Nursery Cook

The Treehouse Club; Wickford; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

50% Off Childcare at Treehouse Club

Discounted or free food

On-site parking

Beautiful forest location!

Job summary

The Treehouse Club Wickford nursery is seeking an experienced Nursery Cook to join our busy kitchen team. You will prepare meals for our Wickford site and other branches, ensuring nutrition, safety, and dietary requirements are met.

Responsibilities include planning meals, managing stock, maintaining hygiene, and collaborating with peers to create seasonal menus. A strong awareness of food safety and allergy needs is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience cooking nutritionally balanced meals for babies and young children.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety issues including COSHH.
• Ability to manage kitchen stock and ordering.

Responsibilities

• Assist with planning and preparation of meals in line with Treehouse Club menus and policies.
• Cater for dietary and allergy requirements following parental guidance and care plans.
• Maintain high hygiene standards in line with Environmental Health policies.
• Assist with stock control, storage, and rotation of kitchen items.
• Maintain accurate temperature logs and other safety records.
• Assist with opening/closing checks and daily kitchen operations.
• Help create termly, balanced meal plans and seasonal menus.

Skills

Meal planning

Nutrition for children

Food safety

Teamwork

Time management

Tools

Commercial kitchen equipment

Job description

Knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety issues including COSHH.

An awareness and understanding of food allergies.

Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm 5 Days a Week

Our Wickford kitchen has just had a huge upgrade and we’re looking for an experienced and efficient Nursery Cook to join our busy team preparing meals for our Wickford site as well as other branches in the area.

You’ll assist with the management of the nursery kitchen, organising and preparing nursery meals in accordance with the nursery menu, food policies and individual dietary requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist with planning and preparation of all food/meals in accordance with The Treehouse Club menus and food policies
• Catering for all individual dietary and allergy requirements in line with parental guidance and health care plans.
• Ensure hygiene and cleanliness within the kitchen is of the highest standard in accordance with Environmental Health policies and processes.
• Assisting with the control, storage and rotation of kitchen stock
• Assisting with accurate records regarding temperature controls etc.
• Carry out all operations in relation to running the kitchen and preparing all meals
• Assisting with kitchen inventories and prepare food orders
• Complete all aspects of the better food better business manual
• Monitor and ensure that the setting’s food hygiene rating of 5 is maintained
• Gain a clear understanding of policies and procedures
• To ensure that all food is planned in line with allergies and dietary requirements and is checked regularly for changes
• Completion of all opening and closing checklists
• Prepare freshly cooked meal plans reflecting a balanced diet on a termly basis
• Work with the setting to support food topics
• Work with Nursery Cooks/Chefs from other Settings to assist with the creation of new seasonal menus

Person Specification:

• 2. An awareness and understanding of food allergies.
• 3. Proven experience and ability to organise, plan and cook nutritionally balanced meals for babies and small children who have different dietary needs.
• 4. Knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety issues including COSHH.
• 5. The ability to use food preparation equipment and ensure the economic use of materials, equipment and energy.
• 6. The ability to order correct amounts of food and control kitchen stock.
• 7. Ability to work as part of a team and own initiative.
• 8. Ability to manage own time and prioritise tasks.
• 10. Friendly, flexible approach.
• 11. Commitment to undertaking training and continued professional development.

Safer recruitment

The Treehouse Forestry Nursery and Out of School Club applies safer recruitment policies to ensure that all of our staff are suitable to work with children and young people. We advise you in advance that two people will be involved in your recruitment process. Both people will partake in your interview and each person will individually review all applications and paperwork to ensure that you are suitable for the role.

Part of our safer recruitment procedure includes obtaining references for you. One of these references must be your latest employer. If you are unable to obtain a reference before the interview from your current employer then you must obtain references from the employer before that as well as one other reference.

References from former employers are preferable over any other referee. Please note that we will need to obtain a reference from your latest employer before completing our processes for you to commence working for us.

We are at liberty to advise you that if there are gaps in your employment history or any other information that gives us cause for concern, we will contact your former employers to obtain further information and satisfy any concerns that we have.

We do not offer sponsorship to overseas applicants

We do not offer sponsorship to overseas applicants

Eligibility to work within the UK

We will need to obtain evidence from you to confirm that you are eligible to work within the UK. We confirm that this information, as well as all personal information, will be held in our Staff Central Record.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Previous applicants need not apply.

• 50% Off Childcare at any Treehouse Club
• Discounted or free food
• On-site parking
• Beautiful forest location!