Experienced Kitchen Assistant/Chef

Essex; Rayleigh; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

A local nursery in Rayleigh seeks an enthusiastic Kitchen Assistant to prepare and serve meals for children. This part-time role involves working 3 hours daily, Monday to Friday, in a nurturing environment. The ideal candidate should have a Level 2 food hygiene certificate and experience in early years settings. Strong communication skills and a love for children are essential. Join a friendly team committed to providing a safe, stimulating atmosphere for developing young minds.

Qualifications

• Experience working in an early years kitchen.
• Passion for nurturing children's development.
• Positive attitude and effective task management.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve meals for children in a nursery.
• Maintain cleanliness in the kitchen and nursery.
• Supervise and engage with children during lunchtime.
• Communicate effectively to foster a positive environment.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Food hygiene awareness

Education

Level 2 food hygiene certificate

Job description

Job Ref No. ECC501527-10 Position Type: Early Years Pay Range: From £12.21

Position Start Date: 01/02/2026 Contract Type: Part-time Contract Term: Permanent

Application Close: 05/01/2026 Midnight Date of Interviews: 08/01/2026

We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced (with early years ideal) kitchen assistant to join our friendly team.

This role involves preparing and serving meals for the children. These are pre-prepared by our catering partner and require heating, temperature probing and serving. Awareness and understanding of allergies is essential.

You will also be supporting the daily activities within a nursery environment at lunchtime, ensuring a safe and nurturing space for children to learn and grow. Strong communication skills and the ability to manage tasks effectively are essential for success in this position.

The hours would be 10:30am-1:30pm Monday to Friday all year, for 50 weeks of the year.

The successful applicant must be able to work as part of a strong team and have a love for children.

Duties:

• To lead andbe in charge of the kitchen area duties including probing the food to ensure the food is safe to eat and dishing this into serving dishes.
• Communicate effectively with children and staff to foster a positive environment.
• Maintain cleanliness in the kitchen and across the nursery.
• Organisation within the kitchen space.
• Cleaning the kitchen.
• Ensuring the equipment is kept clean and efficient.
• To load and unload the dishwasher.
• Supervise and engage with children during lunchtime, ensuring their safety and well-being.
• To help the children with their independence.
• Participate in training sessions to enhance skills

Requirements:

A Level 2 food hygiene certificate and DBS.

Previous experience of working in an early years kitchen.
Previous experience working with children in a nursery or childcare setting or having experience with your own children would be ideal but not mandatory.
Excellent communication skills.
A genuine passion for nurturing children's development and promoting a positive learning environment.

Happy Days Nursery (Rayleigh) Ltd is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children and this post will be offered subject to satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS and further suitability checks.

Information about the School

Our nursery is a happy, safe, secure and stimulating environment in which learning is actively encouraged through play. We provide resources, activities and first-hand experiences which allow children to explore and persevere and to become creative, confident learners.

We build positive relationships with families to support children’s emotional well-being and work within a framework which ensures equality of opportunity for all, aiming to meet children’s individual needs.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.