Flexi Chef - Hertfordshire

N Family Club; Bushey; On-site; GBP 2,196,000 - 2,842,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Flexible hours

Daily perks

Training & mentoring

Nursery benefits

Job summary

N Family Club is seeking a Flexi Chef to provide meals across its nurseries in Bushey and Bishop's Stortford. You will prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for children, adapt menus to dietary needs, and manage kitchen duties with a strong focus on safety and hygiene.

We offer a casual working agreement with flexible shifts, per-hour pay, and opportunities to mentor apprentices. Join a growing, innovative early years provider that values high standards and team collaboration.

Qualifications

• Must have Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 (will be required to complete Level 3 during induction if not already held)
• Experience cooking for nursery or school-aged children is preferred
• Ability to manage diverse dietary needs and follow nutrition guidelines
• Strong knowledge of allergens and safe food handling practices
• Excellent communication with parents and team members

Responsibilities

• Cook fresh meals for children, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, with some weekend work
• Follow nutritionist-designed recipes to meet vitamin and nutrient requirements
• Cater to various age groups' dietary needs and adhere to food preparation guidelines
• Maintain accurate kitchen paperwork, inventories and due diligence diary
• Keep kitchen clean and compliant with Food Hygiene ratings and EH regulations
• Build positive relationships with nursery parents and mentors others in the kitchen

Skills

Cooking

Nutrition awareness

Allergen awareness

Customer service

Time management

Education

Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2

Job description

Flexi Chef - Hertfordshire

Department: Nursery Flexi

Employment Type: Flexible

Location: Bushey, Hertfordshire

Reporting To: Sara Fleischer

Compensation: £15.94 - £20.63 / hour

Description

We’re more than just a nursery group. We’re the UK’s most innovative early-years education provider.

At N Family Club, we dreamed of reimagining early years education. Becoming a place that fosters creativity, embraces a curriculum-led approach, and prepares children for the modern world. We’re proudly making our dream a reality – and we want you to be a part of it!

As a Flexi Chef at N Family Club you’ll be cooking up a storm - preparing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for children, as well as a lunch and a smoothie for our hard-working nursery teams. You’ll also bring flexibility and energy to your work, helping the nursery cover varied shift patterns to provide the best nutrition to children of all age groups.

Our nurseries are located in Bushey and Bishop's Stortford. You’ll choose your preferred base nursery, with opportunities to support other N Family Club nurseries when needed.

Key responsibilities and tasks:

• Cook fresh and inspiring food for our children, with occasional weekends;
• Follow our nutritionist-designed recipes and menu to ensure that each child receives the best possible level of vitamins and nutrients;
• Cater to the differing dietary needs of different age groups, following food preparation and choking guidelines;
• Know the allergies and dietary requirements of your children inside out, ensuring you adhere to all policies and procedures to ensure there is no risk of cross-contamination and that each individual child’s nutritional needs are met;
• Preparation of a daily lunch and smoothie for our nursery team, catering to different dietary needs;
• Overall responsibility for the timely completion of all kitchen paperwork and compliance related tasks, including a daily Due Diligence Diary and our kitchen Cleaning Schedule;
• Responsible for washing up, the ordering of food supplies from our accredited supplier, managing weekly ordering and efficient stock rotation;
• Maintenance and upkeep of the kitchen to a 5 star Food Hygiene rating standard, adhering to all Environment Health industry regulations and requirements;
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with our nursery parents;
• Participate in our nursery Apprentice Chef scheme by mentoring, coaching and guiding our next generation of nursery chefs as and when required;
• Responsible for always adhering to the company's H&S policy: “Statement of Intent"
• Be a role model for exceptionally high standards, never cutting corners, thriving on feedback and leading on culinary excellence.
• Confidently manage the handover of food at mealtimes. Ensuring all necessary information is provided, including accurate allergy details and portion sizes, and that each room receives the correct meals.

Experience:

• Previous experience in a nursery or school commercial-sized kitchen
• Experience catering for diverse dietary needs
• Previous experience catering for very young children, with an understanding of food preparation guidelines
• Experience with Environmental Health inspections
• Good knowledge of food allergens and child nutrition, and ability to work to the nursery budget for each child

Qualifications:

• Must have Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 or above (will be required to complete Level 3 during induction if not already held)

Personal attributes:

• A passionate, creative cook who loves working with children and families
• Conscious practices within food and cooking including recycling and creating as little food waste as possible
• Ability to work quickly and effectively during busy service times
• Positive outlook (someone who always sees the glass as half full)
• Bags of drive and motivation with a ‘make it happen’ attitude
• A love for customer service (you want to make people happy)
• High energy brought to every task you take on, and a solutions driven approach to problems

The N Advantage package

• Competitive pay – £15.94ph - £20.63ph (including 12.07% holiday entitlement), based on experience and dedication.
• Flexible hours that suit your lifestyle – This role is offered on a Casual Working Agreement (0-hour contract), giving you the flexibility to choose shifts that work for you.
• Daily Perks –Complimentary lunch and drinks every day.
• Referral Bonuses –Earn up to £1,000 for every friend you refer who joins N Family Club.
• Socials & wellbeing – Annual parties like our Festive Winter Party and Summer BBQ, team events, and our Wellbeing Week.
• Amazing discounts – save on groceries, shopping, fitness and more.
• Nursery Benefits - exemption from our nursery joining & acceptance fees.
• Flexibility to join permanently – If you choose to join us permanently, you may receive a welcome bonus of up to £1,000!

Why N Family Club?

At N Family Club, we’re reimagining early years education – and we want you to be a part of it. We’re a certified Great Place to Work and one of the UK’s most innovative early years groups. With top salaries, unmatched benefits, and real career progression, we put our people first.