School Chef Darlington

Berry Recruitment Group; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 27,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

No evenings or weekends

Dedicated recruitment consultant

Job summary

Berry Recruitment Darlington is seeking an experienced School Chef to prepare and serve nutritious meals for pupils and staff at a Darlington school. The temporary role runs from Friday 13th November 2026 until mid/end December, with hours 7:15am–1:15pm, 30 hours per week, and a pay rate of £16.89 per hour, paid weekly.

Key duties include following menus, accommodating dietary requirements, maintaining hygiene standards, monitoring temperatures, and keeping the kitchen clean and efficient.

Qualifications

• Previous experience working as a Chef or Cook, ideally within a school or similar catering environment.
• Good understanding of food hygiene and safety procedures.
• Knowledge of allergens and dietary requirements.
• Ability to work independently and manage a busy kitchen.
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• An Enhanced DBS certificate is required, ideally registered with the Update Service.

Responsibilities

• Preparing, cooking and serving fresh, nutritious meals for pupils and staff.
• Following planned menus and catering for dietary requirements, allergies and food intolerance's.
• Ensuring food hygiene, health and safety standards are maintained at all times.
• Monitoring food temperatures and completing relevant kitchen records.
• Managing portion control and minimising food waste.
• Maintaining a clean, safe and organised kitchen environment.
• Supporting with stock rotation, deliveries and food storage.
• Working efficiently to ensure meals are prepared and served on time.

Skills

Chef/Cook experience

Food hygiene & safety

Allergens & dietary awareness

Independent kitchen work

Organization & time management

Reliable & flexible

Education

Enhanced DBS certificate (Update Service)

Job description

School Chef – Darlington

Location: Darlington, County Durham
Job Type: Temporary
Start Date: Friday 13th November 2026
Contract Duration: Until mid/end of December 2026
Working Days: Monday to Friday
Working Hours: 7:15am – 1:15pm (30 hours per week)
Pay Rate: £16.89 per hour, paid weekly

Job Description

Berry Recruitment Darlington are currently recruiting for an experienced and reliable School Chef to work within a school in the Darlington area.

This is a temporary position starting on Friday 13th November, expected to continue until mid to late December.

The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing and cooking nutritious, high-quality meals for pupils and staff, ensuring all food is prepared safely and to a high standard.

Key Responsibilities

• Preparing, cooking and serving fresh, nutritious meals for pupils and staff.

• Following planned menus and catering for dietary requirements, allergies and food intolerance's.

• Ensuring food hygiene, health and safety standards are maintained at all times.

• Monitoring food temperatures and completing relevant kitchen records.

• Managing portion control and minimising food waste.

• Maintaining a clean, safe and organised kitchen environment.

• Supporting with stock rotation, deliveries and food storage.

• Working efficiently to ensure meals are prepared and served on time.

Requirements

• Previous experience working as a Chef or Cook, ideally within a school or similar catering environment.

• A good understanding of food hygiene and food safety procedures.

• Knowledge of allergens and special dietary requirements.

• Ability to work independently and manage a busy kitchen.

• Excellent organisational and time-management skills.

• A reliable, flexible and professional approach.

• An Enhanced DBS certificate is required, ideally registered with the Update Service.

What We Offer

• Competitive hourly pay of £16.89.

• Weekly pay.

• Monday to Friday working hours.

• No evening or weekend shifts.

• Support from a dedicated recruitment consultant.

We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. All applicants will be considered on the basis of their skills, experience, qualifications and ability to perform the role, and no applicant will be treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010.