritious meals, snacks and homemade baked goods from scratch.
• Cater for individual dietary and cultural needs in collaboration with Care Team and families.
• Create a welcoming dining experience for children, families, visitors and staff.
• Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene and safety.
• Keep the kitchen clean, organised and running smoothly.
• Be part of a supportive team that's passionate about making a difference.

Skills

NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and C

Level 2 Food Hygiene

Experience preparing fresh meals

Food safety & kitchen hygiene

Positive, caring attitude

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking

Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergy Awareness

Job description

Turn your passion for cooking into something truly meaningful

Love creating delicious home-cooked meals? Want to use your culinary skills to make a real difference every day?

Food plays an important role in everyday life at Rainbows Children’s Hospice. Whether you’re preparing a favourite meal for a child or providing freshly cooked food for families and colleagues, you’ll be part of creating a warm and welcoming environment.

We’re looking for a talented Cook to join our friendly Catering Team in Loughborough and play an important part in the day-to-day life of our hospice.

About Rainbows

Rainbows provides specialist palliative care and end-of-life support to more than 750 babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions across the East Midlands.

We're here to make every moment count for the families who need us most, and our Catering Team plays an important part in creating a warm, welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

Location: Rainbows Hospice, Loughborough

Hours: 22.5 hours per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm), with flexibility to cover weekends if required

What you'll be doing

It’s a varied role, preparing fresh, nutritious meals while responding to the different needs and preferences of children, families and colleagues across the hospice.

You’ll:

• Prepare fresh, nutritious meals, snacks and homemade baked goods from scratch
• Work closely with our Care Team and families to cater for individual dietary and cultural needs
• Create a welcoming dining experience for children, families, visitors and staff
• Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene and safety
• Keep the kitchen clean, organised and running smoothly
• Be part of a supportive team that's passionate about making a difference

What we're looking for

You’ll be someone who genuinely enjoys cooking and takes pride in creating high-quality food that brings people together.

You’ll have:

• NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking
• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergy Awareness training
• Experience preparing fresh meals from scratch
• Excellent understanding of food safety and kitchen hygiene
• A positive, caring attitude and strong team spirit

Most importantly, you'll share our values and want to make a difference to the lives of the children and families we support.

Why join Rainbows?

Alongside a rewarding role, you'll benefit from:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holiday allowance
• Generous pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Healthcare cashback plan
• Blue Light Card discounts and Company Shop membership
• Free onsite parking
• Subsidised meals whilst at the Hospice
• Free tea, coffee and fruit
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing support and Mental Health First Aiders
• Fun staff events, away days and team celebrations

Ready to make a difference?

If you're passionate about food, enjoy working as part of a close-knit team and want your work to have a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Michael Cayless, Catering Manager at [e-mail].

Please note: This role is subject to a Standard DBS check and pre-employment screening. We may close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received, so we encourage early applications.