Early Years Field Chef

Bright Horizons Family Solutions, LLC.; Reigate; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare discount 50%

Enhanced parental leave

20 days annual leave plus holidays and

Ability to purchase additional leave

Pension

Wellbeing & 24/7 virtual GP access

Professional development programme

Job summary

Bright Horizons Reigate is seeking an Early Years Chef to prepare, cook and present meals for nursery children, ensuring nutritious options and minimal waste. You will communicate dietary needs to teams and parents, and support with cookery clubs and nursery events.

Applicants should have cooking experience, a passion for healthy eating, and knowledge of dietary requirements, including allergies, with a day-1 readiness for Food Safety compliance.

Qualifications

• Previous cooking experience in domestic or commercial settings.
• Strong passion for nutrition and healthy eating.
• Ability to manage different dietary requirements, including allergies.
• Allergen-aware and able to communicate dietary needs to teams.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and present age-appropriate meals for children.
• Lead cookery club sessions and support nursery activities.
• Ensure minimal food wastage and safe handling of foods.
• Communicate dietary requirements clearly to staff and parents.

Skills

Communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Teamwork

Nutrition passion

Dietary requirements awareness

Education

Food Safety CIEH Level 2+

COSHH knowledge

Job description

Nursery – Bright Horizons Reigate Holmesdale Road and surrounding Salary – starting from £28,776 per annum (dependant on qualification/s and experience) Location – base to be Reigate Holmesdale Road - to cover the region of 12 nurseries Are you looking to work for an organisation whose culture is driven by our HEART principles – Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork? Where you can be yourself, feel supported, and help to make a difference to the next generation? Somewhere you can say: “I did that.”

Our Benefits

• Childcare discount of 50% for first child
• Enhanced parental leave
• 20 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and paid Christmas closure
• Ability to also purchase additional leave* (subject to T&Cs)
• Pension
• Financial and wellbeing benefits including 24/7 virtual GP appointments, early access to wages, and more
• Professional development programme access for every stage of your career, including access to a careers coach *Subject to T&Cs

The Role

As an Early Years Chef you will prepare, cook, and present age-appropriate food for all the children in the nursery, with minimum wastage. You will ensure all dietary requirements are catered for and clearly communicated to teams, and work in partnership with the team and parents to encourage a healthy and nutritious diet. You will also have an active role in leading cookery club sessions with the children, and support with other nursery activities, such as BBQs, Fetes, and staff meetings.

Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed.

What we’re looking for

• Previous experience within a cooking role, in a domestic or commercial property
• Passion for nutrition, and inspiring others in healthy eating
• Ability to demonstrate a sound knowledge of managing different dietary requirements, particularly food allergies
• Food Safety CIEH L2 or above (or equivalent) – this must be passed on day 1 in post
• Sound knowledge of COSHH
• Great communication skills, with colleagues, children, and parents
• Ability to work under pressure

We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants.

Please note, due to our sector all roles are subject to an Enhanced DBS.

Bright Horizons has been recognised as a Great Place to Work by our employees and the Great Place to Work Institute for the last 13 years. We care passionately about what we do, and our HEART values and principles help us support one another in the work that we do each day. These are quite literally at the HEART of our organisation’s ethos and culture as it helps us to provide a working environment that supports professionalism, growth and diversity. We are passionate about our people’s ongoing learning and development. Our learning and leading with HEART framework supports each Bright Horizons colleague on the first steps of their leadership journey, whether that includes our 'World-Class Welcome' induction or our extensive ongoing training programme. Either way we want you to feel valued and invested in! Celebrating in the accomplishments of our people is an essential part of our culture. We believe in the power of “thank you” and throughout the year, in ways big and small, formal and informal, we show our appreciation for employees at all levels. We have many ways to acknowledge and celebrate our people, including our very popular “employee appreciation month”. This is a chance for everyone to share their gratitude to one another, across the whole company. Whether it is a “thank you” placed on our website, a chocolate pizza, team lunch or an ice cream van visit, it is our way of showing each other we care and appreciate everything we do. Each year, we have our annual 'Awards of Excellence' events; whether you are an award winner or cheering on a fellow team member, these formal award occasions are opportunities to come together and celebrate one another.