Kitchen Lead / Cook

Surrey County Council; Mole Valley; Hybrid; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government organization in England seeks a Kitchen Lead / Cook to motivate and guide kitchen staff in delivering high-quality meals at exciting outdoor centers. The role involves preparing, cooking, and serving food while maintaining smooth operations. Flexibility for evening shifts is essential, as is the ability to work autonomously in remote settings. This position offers the chance to contribute significantly to various events and enhance educational experiences for guests. Join us to make a difference in our community!

Benefits

Employee Assistance Programme

Local government salary-related pension

Lifestyle discounts

Access to learning and development resources

Qualifications

• Holder of or working towards Food Hygiene Level 3.
• Experience of cooking for large groups and catering for diverse needs.
• Excellent planning skills with the ability to adapt quickly.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen team to prepare and serve high quality homecooked food.
• Ensure smooth and safe kitchen operations.
• Mentor kitchen staff and manage stock control.

Skills

Positive and motivating leadership skills

Effective communication

Food Hygiene Level 3

Excellent craft skills

Cooking for large groups

Adapting to special diets/allergens

Planning and time management

Working independently

Positive and solution focused attitude

Job description

This role has a starting salary of £16.93 per hour (comprising £14.72 per hour plus £2.21 holiday entitlement).

We are excited to be hiring bank Kitchen Lead / Cooks to join our fantastic team, leading kitchen shifts at Surrey Outdoor Learning and Development (SOLD).

We are offering flexible bank contracts and are especially keen to hear from individuals who can work evening shifts. These shifts are within the hours of 1pm - 8pm.

Our centres are located:

• High Ashurst, Mickleham Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6DQ
• Henley Fort, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4RH
• Thames Young Mariners, Ham, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 7RX

High Ashurst and Henley Fort are in remote locations. There are few options for public transport and therefore you will need to be self-sufficient in journeying to the centres.

Please confirm your preferred location when applying.

Our Offer to You

• Playing a valuable part in the outdoor learning experience of our guests
• Working amongst a friendly and dynamic team
• Working with a range of customers and projects
• Working at 3 unique centres in beautiful locations
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Role

This is an exciting role for individuals who will motivate, lead and support our kitchen team to deliver high quality, tasty homecooked food. You will lead the team to prepare, cook and serve, ensuring smooth and safe operations. Each day is different, so adaptability is key to meet the changing needs of our groups. Our guests range from school children through to families and adult groups.

From time to time we deliver themed events which will allow you to bring your creative skills to life. Serving and cooking outdoors are all a part of these exciting events which add to the variety of the role. Other areas of responsibility include staff mentoring, ordering, menu planning and stock control.

Shifts are set one month in advance with early shifts starting at 6am and late shifts finishing usually no later than 8pm. The centres are open all week with some weekend work and generally no Sunday evenings.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Positive and motivating leadership skills with effective communication
• Holder of / working towards Food Hygiene L3
• Excellent craft skills
• Experience of cooking for large groups and catering for a wide range of needs
• Experience of adapting to special diets / allergens
• Excellent planning and time management skills with ability to work using own initiative
• Positive and solution focussed

As part of your application you will be asked to submit a CV and answer the following questions:

1. Why did you apply for this role?
2. Please describe what key skills and experience you have that are relevant for this role.
3. What is the average number of meals you have catered for in a sitting?
4. How do you describe your style of cooking?

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The this is a rolling advert and applications will be checked regularly.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information on our website.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.