Assistant Head Cook

NHS; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the UK is seeking an Assistant Head Cook to join their catering team. This role entails working in a supervisory capacity with responsibilities for food preparation and service, ensuring compliance with hygiene and safety standards. Candidates must possess a City & Guilds 706/2 or NVQ Level 3 in Food Preparation, along with experience in large-scale catering. The position offers a full-time schedule and the chance to work cross-site for diverse patient services.

Benefits

Enhanced pay for weekends and bank holidays

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Significant experience in large-scale catering is required.
• Knowledge of HACCP principles is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Supervisory role focusing on food production, hygiene, and safety.
• Ensure compliance with quality control standards.

Skills

Basic Information Technology skills

Ability to prioritise workload

Ability to record information accurately

Education

City & Guilds 706/2 or NVQ Level 3 in Food Preparation

Level 2 Food Hygiene qualification

Job description

Assistant Head Cook

Closing date: 02 February 2026

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time Assistant Head Cook to work as part of the catering team based at the Freeman Hospital, with the opportunity of working cross sites at our different bases.

• Interview date: 18th February 2026
• 37 hours 30 minutes /week
• Enhanced rate of pay for working weekends and bank holidays.
• You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Main duties of the job

• You will work on a three-week rota cycle working two weekends out of every three on early and late shifts, the early shifts will be from 6am to 2pm and late shifts from 12.00pm to 20.00pm also offered is an excellent weekend enhancement package to your pay.
• Duties include preparation and cooking of hot & cold foods, the hygiene within the kitchen to include Temperature Controls of all products.
• You will also be responsible for the staff on duty within the kitchen to ensure all meals are completed for the patient meal service to the standards required providing approximately 700 meals per service.
• Knowledge and Experience with a broad range of cooking methods would be an advantage.
• You must be qualified to City & Guilds 706/2 or NVQ Level 3 in Food Preparation and also have Level 2 Food Hygiene qualification or have the relevant experience in large scale catering. You must also provide proof of qualification or experience at the Interview.

About us

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:

• Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
• Freeman Hospital
• Newcastle Dental Hospital
• Newcastle Fertility Centre
• Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
• Northern Genetics Service

These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting‑edge care (supported by state‑of‑the‑art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.

We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.

Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.

Job responsibilities

• A working supervisory role with responsibilities for a food production/service shift with the emphasis on food hygiene and safety standards, quality control and supervisory management.

Qualifications

• City & Guilds 706/2 or NVQ 3 (food preparation) or Significant Experience
• Basic Food Hygiene
• Previous experience in large scale catering
• Knowledge of (HACCP) Principles Level 3 Supervisory Leadership or equivalent

Knowledge

• Demonstrate an understanding of managing Health & Safety and food hygiene principles
• Working in a customer focused environment
• Customer care

Skills

• Basic Information Technology skills to include Word and Excel
• Ability to prioritise workload
• Ability to record information accurately

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust