Assistant Chef

Busy Bees In Portishead; Chippenham; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nursery group in Chippenham is seeking an Assistant Chef to prepare healthy meals for children. You will support the Chef in ensuring kitchen safety and hygiene while maintaining inventory and assisting with meal prep. The ideal candidate has leadership experience in early years settings, strong mentoring skills, and a passion for quality education. Competitive salary and numerous employee benefits are offered, making this an exciting opportunity to join a nurturing environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

Discounts across a range of retailers

Up to 28 days holiday

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Financial support through Salary Finance

Qualifications

• Ideally experience in leadership within early years settings.
• Strong mentoring and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations and maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
• Ensure kitchen inventory is well-maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
• Support meal preparation and assist in the cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Skills

Leadership experience

Mentoring skills

Problem-solving skills

Job description

Join Our Team at Busy Bees – Leading Nursery Group in the UK

Are you passionate about cooking and providing nutritious meals for young children? As an Assistant Chef at Busy Bees, you’ll be a key part of our kitchen team, preparing healthy meals that support children’s growth and development. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a nurturing environment where you will contribute to the wellbeing of children while gaining valuable experience in catering within the early years sector.

About Us

Busy Bees is the UK's leading nursery group, with nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and more overseas. We are dedicated to giving every child the best start in life and are proud to have won awards for our workplace culture. At Busy Bees, we ensure that every member of our team feels heard, valued, and nurtured.

Why Work at Busy Bees?

We offer a supportive environment that empowers you to create engaging, educational spaces where children can thrive. As part of our team, you’ll be introduced to our unique Bee Curious curriculum, designed to foster curiosity and confidence in young learners.

Our Charitable Commitment

Through our partnership with BBC Children in Need, we offer fantastic opportunities for community involvement and fundraising to support children's lives.

About our Nursery

Chippenham, rated Good by Ofsted, is a large and spacious nursery with a capacity of 106 children, featuring three base rooms tailored to different age groups. Our baby unit includes two separate areas—Tinies and Tots—while the toddler room offers two play spaces, and the large preschool room prepares children for school. We have four outdoor areas designed to foster gross motor skill development in a safe environment. Our dedicated staff bring a wealth of experience and strive to create a home away from home for children and their families. Conveniently located just off the A350 Bath Road, next to McDonald's and Sainsbury's, we offer free parking and quick access to bus links to Bath and Chippenham town centre, where train links to London and Bristol are readily available.

Busy Bees Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• Our ‘Hive’ benefits and wellbeing hub, with discounts across a huge range of retailers
• Up to 28 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)
• Your birthday off – it’s our gift to you!
• 25% childcare discount
• Enhanced family leave and return to work bonus
• Menopause support through Peppy
• Financial support through Salary Finance
• Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Easy access to your workplace pension through Cushon
• Discounted Private Medical Insurance (PMI)

But wait, there’s more! You'll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive - offering huge array of retail discounts helping your money to go further, along with a Wellbeing Hub featuring resources to support your physical and mental health. A Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members. Plus, a dedicated Grow with Us area sharing the exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive and grow at Busy Bees.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy, nutritious meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support the Chef in overseeing kitchen operations and maintaining food safety and hygiene standards.
• Ensure kitchen inventory is well‑maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
• Support meal preparation and assist in the cleaning and maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Ideal Candidate

• Ideally experience in leadership within early years settings.
• Strong mentoring and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to drive improvements and ensure compliance.

If you have a passion for leading teams and supporting quality education, apply today!