ECE Centre Cook (BestStart West Village)

Tangram; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading childcare education provider in Canterbury is seeking a passionate Centre Cook to create nutritious meals in a supportive team environment. This permanent part-time position is ideal for someone dedicated to cooking for young children while contributing to their well-being and development.

Benefits

Career progression opportunities

Discounted childcare

Subsidised health insurance

Free annual flu vaccinations

Extra leave for long service

Qualifications

• Experience in a kitchen setting, specifically for children.
• Basic computer skills for menu planning.
• Ability to manage a food budget.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare nutritious meals for children.
• Understand and manage dietary requirements.
• Maintain kitchen health and safety standards.

Skills

Passion for cooking

Knowledge of kitchen hygiene

Understanding of dietary needs

Team player

Job description

BestStart Education

Listed yesterday Be an early applicant

Listing Description

Location

Location Selwyn, Canterbury

Job type

Duration

Duration Permanent

Description

BestStart West Village is a brand-new, purpose-built centre opening in August 2025. Be part of something special from the very beginning – join our start-up team and help shape the centre's culture and philosophy from the ground up.

We're looking for a passionate and reliable Centre Cook to join our team and provide nutritious, home-style meals for the children in our care. Whether you're newly qualified or bring years of experience, if you love cooking for children and want to be part of a close-knit, supportive team – we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

As our Centre Cook, you will plan and prepare morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, creating delicious, culturally diverse meals that support children's wellbeing and development. You'll need to be well-organised, familiar with dietary requirements, and enthusiastic about healthy eating.

This is a permanent part-time position, working 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

What We're Looking For

• A passion for cooking and providing meals for young children
• Knowledge of kitchen health and safety, hygiene, and housekeeping
• An understanding of allergies and dietary needs
• Ability to manage a food budget and place weekly orders
• Basic computer skills to help with menu planning and admin
• A team player with a positive, proactive approach

Why Choose BestStart?

We offer a supportive environment where your contribution is valued and recognised, along with a range of great benefits:

• Ongoing learning and development through Whare Ako
• Career progression opportunities and support to upskill
• $2,000 bonus for referring a qualified teacher*
• Discounted childcare
• Subsidised health insurance with Southern Cross*
• Free annual flu vaccinations
• EAP services for confidential counselling
• Access to our wellbeing programme
• Sick leave available from your first day
• Extra week of leave for 10 years' long service

Ready to Apply? Click 'Apply Now' and join a team that values quality, connection, and care. Help us build something truly special at BestStart West Village.

Applications Close: 25/07/2025Apply online for this role or contact BestStart Educare Limited for more information.

At BestStart, we are at the forefront of early childhood education, dedicated to making a positive impact and passionate about our work. We offer exceptional early education and award-winning childcare services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Our primary goal isto deliver high-quality education to the children in our community, and we are activelyengaged in groundbreaking research focused on children's oral language development and self-regulation, known as Kia Tīmata Pai. This research initiative involves approximately 1,600 BestStart preschoolers, highlighting our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.

BestStart is committed to being a progressive and adaptable leader in the early childhood education sector. Our educators are highly valued for the transformative role they play in shaping children's lives. We are proud to announce that BestStart has implemented Full pay parity, underscoring our dedication to fairness and equity within our organisation.

At BestStart, we prioritise the support and growth of our teams through tailored professional development pathways. We believe in nurturing talent and empowering our employees to reach their full potential.