General Kitchen Assistant

Leeds City Council; Leeds; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 28,500; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

West Yorkshire Pension Fund

Flexible working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Staff benefits

Job summary

Leeds City Council in Leeds is seeking a General Kitchen Assistant to join a busy school meals team. You will assist in preparation, cooking and serving, and provide a friendly, efficient service to pupils, staff and parents.

This permanent role offers 10–20 hours per week with pro rata salary of £24,796, plus benefits. You will work closely with catering staff, follow health and safety rules and participate in training to deliver a high-quality catering service.

Qualifications

• Can-do attitude
• Excellent organisation skills
• Good practical catering skills
• Passion and flair for detail
• Experience of health and safety and basic food hygiene regulations is desirable

Responsibilities

• Assisting in the preparation, cooking and serving of food and drinks
• Providing an efficient and polite service to customers
• Cleaning the kitchen and all service areas
• Preparing the dining room before and after service, including setting out dining room furniture
• Ensuring that Health and Safety and Food Hygiene Regulations are adhered to
• Promoting the objectives of the Catering Agency via the provision of a quality service at all times
• To work in various areas, covering commensurate duties as required
• Be able to work as part of a team, communicate with others and act on instructions from senior staff
• To wear the appropriate protective clothing as requested
• Attending appropriate training courses/seminars as requested

Skills

Can-do attitude

Organisation

Catering skills

Attention to detail

Job description

General Kitchen Assistant

Salary: A1 £24,796 pro rata

Hours: 10 – 20 hours

Contract: Permanent

As a General Kitchen Assistant you will work as part of a team, communicate and work with others to assist in the provision of a high quality catering service. This is a varied and interesting role which involves working closely with school staff and liaising with parents and children on a regular basis.

About You

• demonstrate a can‑do approach
• have excellent organisation skills
• possess good practical catering skills
• have a passion and a flair for detail

About The Role

At Catering Leeds, we provide a school meals service that covers everything from arranging special diets to maintaining the catering equipment. We are specialists in Food Education and have over 25 years’ experience of providing a great service to schools and nurseries. Our primary focus is on customer experience. We want to work with our customers to develop true partnerships which benefit the children of Leeds, making them ready to learn and ready for life.

You will be responsible for assisting in the preparation, cooking and serving of food. You will provide an efficient and polite service to customers. Your duties include cleaning the kitchen and all service areas, and preparing the dining room before and after service, including setting out dining room furniture. You should always promote the objectives of Catering Leeds via the provision of a quality service.

Previous Catering Experience Is Preferred.

What We Offer You

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

Responsibilities

• Assisting in the preparation, cooking and serving of food and drinks
• Providing an efficient and polite service to customers
• Cleaning the kitchen and all service areas
• Preparing the dining room before and after service, including setting out dining room furniture
• Ensuring that Health and Safety and Food Hygiene Regulations are adhered to
• Promoting the objectives of the Catering Agency via the provision of a quality service at all times
• To work in various areas, covering commensurate duties as required
• Be able to work as part of a team, communicate with others and act on instructions from senior staff
• To wear the appropriate protective clothing as requested
• Attending appropriate training courses/seminars as requested

Essential Requirements

• Work as part of a team and communicate with others as a group or one to one
• The ability to achieve deadlines
• The ability to work under pressure
• The ability to understand instructions
• The ability to communicate with members of staff and children
• Experience of miscellaneous physical duties e.g., bending, lifting and carrying
• A flexible approach to extending hours and covering other duties in own establishments
• Be prepared to work in other Catering Agency Establishments as and when required
• Be prepared to wear the specified uniform
• Be prepared to work in school holidays when required
• Be prepared to follow Health and Safety and Basic Food Hygiene Regulations and demonstrate high levels of personal hygiene
• Subject to a successful DBS check

Essential Behavioural & Other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti‑discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters

Desirable Requirements

• Preparation skills of basic ingredients e.g., salad, fruit, and veg
• Knowledge of kitchen procedures
• Knowledge of Food Safety Act
• Knowledge of using commercial kitchen equipment
• Knowledge of ISO 9000/2000 procedures
• Knowledge of cleaning procedures for equipment
• Knowledge of Health and Safety procedures
• Experience of working within a catering organisation
• Experience of working with interruptions which may distract
• Experience of working with others

EEO Statement

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.