Thomas Franks - Support Chef

Thomas Franks Ltd.; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company based in Reading is seeking a Support Chef to prepare and deliver fresh nutritional meals for charities. This full-time role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and experience in a high-volume kitchen environment. Flexible working hours include weekdays and occasional evenings/weekends. The ideal candidate should possess a full clean driver's license and a commitment to food safety standards. Competitive salary and benefits package offered.

Benefits

Wider wallet scheme

Free meals on duty

Volunteers leave

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Cycle to work scheme

Recommend a friend bonus

Training and development opportunities

Apprenticeship program

Social events

Employee assistance program

Workplace pension

Career progression opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a prep chef or in a similar culinary role, preferably within a centralised kitchen.
• Ability to follow standardised recipes and specifications.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety standards and hygiene practices.

Responsibilities

• Prepare ingredients in bulk for locations, supporting local charities and food banks.
• Follow and execute recipes precisely, ensuring consistency across all dishes.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment by adhering to food safety protocols.

Skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Time management

Culinary skills

Food safety knowledge

Job description

Support Chef Reading Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Salary: Up to £40,000 per annum
Hours: 40 per week

The Thomas Franks Foundation aimed to raise funding for children from low-income backgrounds to access independent education. However, when the pandemic hit, the Foundation quickly pivoted to provide nutritious meals for people at risk of food poverty.

Feeding Communities was born, and the Foundation built partnerships with charities and community support groups across the UK and Europe. Since then, we have provided more than three million meals in partnership with our locations, and charity now forms one of the five key pillars in our core strategy – proof of how central it is to our ethos. We are proud to support people who need us.

The Thomas Franks Foundation are looking to recruit a Support Chef to help support with the preparation, production and delivery of fresh nutritional meals to support communities and charities within London and surrounding counties. This is a 40 hour a week role and will be working over a 5 over 7 shift pattern. Whilst there is some weekend work the main operation will be working during the week. Shift can depend on what activity is on but would usually be 0700-1500 or 1300 – 2100.

We are looking for a meticulous, organised, and hard working individual who will be responsible for carefully preparing ingredients and recipes to a high standard for our food that will be distributed around the UK . As an integral team member, you will be required to demonstrate attention to detail, careful adherence to recipes, and the ability to work within time constraints. The ideal candidate will have a passion for food, strong organisational and critical skills, and an unwavering commitment to food safety and quality. Flexible hours will also required .

Responsibilities:

• Prepare ingredients in bulk for within Thomas Franks Locations, supporting local charities and food banks , whilst following standardised recipes .
• Follow and execute recipes precisely, ensuring each batch of ingredients is prepared according to specifications.
• Maintain strict consistency and quality across all dishes regarding taste, texture, presentation, and portioning.
• Prepare and store large quantities of sauces, vegetables, meat, and other components for later use in service, ensuring efficiency and accuracy.
• Correct usage, maintenance, and storage of kitchen and prep equipment according to manufacturer's guidelines and instructions to ensure personal and team safety and recipe accuracy - Assess quality of prepared ingredients and finished dishes, ensuring all food is of the highest standard.
• Identify and address any potential issues during preparation, such as ingredient shortages or recipe discrepancies, and work towards solutions in a timely manner.
• Conduct regular checks on ingredient quality, ensuring all produce and products meet food safety standards and are free from cross contamination or spoilage.
• Assist in receiving, organising, and storing ingredients in proper conditions to maintain quality.
• Help monitor inventory levels and report any discrepancies, low stock, or spoilage to kitchen management.
• Maintain a clean and safe working environment at all times by keeping to strict adherence to food safety protocols, ensuring all prep areas, equipment, and tools are sanitised and maintained at the highest level of cleanliness.
• Accurately label and package prepared items for transport to locations , ensuring items are properly sealed and stored to maintain freshness and prevent contamination.
• Communicate effectively with team members and kitchen management to ensure smooth operations during prep work and to ensure timely and efficient preparation of all components.
• Manage time effectively to ensure all tasks are completed within designated prep periods.
• Ensure all dishes and components meet specific allergen information and communicate any changes in ingredient usage to kitchen management to ensure allergen information is up to date.

Attributes:

• Proven experience as a prep chef or in a similar culinary role, preferably within a centralised kitchen or high volume food production environment
• Shows initiative & smart approach to tasks
• Reliable and trustworthy
• Interest in working with food and high quality ingredients
• Strong ability to follow standardised recipes and specifications, and prepare ingredients in bulk
• Ability to work to high standards of quality and presentation when preparing recipes
• Exceptional attention to detail with a critical and analytical approach to food preparation
• Excellent knowledge of food safety standards and hygiene practices
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to multitask and work efficiently under pressure
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team while maintaining focus on independent tasks
• Comfortable working in a high-volume, fast-paced kitchen
• Preferably versed in using equipment for large scale cooking due to being in a centralised kitchen
• Full Clean Driver's license essential as you will need to deliver goods in vans.

Be very flexible with times as this role will also include occasional evenings and weekend work.

Benefits

• Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers, restaurants, gyms etc).
• Free meals on duty
• Volunteers leave - up to one day per year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Recommend a friend bonus.
• Unrivalled individual training and development.
• Well established apprenticeship programme.
• Team & company social events.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Workplace pension.
• Excellent career progression within a leading independent contract caterer.

About us

Thomas Franks is a founder led, fresh food catering business with a focus on excellence and service delivered with individuality, passion and style. We are unique in every approach and our clients, and our people are paramount to our daily success.

Disclaimer

All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.

An enhanced DBS, Identity & reference checks (covering the last five years) will form part of the selection process. As an organisation using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants' suitability for positions of trust, Thomas Franks Ltd complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed. However, for any post in a school please be aware that any application is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such any criminal conviction, caution or bind-over must be declared.

Diversity and Inclusion at Thomas Franks

We actively encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and continue to develop a culture of growth and inclusion and would like to invite applications from groups who are currently under-represented, because we believe greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life.