Job Description

Job title: Chef/Cook

We are looking for an experienced chef to help us provide freshly cooked, nutritious meals for our day centre clients.

You will have the ability to cook from scratch using fresh produce and be able to produce high quality meals. You will also understand costs and be able to maintain the high standards set by our head chef.

As well as producing nutritious meals for our clients on site, we also operate a hot meal delivery service. We have ambitious plans for our food business and would welcome candidates that are enthusiastic and would like to play a part in it's development.

We are a small, friendly kitchen team, so being a team player is very important to us. It is also important that you can lead the kitchen when necessary.

If you feel you have the skills required to make an impact, then we would like to hear from you. The role is available immediately so please don't delay in contacting us.

To assist, and when required lead, the preparation, cooking and presentation of fresh and nutritious meals of outstanding quality to our clients whilst recognising dietary needs and ensuring that this is undertaken in a safe and legal environment.

Reports to:

Head Chef (Food Service Manager)

Responsible for:

Up to 4 paid staff and a team of kitchen volunteers

Department/Service

The Tapestry Food Service provides food provision across the organisation, providing access to high quality food at reasonable prices to our clients in all Tapestry locations. This has been expanded to offer our clients, and the wider community, a home delivery service.

1. Duties and key responsibilities

Delivery

As directed by the Head Chef, prepare food products and produce meals in accordance with the menu plans ensuring delivery to waste targets and to Tapestry values.

Support the Head Chef in leading an outstanding food service ensuring that food service customers have access to high quality fresh and nutritionally balanced food as requested.

Ensure that Tapestry's robust internal systems and processes are followed to ensure its food service meets all statutory, mandatory and internal requirements and standards.

Provide supervision, coaching, motivation and support for Assistant Cooks and volunteers. Support the recruitment and training of new assistant cooks and volunteers.

Maintain stock levels for food, beverages and catering equipment ensuring that goods received are of a satisfactory quality and that storage and stock rotation is effective. Ensure sufficient supplies to meet all catering requirements and that preferred suppliers are used.

Ensure that the work area is left clean, organised and restocked at the end of every shift.

Support the Head Chef in the provision of a take-home and delivery service, ensuring safe transportation of the food.

Ensure that the food service operates to UK food safety standards.

Ensure that the food service financial systems are carried out accurately and securely, according to Tapestry finance department agreed procedures.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Support the Head Chef in ongoing stake holder consultation to ensure that the food service meets the needs of its customers

Support the Head Chef in the delivery of a data collection system to collect the relevant information to evidence agreed food service outcomes and manage the business.

Maintain accurate kitchen records in support of best practice of food hygiene and health and safety regulations, Strive at all times to retain the top food hygiene rating by the Food Standards Agency at all future inspections. Also maintain records for internal/external food and beverage transfers and function consumption for costing.

Menu planning

Support the Head Chef in the development and ongoing review of menus to ensure that Tapestry offers fresh, affordable, nutritionally balanced meals for the varied dietary needs of our customers, within agreed budgetary constraints.

Stakeholder management

Be a point of contact for all internal and external stakeholders, when it comes to food service delivery.

Support the Head Chef in maintaining relationships with all relevant external stakeholders and organisations.

Support the Head Chef to manage relationships between staff, food service customers and volunteers.

Training/Education

Support the Head Chef in the delivery of staff, volunteer and client cooking skills and nutritional training events, to ensure participants gain the knowledge to make informed decisions about healthy food choices.

Support the Head Chef in the delivery of an appropriate training plan for all Assistants Cooks and volunteers, ensuring that all statutory and mandatory training requirements are met.

Support the Head Chef in the implementation of an accredited volunteer training programme, enabling participants to gain skills to improve employability options.

2. General Responsibilities

Represent and be an ambassador for Tapestry

Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position

Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development

Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices

Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace

Treat with confidentiality any personal, private or sensitive information about individual organisations and or clients or staff and Tapestry data

Any other duties commensurate with the accountabilities of the post

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

EXPERIENCE

Experience of cooking high quality fresh food to an excellent food safety standard in a professional kitchen.

Supervision of staff.

Training, development and motivation of staff.

Menu development.

Sourcing ingredients and equipment and building strong supplier relationships.

Able to adhere to catering budgets and to minimising waste.

Working with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Management of systems and processes for collecting, collating and reporting information.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Ability to cook fresh nutritional meals and inspire others to do the same.

Strong interpersonal skills to motivate a team in delivering day-to-day outcomes to a high standard, giving challenging feedback to improve performance if necessary.

Clear communication skills face to face and on the phone or email, with people of many different backgrounds and within a range of settings,

Ability to manage challenging situations calmly, efficiently and effectively.

Purchasing skills and the ability to minimise wastage.

Basic IT skills.

Strong time management and organisational skills, with the ability to work to time restraints.

Self-motivated with the confidence to work alone but can also work co-operatively and flexibly as part of a team.

Ability to stay focused and efficient in the face on changing priorities.

Ability to understand the challenges of working with volunteers.

KNOWLEDGE

Regulatory requirements and best practice guidance relating to:

- Food safety and catering practices

- Health & Safety

- Allergens

- Food labelling legislation (or a willingness to learn)

Clear understanding of health and nutrition, particularly in relation to elderly people and to particular health conditions.

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Food Hygiene qualification

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Able to travel extensively within the Borough and Region.

Able to work evenings and weekends where necessary.

Works well both leading and within a team with a flexible approach to work.

Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.

An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work.

Commitment to the values and ethos of Tapestry

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 12.26 per hour

Expected hours: 36 per week

Benefits:

Company pension Sick pay
Experience:

Chef: 1 year (required)
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 07/07/2025
Reference ID: Chef