ECE Centre Cook | Busy Bees The Lakes

Busy Bees Aotearoa; Greerton; On-site; NZD 29,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

First aid training

Food safety certification

Annual flu vaccination

Wellbeing support

Discounted childcare fees

Job summary

Busy Bees Aotearoa in Tauranga is looking for a Centre Cook to join The Lakes team. You’ll prepare nutritious Nourish meals daily, support children’s learning through wholesome kai, and work Monday to Friday with daytime hours.

This part-time role emphasizes kitchen hygiene, budgeting, and collaboration with centre staff, while offering funded training and a supportive network.

Qualifications

• Have a genuine passion for creating wholesome kai.
• Be warm and approachable.
• Excellent organisational skills to manage a busy kitchen.
• Confident in menu planning.
• Proactive mindset ensuring food safety and hygiene are top priority.
• Have previous experience cooking in an ECE centre or for large groups.

Responsibilities

• Preparing nutritious meals and snacks.
• Involving the older children in kai preparation to support learning and independence.
• Managing weekly grocery shopping and tracking kitchen expenses.
• Ensuring all nutrition and safety regulations are consistently met.
• Maintaining hygiene standards through daily food records and cleaning schedules.
• Supporting the wider centre team as needed.

Skills

Wholesome kai creation

Organisational skills

Menu planning

Food safety awareness

Job description

Join Busy Bees The Lakes in Tauranga and be part of a welcoming, supportive team where your contribution is valued. You’ll enjoy supportive leadership, clear processes and a team that recognises the important role you play in our centre community.

As our Centre Cook, you’ll prepare nutritious Nourish meals each day, helping our tamariki learn, grow, and thrive through wholesome, delicious kai.

This is a part-time role at 32 hours per week.

Why Join Our Team? | He aha koe i hono ai ki to matou tima?

• Regular daytime hours working Monday to Friday with no late nights

• Discounted childcare fees for your own tamariki

• Fully funded first aid training, food safety certification, and annual flu vaccination

• Ongoing guidance and wellbeing support from the wider Busy Bees Aotearoa network

• The rewarding feeling of knowing the wholesome kai you prepare makes a genuine impact every day

The Opportunity | Te Aheinga

You’ll prepare daily kai for our tamariki, following menu guidelines while maintaining high kitchen hygiene standards and supporting food-related routines within the centre. You’ll be a friendly, familiar presence for children and an active part of the team. Your role will include:

• Preparing nutritious meals and snacks

• Involving the older children in kai preparation to support learning and independence

• Managing weekly grocery shopping and tracking kitchen expenses

• Ensuring all nutrition and safety regulations are consistently met

• Maintaining hygiene standards through daily food records and cleaning schedules

• Supporting the wider centre team as needed

About You | Mou

• Have a genuine passion for creating wholesome kai

• Be warm and approachable

• Have excellent organisational skills to manage a busy kitchen

• Confident in menu planning

• Have a proactive mindset ensuring food safety and hygiene are always top priority

• Have previous experience cooking in an ECE centre or for large groups

Applicants must have NZ residency or a valid work visa.

Why Work for Busy Bees?

If you’re passionate about early learning, Busy Bees is the place to be. Although we are part of a global organisation, our company was founded by three families looking for better, more enriching childcare. Three decades later, we still keep the same values at heart.

We know that we couldn’t do what we do without the important people in our teams. We invest in our people and work with them to build career pathways that inspire.