Second Chef - Care Home

Barchester Healthcare; Kettering; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rewards bonus up to £500 for good/out_

Refer a friend bonus up to £500

Discounts at brands and supermarkets

Access to medical specialists

Counselling and legal services

Tax code review service

Monthly staff lottery

Job summary

Barchester Healthcare is seeking a passionate Second Chef to lead in the kitchen and help deliver nutritious, flavoursome menus in a warm home-like setting. You will work closely with residents to tailor dishes while maintaining service standards.

The role emphasizes quality, HACCP compliance and thoughtful menu development, with a focus on balance, nutrition, and a welcoming environment for residents and staff alike.

Qualifications

• Nutrition-focused cooking with fresh seasonal ingredients.
• Experience in HACCP-compliant kitchen operations.
• Ability to engage residents and create a welcoming atmosphere.

Responsibilities

• Manage the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence.
• Assist Head Chef in menu development.
• Prepare high-quality, wholesome dishes from fresh produce.
• Create a warm, efficient and fun kitchen environment.
• Work within budget and controls.
• Complete regular audits of food safety and quality.
• Manage stock control and ordering.

Skills

Nutrition knowledge

Fresh seasonal food

HACCP

Resident engagement

Warm environment

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Job description

Are you a qualified Chef looking to work with fresh seasonal food, with the opportunity to have more of a work life balance and make what you do matter?

Working as a Second Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long weeks. You will assist the Head Chef in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus whilst working with residents to tailor menus around them. We are proud to deliver person centred hospitality across all our services and look for warm, motivated and passionate chefs who are driven by quality.

Here at Barchester, we work with an open, honest, supportive approach, where quality of care is at the heart of everything we do. As sector leading healthcare experts, we are proud to have the highest quality ratings across our 224 homes and hospitals across the UK.

Barchester have proudly been awarded a two-star outstanding rating by Best Companies, ranked 11th in the top 20 Best Health & Social Care Companies to work for and 14th in the Top 25 Best Big Companies to Work For in the UK.

NEED TO HAVE

• A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents
• Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent
• A good understanding of nutrition
• Experience of working with fresh seasonal food
• The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our home
• Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus
• Good understanding of HACCP

NEED TO DO

• Manage the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence
• Assist Head Chef in menu development
• Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked at the highest quality and standards
• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment
• Work within budget
• Complete regular audits
• Manage stock control

REWARDS PACKAGE

• Rewarding Excellence bonus, meaning you will be financially rewarded by up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection
• Unlimited access to our generous refer a friend scheme, earning up to £500* per referral
• Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts at big brands and supermarkets
• Free access to medical specialists, who are available for a second opinion if you need it to make a decision with confidence
• Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services
• Tax code review service, where we will check that you are on the right code and paying the right level of tax
• Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside thousands of colleagues across the UK
• *Terms & conditions apply

If you are a passionate Chef who is keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and who love to celebrate life, Barchester is the place to be.

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