Early Years Cook

Imago Venues; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational nursery in Loughborough seeks an experienced cook to manage the kitchen and prepare nutritious meals for children. The ideal candidate will have a passion for healthy food, experience in a similar setting, and a Level 2 food hygiene certificate. This full-time role includes a competitive salary and various benefits, including annual leave and pension scheme enrollment. Join an outstanding team committed to child development and well-being in a vibrant community.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Paid leave day for your birthday

Discounted nursery fees

Free access to gym and pool facilities

Free car parking

Free meal

Enrolment into company pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience managing a kitchen, preferably in a childcare or educational setting.
• Ability to prepare menus tailored to children's dietary needs.
• Strong attention to food hygiene, safety, and cleanliness.

Responsibilities

• Manage kitchen operations including menu planning and budgeting.
• Prepare healthy meals and snacks for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.
• Supervise kitchen assistants and ensure high standards of cleanliness.

Skills

Creativity

Organisation

Teamwork

Passion for healthy food

Education

Basic food hygiene certificate (Level 2)

Job description

Loughborough University Nursery

We are looking for an experienced cook to take full ownership of our kitchen and be responsible for planning and providing healthy and nutritious menus for our little learners.

Full time position working 37.5 hours per week.

Rate of pay: £27,780 per annum

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Paid leave day for your birthday.
• Discounted nursery fees.
• Free access to our on‑campus gym and pool facilities at Burleigh Springs.
• Free car parking.
• Free meal.
• Enrolment into company pension scheme

Are you a creative and organised cook with a passion for children’s wellbeing? Do you want to work in an environment that values your ideas and lets you make a real impact every day?

Your Role

You will have full responsibility for managing the kitchen, from planning menus to managing budgets, suppliers and stock and ensuring a high standard of cleanliness, food hygiene and safety is maintained. You will prepare nutritious meals and snacks for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, ensuring that our menus are tailored to each child’s dietary needs and cultural background. You will manage food budgets, stock levels and ordering via our suppliers and supervise and support the kitchen assistant and lunchtime assistants.

About You

You must have previous experience of managing a kitchen, ideally in a childcare or educational setting, with a basic food hygiene certificate (Level 2). We are looking for an individual who has a passion for healthy food and child development, who can work as part of a team with a proactive approach.

You will be supported in your role and work alongside a passionate team in a well‑resourced nursery that values your expertise and ideas.

Successful appointment is subject to satisfactory references and enhanced DBS check.

About Us

Recently rated outstanding by OFSTED in all aspects, our vision is simple…to build a world class nursery that consistently delivers fabulous learning, play and fun. We bring families and children together – to create a place where children love to be.

Our 100‑place nursery is found in the heart of campus providing education and care to the children of university employees, students, and the local community. We are a diverse and vibrant community recognised for our excellence in inclusion, teaching, and learning.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and expect our employees to share this commitment.

We are part of the Imago Venues family, and we contribute to making Imago Venues a fabulous place to work. We care about our people and we’re kind to each other. We’re ambitious, ethical, sustainable and, most importantly, we’re accountable.

We take workplace engagement seriously and are proud to have been awarded the Best Companies accreditation as very good to work for 2025.

If you would like to come and meet the team and look around the nursery, please contact us at [e-mail]

Come and join our team and be part of an outstanding university nursery with a reputation for excellence.

Closing date: Tuesday 6th January 2026