School Chef

Operam Education; London Borough of Bromley; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

School hours

Term-time hours

Support through process

Job summary

Horizon Teachers is seeking an experienced School Chef to lead a school kitchen in Bromley, delivering fresh, nutritious meals for pupils and staff. The role emphasises school hours and holidays, with a term-time contract and a mix of full-time hours.

Responsibilities include menu planning, allergen management, stock control and leading kitchen staff to maintain high hygiene and food safety standards. DBS checks and right to work in the UK are required.

Qualifications

• Experience as a chef or cook in a school or other high-volume catering setting.
• Knowledge of allergen management and food safety law.
• Ability to cook from scratch to a consistently high standard, on time and on budget.

Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, cook and serve healthy, freshly made meals in line with the School Food Standards.
• Plan menus that are varied, balanced and cater for vegetarian, cultural and religious diets.
• Manage allergens and dietary requirements safely and accurately, following Natasha’s Law and school procedures.
• Order and receive stock, rotate it, and minimise waste and costs.
• Keep kitchen, equipment and storage areas clean, safe and hygienic at all times.
• Record food safety checks including temperature logs and HACCP records.
• Follow COSHH, health and safety and safeguarding procedures.
• Lead and support kitchen assistants and guide them during busy service times.
• Help prepare food for school events and inspections.

Skills

Food hygiene level 2

Cook from scratch

Organisation

Communication skills

Staff supervision (desirable)

Education

Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate

Food Hygiene Level 3 certificate (desirable)

Job description

School Chef

Location: Bromley, South East London

Hours: Full time, Monday to Friday, approx. 7:00am – 3:00pm

Contract: Temp-Permanent, term time only

Start date: ASAP

About the role

Horizon Teachers is working with a friendly and well‑run school in Bromley to appoint an experienced School Chef. You will lead the school kitchen and prepare fresh, nutritious and appealing meals for pupils and staff every day. Good food makes a real difference to how children learn, so you will play an important part in school life. In return you get the work‑life balance of school hours and school holidays.

Key responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, cook and serve healthy, freshly made meals in line with the School Food Standards.
• Plan menus that are varied, balanced and popular with pupils, and include options for vegetarian, cultural and religious diets.
• Manage allergens and special dietary requirements safely and accurately, following Natasha’s Law and the school’s allergy procedures.
• Order and receive stock, rotate it, and keep food waste and costs to a minimum.
• Keep the kitchen, equipment and storage areas clean, safe and hygienic at all times.
• Complete and record food safety checks, including temperature logs, cleaning schedules and HACCP records.
• Follow COSHH, health and safety and safeguarding procedures in the kitchen and dining hall.
• Lead and support kitchen assistants, and give them clear direction during busy service times.
• Help prepare food for school events, trips and special occasions when needed.
• Get ready for and support Environmental Health inspections, aiming to keep a 5-star food hygiene rating.

What we’re looking for

• Experience as a chef or cook in a school, nursery, care or other high‑volume catering setting.
• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety certificate (Level 3 desirable).
• Good knowledge of allergen management and food safety law.
• Ability to cook from scratch to a consistently high standard, on time and on budget.
• Good organisation, with the ability to work calmly under pressure.
• A positive, flexible attitude and good communication skills with staff and pupils.
• Experience supervising kitchen staff is desirable but not essential.

What’s on offer

• School hours and term-time working, with no late nights or weekends.
• A supportive school team and a kitchen you can call your own.
• A dedicated consultant from Horizon Teachers to support you through the process.
• Opportunities for training and development.

Safeguarding

Horizon Teachers and our partner schools are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will need an enhanced DBS check with barred list, satisfactory references and proof of the right to work in the UK. Online checks may be carried out for shortlisted candidates, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.

We're proud to be an inclusive employer, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds and committed to creating accessible opportunities across education.

As part of our registration process, you'll need an enhanced DBS check and we'll need to see and copy your original qualifications before any placement. Teaching roles require Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent