Chef

Busy Bees In Portishead; Wigston; On-site; GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nursery group in Wigston is looking for a Chef to prepare nutritious meals that cater to children's dietary needs. The role involves overseeing kitchen operations while ensuring strict hygiene standards and managing staff. The ideal candidate will hold a Food Hygiene Certificate and have previous experience in catering. The nursery provides a supportive environment and excellent benefits, including competitive salary and career progression opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

Discounts at various retailers

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Your birthday off

25% childcare discount

Enhanced family leave

Menopause support

Financial support options

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted Private Medical Insurance

Qualifications

• A Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above) is mandatory.
• Experience in catering or kitchen operations is essential.
• Empathy and understanding towards children is required.

Responsibilities

• Prepare healthy meals that meet dietary needs.
• Oversee kitchen operations for food safety compliance.
• Manage kitchen staff and coordinate inspections.
• Maintain kitchen inventory and manage purchasing.

Skills

Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above)

Experience in catering or kitchen operations

Empathy and understanding

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 a 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

Busy Bees South Wigston is rated "Good" by Ofsted and has a capacity of 75 children. Located in the heart of South Wigston, our nursery is a converted two-storey building set back in a quiet area, boasting a large outdoor space for children to explore. We offer three base rooms tailored to different ages and stages of development, each featuring its own separate dining room that doubles as a craft room, providing ample opportunities for learning and creativity. Conveniently situated close to South Wigston train station and just five miles from Leicester city centre, our nursery is also within striking distance of Fosse Park and the M1/M69 motorways. We provide free parking for staff.

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)

You'll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive - offering a wide 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 needs.
• Oversee kitchen operations ensuring food safety and hygiene compliance.
• Manage kitchen staff and collaborate with regulatory bodies during inspections.
• Maintain kitchen inventory and efficiently manage purchasing.

Ideal Candidate

• Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or above).
• Experience in catering or kitchen operations.
• Empathy and understanding – each child is unique.

If you’re passionate about food and nutrition and maybe you have experience as Chef, an Assistant Chef, a Cook or managed a cafe apply now!