Nursery Chef

Family First; Fordingbridge; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Referral programme

Employee childcare discounts

Annual leave

Health & wellbeing programme

Learning & development

Wellbeing & future

Job summary

Family First is recruiting a Nursery Chef for the Fordingbridge Day Nursery. You will plan and cook nutritious meals for children aged 3 months to 5 years, maintaining high hygiene and safety standards.

You will manage dietary requirements and stay within budget while working with nursery staff and parents to support a healthy, balanced diet for all children. The role is full-time, Monday to Friday.

Qualifications

• Ability to manage dietary requirements including allergies.
• Knowledge of COSHH and food safety.
• Experience cooking in domestic or commercial kitchens.
• Fluent English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).
• Experience cooking for young children.

Responsibilities

• Maintain kitchen cleanliness and safety, complete monthly Hygiene Checklist, and display the schedule in the kitchen.
• Ensure highest hygiene levels in nursery and kitchen.
• Prepare age-appropriate meals daily with minimal wastage.
• Communicate dietary requirements to teams clearly.
• Follow Red/Amber/Green plate procedures and budget food orders accordingly.
• Collaborate with Nursery team and parents to promote healthy nutrition.

Skills

Dietary requirements management

COSHH knowledge

Budget management

Cooking for young children

English fluency (GCSE C)

Job description

Fordingbridge, United Kingdom | Posted on 30/04/2026

• Location The Fordingbridge Day Nursery and Pre-School
• Date Opened 30/04/2026
• Job Type Full time
• Province Fordingbridge
• City Fordingbridge
• Postal Code SP6 1LX
• Country United Kingdom

Job Description

We are currently recruiting for a Nursery Chef to join our Fordingbridge Day Nursery.

• Nursery Chef
• Salary - £28,652 per annum
• Monday to Friday - 38 hours per week

At Fordingbridge Day Nursery, we believe in creating anurturing, emotionally secure environment where children feel valued,supported, and free to grow at their own pace. Our nursery is grade 2 listedbuilding which features four beautifully designed rooms tailored to childrenaged 3 months to 5 years, each with direct access to spacious outdoor areasthat encourage exploration and play in nature.

Why Join Us?

At Family First, we value our team members and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Referralprogramme :Refera friend and earn up to £750
• EmployeeChildcare Discounts: 75% off nursery fees for our team member’s
• AnnualLeave: Starting at 24 days, plus a paid day off for your birthday andbank holidays
• Healthand Wellbeing Programme: Confidential employee assistance helplineavailable
• Development: Tailored learning and development opportunities to support your careergrowth
• Yourwellbeing and your future matter to us

As Nursery Chef, you will:

• Keep the kitchen a clean and safe environment, adhering to internal and external requirements; complete the Kitchen Hygiene Checklist each month, and ensure that the Cleaning Schedule is complete and adhered to, being regularly updated and displayed prominently in the kitchen.
• Ensure the highest levels of cleanliness and hygiene in the nursery and kitchen
• The nursery staff will tell you each day of the numbers to cater for; prepare and cook enough age-appropriate food (cooked as near to the point of service as possible) for all the children on a daily basis, with minimum wastage
• Take responsibility to make sure all dietary requirements are catered for and clearly communicated to the teams.
• Ensure that dietary requirements and personal care routines are adhered to always, including the robust measures around the Red, Amber and Green plate procedures.
• Work in co-operation and partnership with the Nursery team and parents to encourage a healthy and nutritious diet
• Ensure that budgetary requirements are met through careful planning of all food orders

*Duties and responsibilities in this job description are not exhaustive or restrictive, changes and other duties relevant to this post may be added.

As Nursery Chef, you will need:

• Able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of managing different dietary requirements around food allergies - essential
• Sound Knowledge of COSHH - essential
• Able to work to a catering budget, in a manner that avoids fluctuating standards of food service - essential
• Experience and qualified to the appropriate level in any role which involves cooking in domestic or commercial property - essential
• Fluent in written and spoken English at GCSE grade C (or equivalent) - essential
• Experienced and passionate about any role that involves cooking for young children - desirable

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.

Fordingbridge Day Nursery is part of the Family FirstGroup where we take great care to treat everyone as a person, with equal rightsand responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or achild. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity andanti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to theirindividual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religionor belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, genderreassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or politicalbelief has no place within the Family First Group.