Assistant Chef

Busy Bees In Portishead; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent nursery group in the UK is seeking an Assistant Chef to join their team in Newcastle upon Tyne. In this role, you will prepare healthy, nutritious meals for children while ensuring kitchen operations comply with food safety standards. The ideal candidate should have experience in early years settings, showcasing strong leadership and problem-solving skills. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to children's wellbeing in a nurturing environment while enjoying benefits like competitive pay and professional development.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

25% childcare discount

Up to 28 days holiday

Mental health support

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• Experience in early years or educational settings is preferred.
• Strong team management and communication skills.
• Ability to handle kitchen inventory and operations efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy meals that meet dietary requirements for children.
• Support kitchen operations and maintain hygiene standards.
• Assist with ordering and stock management.
• Aid in the maintenance of kitchen equipment.

Skills

Leadership experience in early years settings

Mentoring skills

Problem-solving skills

Food safety knowledge

Job description

Overview

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 UKs 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 — Our Newcastle Upon Tyne 110 place nursery has an Ofsted rating of Good, a large team with many longstanding staff members who are passionate about providing an exciting and engaging learning environment for all children from babies to pre-school. We have a large outdoor area. Based in Cobalt Business Park near Silverlink Retail Park, we are close to bus and metro links, as well as having free onsite parking.

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)

We also offer access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive, featuring a Wellbeing Hub with resources to support your physical and mental health, a Celebrating You section recognising and rewarding our team, and Grow with Us opportunities for development and training designed to help you thrive 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!