Senior Catering Assistant

WSH Group; West of England; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Time Off

Pension Contributions with Extra Spice

Life Assurance

Cycle Scheme

Free Food and Drink on Shift

Learning, Development and Apprentices

Refer a Friend Scheme

Monthly Recognition: A Toast to you

Job summary

Somerset Larder, Bristol, is seeking a full-time Kitchen Assistant to support food preparation, cooking, and front-of-house service. You will help with breakfasts, lunches and events, ensure food safety and high quality, and assist in delivery and stock duties.

The role emphasizes customer care, teamwork and flexibility in a fast-paced catering environment, with training and development opportunities and a generous employee benefits menu.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering/hospitality environments preferred.
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Able to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene and allergen management.
• Reliable, flexible and able to work independently or as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Assist with food preparation, cooking and presentation for breakfast, lunch, dinner and events.
• Prepare ingredients, sandwiches, salads and hot meals in line with recipes and customer requirements.
• Support chefs in all aspects of food production to maintain quality standards.
• Assist with portioning, packing and labelling for service or delivery.
• Ensure food handling/storage follows safety and allergen procedures.
• Provide friendly, professional service to customers and assist with enquiries.
• Operate tills/EPOS where required and support catering operations across venues.
• Receive, check and store deliveries and assist with stock rotation (FIFO).
• Undertake delivery duties when required and report shortages or discrepancies.
• Maintain clean, safe kitchen and service areas and complete hygiene records.
• Participate in training and development activities.
• Carry out other duties as required.

Skills

Food preparation

Customer service

Food safety & allergen management

Teamwork

Organisational skills

Reliability & flexibility

Education

Food Safety Level 2

Health and Safety qualification

Catering/hospitality qualification

First Aid qualification

Job description

South West Larder: Togetherness, Nurture, Pride, Planet

Full Time: 39 hours a week - occasional weekends

Salary: £13.68 per hour

Location: Royal Portbury Dock Rd, Bristol BS20 7XJ

Position closes: 08/09/2026

Interviews week commencing: 14/09/2026

Want to work for a company where Togetherness, Nurture, Pride and Planet are at the heart of everything they do? Then look no further, Somerset Larder produces fresh food and meals to go using locally sourced ingredients from all over the west country. Our philosophy is to nourish the community with amazing produce, to employ local people and to train apprentices for future careers in the catering and hospitality sector.

At Somerset Larder, our Values have been set by our staff. Our Values exist for the good of our working lives and company performance. Our Values are:

• Togetherness - “Be a tractor not a trailer.”
• Nurture - “You grow, I grow, we grow.”
• Pride - “We can and we will”
• Planet - “We’re part of a bigger picture”

Purpose of the Role

To support the efficient operation of the kitchen and catering service by assisting with food preparation, basic cooking, food service, customer care, and delivery activities. The role ensures that high standards of food quality, hygiene, safety, and customer service are consistently maintained while supporting colleagues across kitchen and front-of-house operations.

Key Responsibilities

Food Preparation & Production

• Assist with the preparation, cooking, and presentation of food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, hospitality, and buffet services.
• Prepare ingredients, sandwiches, salads, snacks, and hot meals in line with recipes, specifications, and customer requirements.
• Support chefs in all aspects of food production to ensure meals are delivered to agreed quality standards.
• Assist with portioning, packing, and labelling food items for service or delivery.
• Ensure all food is handled, stored, and prepared in accordance with food safety and allergen procedures.

Customer Service & Food Service

• Provide a friendly, professional, and welcoming service to customers at all times.
• Serve food, beverages, and retail products while maintaining high standards of presentation.
• Operate tills, cashless payment systems, and EPOS equipment where required.
• Respond to customer enquiries and assist in resolving service issues promptly and professionally.
• Support catering operations across restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality events, retail outlets, and service counters.

Delivery & Stock Support

• Assist with receiving, checking, and storing deliveries in accordance with company procedures.
• Support the preparation and loading of food orders for delivery to customers and service locations.
• Undertake delivery duties where required, ensuring food is transported safely and efficiently.
• Help maintain accurate stock rotation and storage practices, including adherence to FIFO principles.
• Report stock shortages, quality concerns, or delivery discrepancies to management.

Hygiene, Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised kitchen and service environment.
• Clean equipment, utensils, workstations, food preparation areas, and dining spaces to required standards.
• Complete cleaning schedules, temperature checks, and food safety records accurately.
• Follow all Food Safety, HACCP, Health & Safety, COSHH, and company procedures.
• Support waste management and sustainability initiatives, ensuring waste is disposed of correctly.

Teamwork & General Duties

• Work collaboratively with kitchen, delivery, and front-of-house teams to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Assist colleagues during busy periods and support other catering areas as required.
• Contribute to a positive working environment through professional communication and teamwork.
• Participate in training and development activities to enhance skills and knowledge.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties appropriate to the role.

• Food Safety 2 within 30 days of starting work
• Health and Safety Qualification (desirable)
• Relevant catering or hospitality qualification (desirable).
• First Aid qualification (desirable).

Skills / Knowledge / Experience Required

• Previous experience in a catering, kitchen, hospitality, or food service environment preferred.
• Basic food preparation and cooking skills.
• Excellent customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Understanding of food safety, hygiene, and allergen management.
• Reliable, flexible, and able to work independently or as part of a team.

Employee Benefits Menu

• Generous Time Off Savour a well-balanced blend of work and personal time with our generous annual leave allowance (30 days including bank holidays)
• Pension Contributions with Extra Spice Prepare for your future with a pension plan that goes beyond the basics – 5% from you, matched with a hearty 5% from us
• Life Assurance Our life assurance plan is here to provide peace of mind, so you can focus on serving up excellence
• Cycle Scheme Get a healthy and eco-friendly start to each day with our cycle scheme – perfect for working up an appetite!
• Comprehensive Family Leave Benefits When life serves up big changes, we’re here to support you with a menu of family leave benefits designed so you can make memories as you care for your family.
• Free Food and Drink on Shift Enjoy a daily free meal/drink so you can fuel up and stay energised.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)/Mental Health First Aiders Tap into our 24/7, all-year round helpline and portal Wisdom, loaded with resources on health, finances, legal advice and lifestyle tips – a full menu of support options
• Christmas Shutdown Relax during the festive period whilst the operation is closed between Christmas and New Year – a rarity for the Hospitality industry (option to volunteer for skeleton staffing)
• Learning, Development and Apprenticeship Opportunities Stir up new skills with a range of development and apprenticeship opportunities to help you grow your career and cook up success in the culinary world.
• Access to Occupational Health As a perk of being part of the HPC project, you will have access to Health Partners, the UK’s leading provider of workplace health services
• Refer a Friend Scheme Use our employee referral programme and benefit financially by adding people from your professional network to our workforce.
• Monthly Recognition: A Toast to you Each month, we raise a glass to our star team members who go above and beyond, as nominated by their colleagues
• Long Service Awards Celebrate the milestones! Receive our heartfelt gratitude and special recognition at your 5- and 10-year anniversaries
• Annual Team Awards Join us for our annual awards event as we honour the outstanding contributions and achievements of our team. It’s our way of saying cheers to you!

This benefits menu is our recipe for a rewarding and fulfilling career, where you can develop your talents and delight in the journey ahead.

Pre-Employment Screening

Successful applicants will be required to provide a three-year employment history and five-year address history to work on Hinkley Point C.

They must be able to provide in date photographic ID and their right to work in the UK so that security clearance can be obtained as these roles are based on a nuclear regulated site.