Kitchen Assistant

Our Kitchen Assistants support the Chef Manager in the preparation of meals and beverages and participate in the overall maintenance of a safe and hygienic environment. They ensure a professional, efficient and prompt service is provided to patients, visitors, staff and volunteers at all times.

Salary: £18,506 per year plus enhancements for weekend working.

Hours: 28 hours a week including alternate weekends. 7 hour shifts (9am 4pm weekdays) and (8am 3pm weekends).

Holiday: 25 days (increasing to 27 after 5 years and 31 after 9 years) plus public holidays (FTE).

Job Responsibilities

• Cooperate with the Chef Manager to comply with all food safety legislation, health & safety regulations, and hospice policies.
• Assist in the preparation of fresh food, cook as required and correctly store food items.
• Prepare, cook and serve meals for patients (breakfast, lunch and dinner) maintaining a high quality standard.
• Run the kitchen on weekends (low covers).
• Prepare, make and bake products for internal and external events.
• Prepare dining rooms for meals (tables, condiments, cutlery, trays).
• Handle cash using till and electronic payment methods.
• Liaise with nursing staff regarding specific patient requirements.
• Participate in the completion of all necessary records.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene control; follow regular cleaning schedules and keep kitchen and utensils clean and appropriately stored.
• Ensure washing up duties are carried out immediately.
• Ensure safety of patients and staff by regularly checking equipment is in good working order and reporting any faulty equipment to the Chef Manager.

Health and Safety

• Adhere to uniform policy at all times.
• Assist with any routine or unexpected inspections.
• Be familiar with hospice health & safety policy.

Information Security, Confidentiality and Records Management

The role requires adherence to organisational policies concerning information security, data privacy and confidentiality. The employee must safeguard sensitive information, ensure secure handling and storage of records, and maintain compliance with applicable data protection regulations. This includes participating in Information Governance training, reporting potential security incidents and managing records in accordance with the Tapping Houses Retention, Archiving and Destruction of All Hospice Records Policy.

Qualifications

• A good standard of education.
• NVQ Level 2 in Catering/Food Safety (or equivalent).

Experience

• Experience of working in a commercial kitchen.
• Proven ability to prioritise own workload, produce high quality work and meet deadlines.
• Experience of baking (cakes/bakes/savouries) in large quantities.
• Experience of following specific procedures.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
• Understanding of COSHH, Food Safety and Health & Safety regulations.

Personal Attributes

• Team player.
• Proactive and flexible.
• Adaptable to change.

Benefits

• Annual leave: 25 days (increasing to 27 after 5 years and 31 after 9 years) plus public holidays.
• Free parking.
• Onsite cafe.
• Full uniform provided.

Legal and Compliance

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975 and will require a Disclosure and Barring Service check. The role requires submission for disclosure to confirm no disqualifying convictions.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive and will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the needs of the service are being met.