Nursery Chef

Fennies-Day-Nurseries; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals

Annual leave

Training

Bonuses

Job summary

Fennies-Day-Nurseries is seeking a Nursery Chef to prepare nutritious, balanced meals for children in a safe, high-quality kitchen. You’ll play a key role in supporting wellbeing and healthy eating habits.

The role offers a competitive salary up to £33,000 per year with quarterly bonuses, Monday to Friday, 20 days annual leave (increasing to 25), full training, and development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering; childcare setting ideal but not essential.
• Knowledge of children's nutrition and dietary requirements.
• Qualified with a Level 2 or 3 Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Trained in allergen awareness.
• Organised, reliable and able to manage a busy kitchen.

Responsibilities

• Prepare fresh, healthy meals and snacks for children each day.
• Plan menus meeting nutritional guidelines and dietary requirements.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene and cleanliness.
• Ensure all allergens and dietary needs are properly managed.
• Work with the Nursery Manager to create a positive mealtime experience.
• Assist with kitchen organisation, stock control and ordering.

Skills

Catering experience

Nutrition knowledge

Food Hygiene Certificate

Allergen awareness

Organised

Education

Hygiene certificate

Job description

• Salary: Up to £33,000 per year plus potential for quarterly bonuses

Create healthy, delicious meals that help children grow, thrive and enjoy every day.

At Fennies, we know that great nutrition is a key part of early childhood development. As Nursery Chef, you’ll play an essential role in supporting children’s wellbeing by preparing balanced, nutritious meals in a safe, high-quality kitchen environment.

Why join Fennies?

Wesupport our team members with great benefitsand a positive working environment.

Competitive salary and bonus

• Up to £32,000annual salary
• Performance-related bonuses

Work-life balance

• Monday to Friday
• 20days annual leave(increasing by 1 day for every year of service, up to 25 days)plus bank holidays
• Free daily meals from the Fennies Café
• Summer BBQs, Christmaseventsand company celebrations
• Recognition and reward through the Fennies Club long service awards
• Full training
• Support and mentoring fromexperienced Catering Managers
• Personalised development plans,mentoringand support

About the Role

As Nursery Chef, you’ll create nutritious, balanced meals that support children’s health, development and enjoyment of food.

You will:

• Preparefresh, healthy meals and snacks for children each day
• Plan menus that meet nutritional guidelines and dietary requirements
• Maintainhigh standardsof food safety,hygieneand cleanliness
• Ensure all allergens and dietary needs are carefully managed
• Work closely with the Nursery Manager and team to create a positive mealtime experience
• Supportkitchen organisation, stockcontroland ordering

Every day, your cooking will help children build healthy habits and enjoy mealtimes in a safe and nurturing environment.

Whatwe’relooking for

You don’t need previous nursery experience – we’ll provide the training you need. You’re a passionate and organised chef who takes pride in creating high-quality meals and maintaining excellent kitchen standards.

We’relooking for someone who is:

• Experienced in catering, in a childcare setting would be ideal, but not essential
• Knowledgeable about children’s nutrition and dietary requirements
• Qualified with a Level 2 or 3 Food Hygiene Certificate
• Trained in allergen awareness
• Organised, reliable and able to manage a busy kitchen environment
• A positive team player who enjoys working alongside others

Most importantly, you care about the impact your food has on children’s health and happiness

Become part of the Fennies DNA

We’re family-owned and family-run; this guides our culture, our decision-making, and what it feels like to be part of our team. From our supportive culture to our high-quality environments, we’re committed to creating exceptional places to work and learn. Our People Promise inspires us to build the kind of culture that is ambitious, passionate and supportive. We provide the environment where you can:

• Be Yourself
• Come Together
• Be All In
• Go Further

At Fennies, we celebrate diversity and believe inclusive teams create stronger learning environments for children. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.

Safeguarding

Fennies is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide proof of identity. In line with Safer Recruitment guidance, online searches (including social media) may be conducted for shortlisted candidates.