Second Chef - Care Home

Barchester Healthcare; North East; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus for CQC excellence up to £500

Refer-a-friend scheme up to £500

Discounts at retailers

Access to medical specialists

Counselling and legal services

Tax code review service

Staff lottery

Job summary

Barchester Healthcare is seeking a qualified Second Chef to support resident-focused dining with fresh, seasonal meals. You’ll work without split shifts, balancing quality and nutrition while assisting the Head Chef in menu development.

This role emphasizes creating a warm, welcoming kitchen environment, engaging with residents to tailor menus, and maintaining high standards of HACCP and food safety in a home setting.

Qualifications

• 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

Responsibilities

• 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

Skills

Personable approach

Nutrition understanding

Fresh seasonal food

Resident engagement

HACCP knowledge

Education

City & Guilds / NVQ / SVQ or equivalent

Job description

Are you a qualified Chef looking to work with fresh seasonal food, with the opportunity for a better work–life balance and to make what you do matter? This role offers 26 hours a week and alternate weekends.

As a Second Chef at Barchester, you will deliver hotel/restaurant standards without split shifts or long weeks. You will assist the Head Chef in creating nutritious, flavoursome, and well‑balanced menus while working with residents to tailor menus around them. We look for warm, motivated, and passionate chefs driven by quality and who embrace person‑centred hospitality.

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 keen to be part of a company driven by quality and who love to celebrate life, Barchester is the place to be.