Kitchen Assistant

Athena Care Homes; March; On-site; GBP 22,000; Full time

Job summary

A family-run care home group is seeking a Kitchen Assistant to support the Head Chef in providing high-quality dining experiences. Duties include aiding meal preparation, maintaining cleanliness, and engaging residents in conversation. Candidates should have kitchen experience, strong communication skills, and a passion for working in a care environment. This role offers a competitive hourly rate of £12.21 for 35 hours per week. Additional benefits include 28 days holiday and access to the Blue Light discount platform.

Benefits

Competitive salary

28 days holiday per year

Free Blue Light Card

Refer a friend scheme

Qualifications

• Experience working in a kitchen or catering environment is desirable.
• Good communication skills and attention to detail are essential.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in delivering high-quality catering services.
• Assist with meal service adapting to dietary needs.
• Engage with residents meaningfully.

Skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Reliability

Basic computer skills

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Food Hygiene

Job description

Overview

As a Kitchen Assistant at Aria Court Care Home, you will be responsible for supporting the Head Chef to provide a high-quality food service within the home, ensuring that high standards are achieved to meet the needs of the residents.

About Aria Court Care Home

After a recent refurbishment, Aria Court is now a sparkling 92‑bedroom care home with state‑of‑the‑art equipment and facilities.

Located in a quiet residential nook in March, Cambridgeshire, our home boasts a cinema, hair salon, multiple dining rooms. Beautiful gardens provide a bounty of home‑grown fruit and veg.

The kitchen team at Aria Court are award‑winning and have even created their own cookbook full of their best recipes. As one of the leading residential care homes in March, Cambridgeshire, Aria Court offers nothing less than the best care for your loved one in a safe and comfortable environment.

About the role

Reporting to the Head Chef, the Kitchen Assistant will work to ensure the catering services and dining experiences are of the highest standard and quality for our residents – this includes the maintenance of public areas, such as the café area, and providing refreshments for our residents and their guests.

Salary

£12.21 per hour.

Shift Pattern

35 hours per week, worked on a rota basis from Monday to Sunday.

Location

Coronation Close, March, England, PE15 9PP.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef to ensure the catering services and residential dining experience is of the highest standard and quality.
• Assist the Head Chef with meal service to the residents, ensuring the meals cater for the residents’s dietary requirements and the areas are clean and stocked appropriately.
• To actively engage with residents in conversation and meaningful occupation related to their lifestyle choices at a level and pace that values the individual and respects their dignity and communication differences.
• Ensure Health & Safety within the services team, residents and visitors meet the requirements of the Food Safety Manual and Health and Safety Manual.

Training, Skills & Experience Required

• Experience of working within a kitchen environment, or have a catering background, ideally within a care environment but this is not essential.
• NVQ Level 2 in Food Hygiene is desirable.
• Reliable with excellent communication skills, and high attention to detail.
• Computer literate, with the ability to use basic Microsoft Office applications.

What we can offer

• Fully comprehensive induction.
• Competitive salary, plus enhancements on bank holidays.
• 28 days of holiday per year.
• Free Blue Light Card & access to the Blue Light discount platform.
• Refer a friend scheme.

About Athena

Athena Care Homes are a family run business with seven homes across East Anglia. We have care homes in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Kings Lynn (West Norfolk) & Ipswich (Suffolk).

We want to be the first choice for high quality residential, nursing and dementia care, leaving a positive legacy within our communities.

Our care homes are managed by amazing and passionate people, including strong leadership by our home managers with dedicated care, clinical, hospitality and activities teams to provide exceptional care and experience, achieving brilliant outcomes for people in our care.

We hold our values close to our hearts and ensure that team members throughout each of our residential and nursing homes understand them and what importance they hold. We approach everything we do with thought, and we deliver with passion.