Second Chef - Care Home

NHS; Wallingford; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Barchester Healthcare is looking for a passionate Second Chef to contribute to a supportive culinary team focused on high-quality, nutritious meals for residents. You will assist the Head Chef in menu development, manage kitchen duties in their absence, and ensure a welcoming environment that prioritizes resident wellbeing. This role offers an outstanding opportunity to balance professional culinary standards with meaningful resident interaction.

Benefits

Rewarding Excellence bonus, up to £500 for a good inspection

Generous refer-a-friend scheme

Access to retail and leisure discounts

Free medical specialists access

Free counselling and legal services

Tax code review service

Option to join a monthly staff lottery

Qualifications

• Good understanding of nutrition and experience working with fresh seasonal food.
• Personable and warm approach with an interest in resident wellbeing.
• Knowledge of HACCP is required.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Head Chef in creating nutritious menus tailored to residents.
• Manage the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence and conduct stock control.
• Create a warm and engaging environment for residents.

Skills

Nutrition

Working with fresh seasonal food

Personable approach

HACCP

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Job description

This role as a Second Chef at Barchester Healthcare offers the opportunity to work with fresh seasonal food and have a better work-life balance, while making a meaningful impact on the wellbeing of the residents. You will assist the Head Chef in creating nutritious, flavoursome, and well-balanced menus, tailored to the preferences of the residents. Barchester is a sector-leading healthcare provider, committed to delivering high-quality care and creating a warm, supportive environment for their employees.

Main duties of the job

As a Second Chef at Barchester Healthcare, you will work alongside the Head Chef to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long weeks. Your responsibilities will include assisting in menu development, working with fresh produce to create high-quality and wholesome dishes, managing the kitchen in the Head Chef's absence, and creating a warm, efficient, and fun environment. You will also be responsible for stock control, budget management, and completing regular audits.

About us

Barchester Healthcare is a sector-leading healthcare provider with 224 homes and hospitals across the UK. They are committed to delivering person-centred hospitality and have been recognized for their outstanding quality of care, with a two-star rating from Best Companies. Barchester is also known for their supportive work environment, being ranked among the top 20 Best Health & Social Care Companies to work for and the top 25 Best Big Companies to Work For in the UK.

Job responsibilities

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 HACCPNEED 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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• You will need to hold a City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent qualification, as well as have a good understanding of nutrition and experience working with fresh seasonal food. A personable and warm approach, a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents, and a good understanding of HACCP are also required.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.