Early Years Kitchen Assistant

MP Training and Recruitment; Lewisham; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Childcare discount 40%

Enhanced parental leave

20 days annual leave + bank holidays +

Additional leave purchase option

Pension

Wellbeing benefits including 24/7 GP +

Career development programme access

Shift options: 27 hours/week

Job summary

Bright Horizons in Lewisham, South London, is seeking an Early Years Kitchen Assistant to support the Chef in preparing age-appropriate meals for nursery children, minimising waste and keeping the kitchen clean and safe. You will help ensure all dietary needs are understood by teams and catered for.

Experience in cooking, a passion for nutrition, and knowledge of dietary requirements are essential, with Food Safety L2 required on day one. DBS checks and safeguarding procedures apply.

Qualifications

• Experience in cooking in a domestic or commercial setting.
• Passion for nutrition and healthy eating.
• Knowledge of dietary requirements and allergies.
• Food Safety L2 or above (CIEH) – this must be passed on day 1 in post.
• COSHH knowledge.
• Excellent communication with colleagues, children and parents.
• Ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Support the Chef in the preparation and cooking of age-appropriate food for all children in the nursery, with minimum wastage.
• In the absence of the Chef, run the kitchen and ensure dietary requirements are catered for and communicated to teams.
• Maintain a clean and safe kitchen environment in compliance with food safety standards.

Skills

Cooking experience

Nutrition passion

Dietary requirements knowledge

Food Safety L2 (or equivalent)

COSHH knowledge

Communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Food Safety L2 or above (CIEH)

Job description

Salary – From £14.15 per hour (dependant on qualification/s and experience). Location – Lewisham, South London.

Our Benefits

• From £14.15 per hour
• Childcare discount of 40% for first child
• Enhanced parental leave
• 20 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and paid Christmas closure
• Ability to also purchase additional leave*
• 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
• Shift options: 27 hours a week *Subject to T&Cs

The Role

As an Early Years Kitchen Assistant, you will support the Chef in the preparation and cooking of age-appropriate food for all the children in the nursery, with minimum wastage, and in keeping the kitchen a clean and safe environment. In the absence of the Chef, you will take responsibility for the running of the kitchen, and ensuring all dietary requirements are catered for and clearly communicated to teams.

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

Safeguarding and DBS

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. 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.

Company Culture

At Bright Horizons, our culture is built on our commitment to Keeping Everyone Safe and providing world-class care and education, delivered by a world-class workforce. We believe our people’s potential is endless and with this in mind, we aspire to create an environment where our colleagues can thrive and accomplish the things they thought impossible. 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 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.