Nursery Chef

Family First Nursery Group; Colchester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

24 days annual leave + bank holidays +

75% childcare discount for staff

£750 referral bonus

Health & wellbeing support (EAP)

Training and development opportunities

On-site parking & good transport links

Job summary

Family First Nursery Group invites applications for a Nursery Chef at Brimpton House Day Nursery. You will prepare fresh, nutritious meals for children, maintain hygiene, and ensure dietary needs are met while managing budgeted food orders.

You will work 40 hours weekly, Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm, with a focus on safe, high-quality food service and strong teamwork with parents and staff.

Qualifications

• Experience cooking in a domestic or commercial setting.
• Strong knowledge of food allergies and dietary requirements.
• Understanding of COSHH regulations.
• Ability to manage catering within a budget.
• Fluent spoken and written English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).
• Desirable: experience and passion for cooking for young children.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals daily with minimal waste.
• Ensure all dietary requirements and allergies are catered for.
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen environment in line with regulations
• Follow Red, Amber and Green plate procedures
• Complete hygiene checks and cleaning schedules
• Manage food orders to meet budget requirements

Skills

Domestic/commercial cooking experience

Food allergies & dietary requirements

COSHH knowledge

Budgeting for catering

Fluent English

Childcare experience (desirable)

Job description

We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a Nursery Chef to join our welcoming team at Brimpton House Day Nursery, part of the Family First Group.

Location: 59 High Street, , Kelvedon, CO5 9AE

Salary: 29120 per annum

Hours: 40 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm

Brimpton House Day Nursery is situated on the High Street of Kelvedon, close to local shops and houses with many of our parents commuting into London, Colchester and Chelmsford. Nearby Kelvedon Train Station which is just a 10 -minute walk to the nursery. Free parking is available on the front street of the nursery.

What We Offer

• 24 days annual leave plus bank holidays and a paid birthday off
• 75% childcare discount for team members
• £750 referral bonus for recommending a friend
• Health & wellbeing support, including a confidential Employee Assistance Programme
• Tailored training and development opportunities
• Excellent transport links and on-site parking

About the Role

As Nursery Chef, you’ll be responsible for preparing and cooking fresh, nutritious, age-appropriate meals for children each day. You’ll maintain high standards of hygiene and safety, ensure all dietary and allergy requirements are met, and manage food ordering within budget. You’ll work closely with the nursery team and parents to support children’s health, wellbeing, and overall nursery experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook meals daily with minimal waste
• Ensure all dietary requirements and allergies are catered for
• Maintain a clean, safe kitchen environment in line with regulations
• Follow Red, Amber and Green plate procedures
• Complete hygiene checks and cleaning schedules
• Manage food orders to meet budget requirements

What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• Experience cooking in a domestic or commercial setting
• Strong knowledge of food allergies and dietary requirements
• Understanding of COSHH
• Ability to work within a catering budget
• Fluent spoken and written English (GCSE grade C or equivalent)

Desirable:

• Experience and passion for cooking for young children

We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate will be required for all posts. This post will be subject to enhanced checks as part of our Safeguarding Duty.

Brimpton House Day Nursery is part of the Family First Group where we take great care to treat everyone as a person, with equal rights and responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no place within the Family First Group