Casual Kitchen Assistant

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora; Thames; On-site; NZD 30,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Thames Hospital, part of Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, is seeking a casual chef/cook/kitchen assistant to prepare and serve meals for clients and Meals on Wheels. The role requires working across early to late shifts, weekends, and public holidays as needed.

The ideal candidate has a passion for food, strong food safety knowledge, reliability, and the ability to lead kitchen assistants while maintaining high standards. NZ residency and English language skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Interest in food with proven preparation ability.
• Understanding of food safety principles.
• High standards for self and food quality.
• Able to direct assistants fairly and consistently.
• Team player with positive attitude and good English.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals for clients and Meals on Wheels.
• Maintain food safety and hygiene standards.
• Work under pressure to meet timeframes.
• Provide direction to kitchen assistants.
• Communicate clearly with the kitchen team.

Skills

Food prep

Food safety

Teamwork

Communication

Tools

Excel

Outlook

Job description

• Thames Hospital
• Casual

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Are you an enthusiastic and experienced chef/cook/ kitchen assistant, looking for a challenge? Our friendly team prepares and serves meals each day for our clients as well as providing meals for Meals on Wheels customers.

We offer great conditions. Hours of work are shifts between 6.00am & 8.30pm, weekend duties and working on public holidays may be required.

The ideal applicant would:

• Have a real interest in food and a proven ability in its preparation.
• Have a good understanding of food safety principles and demonstrates this in their work
• Have high standards for both themselves and the food they are preparing
• Be able to provide direction to their assistants fairly and consistently
• Be a team player with a positive attitude
• Have excellent communication skills, both spoken and written English possess an exceptional work ethic and enjoy what they do Work well under pressure and within timeframes
• Extremely reliable and with a great attendance record
• Applicants must have NZ residency

The salary for this position will be based on experience and in line with the Etū agreement.

Nutrition & Food Services provides high quality, safe, and efficient food services that support the nutritional wellbeing of our patients and community

Located in the heart of The Coromandel, Thames is a charming town steeped in history and surrounded by stunning natural beauty. The area offers a mix of colonial architecture, a vibrant arts scene, and a rich cultural heritage, including Māori history and the town's gold mining past. Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities to explore the Coromandel Ranges and Kauaeranga Valley with hiking and camping right on your doorstep. Thames also marks the beginning of the Hauraki Rail Trail, perfect for cycling through the regions scenic landscapes. With an abundance of caf s, boutique shops, and local attractions, Thames provides a perfect balance of adventure, relaxation, and community. It's an ideal place to build your career while enjoying the serene beauty and lifestyle of the Coromandel.

The ideal candidate will

Have the ability to work well in a fast-paced environment, juggle various tasks and still have a welcoming smile

• Have excellent attention to detail along with dietary/allergen experience
• A strong background within the food sector
• A relentless positive attitude every shift, the ability to see what needs to be done and the willingness to jump in and get it done.
• Must be computer literate, able to use excel, outlook and other software relevant to the positon

Te Whatu Ora Waikato is a market leader for food service provision in NZ public hospitals and operates an active continuous quality improvement programme. Nutrition and Food Services is an operation providing meals for patients, staff and visitors to the Thames Hospital campus.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59 pm on 18November 2026.

If you have read the position description and can confidently say that you meet the criteria outlined, we would welcome your application. Applicants for this position must have NZ residency and be able to communicate effectively in both spoken and written English.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

Job details

Job Reference:

Job Reference: THA01088

Location:

North Island - Waikato - Thames & Coromandel

Job type:

Job type: Casual

Expertise:

Non-clinical - Food Services - Food Services