Second Chef - Care Home

Barchester Healthcare; Tenterden; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rewarding Excellence bonus up to £500*

Refer-a-friend scheme 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 is seeking a passionate Second Chef to join our warm, resident‑centred kitchen team. You will support the Head Chef, craft nutritious, flavoursome menus using fresh seasonal produce, and help deliver hotel‑ and restaurant‑standard dining without split shifts.

You will work with residents to tailor meals, manage the kitchen in the Head Chef’s absence, and help maintain high standards, budgets and HACCP compliance.

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
• 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 to the highest standards
• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment
• Work within budget
• Complete regular audits
• Manage stock control

Skills

Personable approach

Formal qualification

Nutrition knowledge

Fresh seasonal food

Warm welcoming environment

Menu development with residents

HACCP understanding

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 a better 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 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 has 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.

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
• 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 to the highest standards
• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment
• Work within budget
• Complete regular audits
• Manage stock control

Benefits

• 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 counseling 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

About the Role

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