Assistant Chef

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

Job summary

A leading nursery group in Dorking is seeking an Assistant Chef who will be responsible for preparing nutritious meals that support children's growth. This role includes overseeing kitchen operations, maintaining food safety standards, and managing inventory. The ideal candidate has leadership experience in early years settings and strong mentoring skills. Join a nurturing team dedicated to children's wellbeing and development while enjoying competitive benefits and opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

‘Hive’ benefits and wellbeing hub

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Menopause support

Financial support via Salary Finance

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

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 standards.
• Ensure kitchen inventory is well-maintained and assist with ordering and stock management.
• Support meal preparation and assist in 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 ourponsored 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 péri as 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 أحب community involvement and fundraising to support children's lives.

About our Nursery

Busy Bees Dorking Westcott Road, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, is situated in a two-floor converted house with a capacity of 52 children. We have established strong relationships with the local community, enhancing our children's learning experiences and fostering a sense of belonging. Conveniently located near Dorking Train Station, we offer free parking for staff, ensuring easy access to our nursery. Our facility features excellent garden facilities, providing a vibrant outdoor environment for children to explore and play.

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

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 moneyисидә 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》中 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 和 maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Ideal Candidate

• Ideally experience in leadership withinearly 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!