Restaurant: Kitchen - Chef

Squires Garden Centre, Common Road, Stanmore, London, City of, United Kingdom Req

28 April 2025

Your primary responsibility will be to provide professional support to the Catering Team.

Working closely with the Catering Manager to help the department succeed.

Hiring rate - £12.90 per hour

Rota: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 08:00-17:00; Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday 08:00-17:00

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Handling customer queries courteously and efficiently.
• Maintaining a harmonious and cooperative relationship with customers and staff at all times.
• Carrying out all reasonable duties as requested by management.
• Working within the kitchen team to prepare salads, vegetables, and sandwiches.
• Cooking and baking hot food, sweets, pastries, etc., as required.
• Producing food recipes to specification and recording wastage/shrinkage according to company guidelines.
• Ensuring all food is stored to the company's standards.
• Strictly adhering to food safety and hygiene regulations.
• Undertaking general cleaning of the kitchen and restaurant.
• Working as part of the kitchen and catering team and undertaking other reasonable duties as required.

To be successful in this role, we are looking for:

• Enthusiasm for food preparation and cooking.
• A can-do attitude and interest in building a career in catering.

Squire's is a family-owned group of 17 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and Berkshire. Since 1936, our business has focused on the happiness of our staff.

We are committed to growth and maintaining high standards in horticulture, catering, and retail.

We aim for our staff to enjoy working in a friendly, energetic, customer-focused environment.

Rewards & Benefits: We want our employees to be known for friendliness, helpfulness, and excellent customer service, embodying the ethos 'nothing is too much trouble for our customers'. We offer an extensive benefits package, including:

• Employee Discount: 50% in Restaurants and 20% in Garden Centre upon joining, increasing to 25% after 2 years, and 30% after 5 years.
• Holiday (including bank holidays): 5.6 weeks upon joining, increasing with service.
• Bonus: Non-contractual Christmas bonus based on company profits.
• Pension: Defined Contribution Pension Plan, with company contributions if eligible.
• Attendance Bonus: After 1 year of perfect attendance, an additional holiday day (pro-rata).
• Made A Difference Scheme (M.A.D): Monthly recognition for outstanding service or initiatives.
• Learning & Development: Opportunities to enhance your skills and confidence.
• Birthday Benefits: Early leave or a £25 gift voucher after 6 months or 2 years of service, respectively.
• Cycle2work scheme: Savings on cycling equipment after 1 year of service.
• Child's First Day at School: Late arrival and early departure on your child's first school day after 1 year of service.
• RHS Membership or a Tree/Shrub: Choice of annual plant or RHS membership after 1 year.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): Access to wellbeing resources after 2 years.
• Retirement: Reduced hours but same pay in final months after 15 years of service.
• Free Parking: Available on-site for employees.