Weekend Chef

NHS Jobs; Thatcham; On-site; GBP 16,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals

Onsite free parking

Career development and training

Job summary

Thornford Park Hospital is recruiting a Weekend Chef to support the Head Chef, plan and prepare meals, and manage kitchen operations at Thatcham, Berkshire. The role emphasizes dietary compliance, high-quality meal preparation, and staff support.

You will contribute to cost control, menu development, and training for peers while adhering to Food Hygiene regulations and Safer Food Better Business standards. The position offers weekend hours with potential for job-sharing and a supportive hospital

Qualifications

• GCSE English or equivalent.
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 (or equivalent).
• Basic Food Preparation and Cooking.
• Basic Food Hygiene (essential).
• Intermediate Food Hygiene (desirable).
• Experience in similar environment.
• Experience in delivering service on mass.
• Menu planning, costing, ordering, stock control and budget experience.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the Head Chef for the day-to-day running of the kitchen
• Maintaining food storage procedures and stock rotation according to established procedures
• Preparing, planning and cooking meals to a high standard, considering dietary requirements
• Serving service users, staff and visitors with food and beverage in a professional manner
• Preparing and producing foods for conferences and banquets
• Participating in food costings through effective cost control procedures
• Adhering to Safer Food Better Business standards and record keeping
• Adhering strictly to Food Hygiene Regulations and other safety procedures
• Taking full shift responsibility for the catering operation
• Assisting the Head Chef by researching and creating new menus ensuring meals are of a high quality and complement healthy eating guidelines
• Filling of HACCP paperwork (Fridge temps, temperature logs, cleaning schedules)

Skills

Menu planning

Cost control

Stock management

Food service

Food hygiene

Education

GCSE English

City & Guilds 706/1 and 2

Tools

HACCP

Job description

Are you looking for a Weekend chef role where you can be creative and work with a dedicated team? Are you looking for a Weekend chef role where you can be creative and work with a dedicated team? If so, join Thornford Park Hospital. This position will ideally be working both Saturday and Sunday; however, we are open to the possibility of a job share. We also offer a free shuttle bus service from Thatcham train station. As a crucial part of the kitchen team, you’ll play a vital role in crafting daily meals for service users, staff and visitors. Dive into food preparation and elevate your role by providing guidance and training to your peers. There are regular activities, events and special occasions throughout the year which you’ll also cater for – World Food day, Christmas, Easter, Family Day and many more. In other words, plenty of chance to be creative and do something different. It’s a calm and pleasurable working environment, where you’ll be able to manage your workload and enjoy creating delicious meals. There’s a great social aspect to this role where you can interact with people outside the kitchen regularly.

As a Weekend Chef you will be:

• Supporting the Head Chef for the day-to-day running of the kitchen
• Maintaining good food storage procedures and stock rotation according to established procedures
• Preparing, planning and cooking meals to a consistently high standard, taking account of any special requests or dietary requirements within the unit
• Serving service users, staff and visitors with food and beverage in a professional and courteous services manner
• Preparing and producing foods for conferences and banquets
• Participating in food costings through effective cost control procedures
• Adhering to the ‘Safer Food Better Business’ standards and record keeping
• Adhering strictly to Food Hygiene Regulations and other safety procedures at all times
• Taking full shift responsibility for the catering operation
• Assisting the Head Chef by researching and creating new menus ensuring meals are of a high quality and compliment healthy eating guidelines
• Correctly filling of all paperwork in relation to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system (HACCP) i.e. Fridge temperatures, food temperature logs and cleaning schedules

To be successful in this role, you'll need:

• To be 18 years or older
• GCSE or equivalent English
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 (or equivalent)
• Basic Food Preparation Cooking
• Basic Food Hygiene (essential)
• Intermediate Food hygiene (desirable)
• Previous experience in a similar environment
• Previous experience in delivering a service on mass
• Menu planning, costing, ordering, stock control and budget experience

Where you will be working:

Thornford Park is a 141 bed hospital set within 21 acres of Berkshire countryside, offering a seamless care pathway across medium and low secure services, psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs), and rehabilitation flats. The site supports men and women with complex Mental Health needs, Personality Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Autism—often with histories of offending or previous placement challenges. Services include: Medium & Low Secure Units for acute and long-term care PICUs for individuals in psychiatric crisis Older Adult Services with age-appropriate, holistic interventions Specialist Learning Disability & Autism Pathways with integrated secure settings and step-down flats You’ll be part of a recovery-focused, multidisciplinary team helping people move safely toward greater independence.

Location:

Crookham Hill, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 8ET

What You’ll Get:

• Hourly rate of £14.27
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy (Pro Rata) additional annual leave, in our annual selection window
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future
• Free meals and onsite free parking

About your next employer:

Elysium Health care has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 80 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move. Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally. Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person’s individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users.

All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure.