Daytime Café Kitchen Lead - Own the Kitchen & Menu

MINCKA; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 28,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Coaching and training access

Ownership of kitchen

Work-life daytime hours

Pension and holidays

Job summary

MINCKA in Haywards Heath is seeking an experienced and highly organised Chef / Kitchen Lead to own the kitchen and food preparation. This daytime café role focuses on operational excellence, prep planning, and maintaining high standards while ensuring service readiness.

Responsibilities include batch cooking, toasties and grab-and-go items, stock ordering, waste reduction, and ongoing kitchen improvements. Five-day week with 30-35 hours, some weekend work, no late finishes.

Qualifications

• Professional kitchen or substantial food-preparation experience.
• Highly organised with strong kitchen management.
• Ability to work quickly without compromising standards.
• Dependable and takes ownership without needing chasing.
• Can plan workload and work independently.
• Understanding of food hygiene and allergen handling.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and batch cook ingredients for cafe offerings.
• Produce toasties, sandos, grab-and-go items.
• Plan and manage daily/weekly prep levels.
• Keep kitchen organised and ready for service.
• Maintain high food hygiene and allergen standards.
• Order stock and manage rotation to reduce waste.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment.
• Support development of new dishes and recipe improvements.
• Suggest and implement better kitchen systems and processes.

Skills

Professional kitchen experience

Highly organised

Fast and efficient work

Ownership and accountability

Food hygiene & allergen handling

Job description

MINCKA in Haywards Heath is seeking an experienced and highly organised Chef / Kitchen Lead to own the kitchen and food preparation. This daytime café role focuses on operational excellence, prep planning, and maintaining high standards while ensuring service readiness.

Responsibilities include batch cooking, toasties and grab-and-go items, stock ordering, waste reduction, and ongoing kitchen improvements. Five-day week with 30-35 hours, some weekend work, no late finishes.