Nursery Chef

Kids Planet Day Nurseries; Penrith; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A family-run nursery group in Penrith is seeking a Chef to join their team. The role includes preparing nutritious meals, maintaining kitchen hygiene, and engaging children in cooking activities. Benefits include a Monday to Friday schedule, free meals, and enhanced leave. The ideal candidate will have catering experience and a basic food hygiene certificate. Join today to make a difference in children's meals!

Benefits

Free meals

Accredited training

Enhanced parental leave

Wellbeing goodies

Long service awards

Birthday off

Qualifications

• Experience in a catering environment, preferably with children.
• Knowledge of food preparation for special dietary needs.
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy and nutritious meals for children.
• Maintain a clean and compliant kitchen environment.
• Collaborate with children in cooking activities.

Skills

Catering experience

Food hygiene knowledge

Ability to accommodate dietary needs

Education

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

What if your next job meant more than just work, what if it meant shaping futures, every day?

Kids Planet is a proud family-run business, we do things with heart and we’re passionate about giving every child the best possible start. No two settings are the same, but all of them are built around our shared values: care, curiosity, and a genuine love for early years.

Join Kids Planet Penrith as a Chef! Being a Nursery Chef at Kids Planet gives you the opportunity to work Monday to Friday, NO WEEKENDS or BANK HOLIDAYS and allows you to be inventive creating menus and giving our children access to delicious tasting meals.

We’re now looking for a Chef to join our team, someone who’s ready to get stuck in, spark imaginations, and help children thrive.

Why Kids Planet Penrith?

• Great Place to Work Certified 2025/26
• Ranked #1 UK Best Workplaces for Women 2025
• Big News! 80% Childcare Discount Arrives This October – T&Cs apply

What we offer our Chefs:

• Free breakfast, lunch, and healthy snacks to fuel your day!
• Accredited training through our awesome KP Academy and bespoke training platform.
• Enhanced leave for maternity, paternity, fertility, and adoption because family matters.
• Wellbeing goodies, staff rewards, and fun events all year round.
• Long service awards to celebrate your commitment.
• Take the day off on your birthday, it’s all about you!
• Competitive salary, pension plan and enhanced holiday allowance.
• Friendly central support team always on hand to help.

How you’ll make a difference as a Chef:

• By preparing healthy, nutritious meals, accommodating allergies and special dietary requirements for all children.
• Through maintaining a clean and tidy kitchen, ensuring compliance with environmental health standards.
• By collaborating with children and the nursery team in snack-making and baking activities.

What a Nursery Chef needs:

• Catering experience, preferably in a similar environment.
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Knowledge of food preparation for special dietary needs.

Sound like the place for you? Apply today to join Kids Planet Penrith

We are unable to offer any kind of visa sponsorship for this role.

We embrace everyone. Our goal is to create a truly inclusive culture and diverse workforce. We break down barriers so you can be your authentic self—and flourish!

Kids Planet is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children and young people. An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role. We expect all staff and volunteers to uphold this commitment, and safeguarding training is a fundamental part of every role. All colleagues are required to complete regular training to ensure they understand and fulfil their responsibilities. A Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate is mandatory for all positions, and this role will be subject to enhanced checks as part of our safeguarding duties.