Nursery Chef

Family First Nurseries Group; Marlow; Hybrid; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

24 days annual leave

Holiday and birthday off

Childcare discount 75%

£750 referral bonus

Health & wellbeing support

Training and development

On-site parking

Job summary

The Marlow Riley Park Day Nursery & Pre School, part of the Family First Group, invites applications for a Nursery Chef at our Marlow site. You will prepare nutritious meals for children, manage food orders within budget and ensure high hygiene standards in a compact kitchen.

Based in Marlow, the role operates 27.5 hours per week, Monday–Friday 9am–3pm, with salary of £14.66 per hour (£20,963.80 p.a.). We offer excellent leave, benefits, and training as part of our nursery team.

Qualifications

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

Cooking

Allergies

COSHH

Budgeting

English

Education

GCSE English or equivalent

Job description

We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a Nursery Chef to join our welcoming team at The Marlow Riley Park Day Nursery & Pre School - The Nursery was recently awarded Strong Standards by Ofsted in 2026.

Location: 70 Crown Road, Marlow, , SL7 2QG

Salary: £14.66 per hour / £20,963.80 per annum

Hours: 27.5 hours per week

Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, 9am - 3pm

The nursery is a vibrant setting located in the heart of Marlow on Crown Road, situated in a beautifully converted Salvation Army church. It is strategically positioned just a stone’s throw from numerous local attractions, including lush parks, the community library, and the scenic riverbank. The nursery also benefits from good local bus links and is conveniently located just around the corner from Sainsbury’s.

• 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

• 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)
• 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.

The Marlow Riley Park Day Nursery & Pre School 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.