Kitchen Assistant

Happy Days Nurseries; Watford; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 20,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hourly pay £12.71

Pension & Life Assurance

Blue Light Card

20 days annual leave + bank holidays

DBS Update Service

Digital GP 24/7

Counselling services

SPARK Health & Wellbeing

Long service recognition

Job summary

Happy Days Nurseries is seeking a Kitchen Assistant for our Croxley Green Boys & Girls Nursery. The role supports the Chef, with a 25 or 30 hour week, 11:30am–4:30pm, Monday to Friday, year‑round. You’ll help prepare meals and assist with lunchtime service for children.

You'll work to healthy eating standards, accommodate dietary needs, and participate in our cooking programmes with the children, ensuring a clean, compliant kitchen and smooth daily operations.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of healthy eating programmes for children.
• Desire to provide varied, nutritious meals for children.
• Strong can‑do attitude and ability to support the nursery team.
• Experience as Kitchen Assistant or cooking in nursery/school helpful but not essential.
• Awareness of dietary requirements; training provided, including Food Hygiene if needed.

Responsibilities

• Prepare meals per weekly menus for children.
• Provide alternatives for special dietary needs.
• Ensure food preparation complies with health regulations and guidelines.
• Assist the Chef in safely delivering meals to nursery rooms.
• Communicate allergies and dietary requirements clearly.
• Keep kitchen and equipment clean and tidy, including washing up.
• Assist with the 'Let’s Cook' programme with children and work with staff.
• Cover the Chef during absences and help cook for the nursery.
• Support smooth day-to-day kitchen operations.

Skills

Healthy eating

Child nutrition

Team player

Dietary needs awareness

Job description

Do you love cooking wholesome meals and want to make a meaningful impact on children’s lives?We’relooking for a Kitchen Assistant based at ourBoys & Girls Nursery in Croxley Green.

Our Kitchen Assistant will work either 25 or 30 hours per week, Monday to Friday (all year round) from 11:30am to 16:30, alongside our Chef, as well as supporting the children in the room over lunch times.

About the role:

As aKitchenAssistant,you’ll:

• Ensure all meals are preparedin accordance withthe weekly menus, catering for all children
• Whereappropriate,provide alternatives to children with any special dietary needs
• Ensure that all food preparationcomplies withhealth regulations and guidelinesthrough working practices and record keeping
• Be responsible forassistingtheChefin safely delivering the food to each individual nursery room
• Ensureeffective communicationregardingallergies and special dietary requirements
• Ensure that the kitchen and all equipment is kept clean and tidy,including washing up after each service
• Assistin the participation and preparationofour “Let’s Cook” programme with the childrenand develop good working relationships with the wider staff team
• Cover the Chef during periods of absence andberesponsible fortaking on the duties of cooking for the nursery and ensuring the smooth running of the day

About you:

OurKitchenAssistantwill have:

• Aknowledge and understanding of healthy eating programmes for children and cooking healthy meals
• Apassion for offering children a varied and nutritious diet and want to make a difference through your role.
• Astrong ‘can do’ attitude and willingness to support the nursery team to achieve the best outcomes for our children, by providing meals which support a healthy diet.
• Experience in working as aKitchenAssistant and/orhavecooking experience in a nursery or school environmenthowever this is not essential
• An awareness of dietary requirements, although thisisn’tessential asfull training will be provided along with a free Food Hygiene certificate if the successful candidate does not already have one.

We'rebuilding a workplace where our colleagues thrive

We offer a range of meaningful benefits designed to support your wellbeing, professional growth, and work-life balance. Our benefitsaren’tjustperks—they’repartof a culture that puts people first and we continue to build our range of benefits designed to support health,wellbeingand the odd treat here and there…these include:

• Hourly rate of £12.71
• Pension & Life Assurance*
• Funded Blue Light Card Membership
• In addition to20 days Annual Leave (plus Bank Holidays) ,up to anadditionalfour gifted days off during Christmas closedown
• Anadditionalday each year to celebrate something personal to you*
• Funded DBS Update Service
• Access to digital GP 24/7
• On demand counselling services
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing services through the SPARK APP
• Recognition and celebration for Long Service

*Subject to eligibility criteria

Safeguarding commitment:

Happy Days Nurseries are committed to the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care. All successful candidates will undergo the required vetting process.