Lunchtime Assistant & Cook - Exeter

Proud to Care South West; Exeter; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A community-focused organization is seeking a reliable Lunchtime Assistant & Cook to support the Sycamores Community Café, launching early 2026. The successful candidate will prepare and deliver nutritious meals, ensuring they meet the dietary needs of older adults. Strong communication skills and a passion for good food are essential. The role offers part-time working hours, Monday to Friday, and a commitment to food hygiene is crucial. This is an exciting opportunity to positively impact the community.

Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly when working with volunteers.
• Ability to follow direction from team leaders.
• Dependable and energetic with real enthusiasm for your work.

Responsibilities

• Assist with daily food preparation, ensuring appealing and balanced meals.
• Cook meals independently following established menus.
• Support food ordering and shopping to maintain adequate supplies.

Skills

Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Ability to work independently

Commitment to food hygiene

Positive attitude and reliability

Enthusiasm for good food

Education

Level 2 Food Safety Certificate (or willingness to work towards)

Job description

Job Purpose

Age UK Exeter are launching their Sycamores Community Café early in 2026 and are seeking a reliable and enthusiastic Lunchtime Assistant & Cook to work as part of a team to support the café with preparation and delivery of nutritious, high-quality snacks and meals.

This person will also be supporting the Sycamore days service for older adults. The ideal candidate will have a passion for good food, an understanding of nutritional needs in an older person setting, and the flexibility to step into cooking duties when required.

Age UK Exeter will be welcoming all members of the community to its new Sycamores café, so this candidate needs to have good communication and people skills to support this initiative.

Responsible to

Catering Services Lead

Main Duties

• Assist with daily food preparation, ensuring meals are appealing, balanced, and suitable for older individuals.
• Cook meals independently when required, following established menus and dietary guidelines.
• Support food ordering and shopping, ensuring adequate supplies are maintained.
• Carry out stock control, rotating stock and checking use‑by dates to minimize waste.
• Keep the kitchen and dining areas clean, tidy, and hygienic always.
• Wash up and ensure all equipment is cleaned and stored properly.
• Ensure kitchen is kept clean and up to food hygiene standards.
• Follow food safety standards and maintain accurate records where needed.
• Contribute to creating a warm, welcoming and safe mealtime environment.
• Good organizational skills, especially regarding stock and ordering.

Other Duties

This job description is intended as a guide to the general duties required of the post. The post holder may be required to undertake training and perform duties other than those given in the job description. The duties and responsibilities attached to posts may vary from time to time. Such variations are a common occurrence and would not justify the re‑evaluation of a post. Where a permanent and substantial change in the duties and responsibilities occurs, then the post would be eligible for re‑evaluation.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. We only ask applicants to disclose convictions which are not yet spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. If you are not sure whether your convictions are spent, please contact us for further advice. If successful in being invited to interview, you will be asked to fill in our Criminal Record Declaration Form, which will be confidentially returned to our HR and Finance Manager. We guarantee that the information you provide will be used fairly and will only be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.
A person’s criminal record will not, in itself, debar that person from being appointed to this post. Suitable applicants will not be refused posts because of offences which are not relevant to, and do not place them at or make them a risk in, the role for which they are applying. All cases will be examined on an individual basis. However, failure to reveal this information could lead to the withdrawal of an offer of employment or disciplinary action.
If you are the chosen candidate for this job role, it will be subject to a satisfactory Basic DBS check.

Equal Opportunities

All employees have a responsibility to understand and abide by the obligations laid down in the organisation’s equal opportunities policies.

Health and Safety

All employees have responsibility for their own health and safety and for that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Staff members are required to adhere to all health and safety regulations, guidance and procedures at all times.

Confidentiality

All employees are expected to respect confidentiality in relation to Age UK Exeter business, client and service user data.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a covering letter to [e-mail], detailing your relevant skills, experience, and qualities and why you would be a suitable candidate for the role, based on the Person Specification below.
(Please note, applications submitted without a covering letter will not be considered)

Closing Date 26th January 2026
Interview Date 3rd February 2026

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, particularly when working with volunteers.
• Literate
• Ability to work independently and follow direction from team leaders.
• A strong commitment to food hygiene.
• Dependable and energetic with real enthusiasm for your work.
• Positive attitude, reliability, and a genuine passion for good, wholesome food.

Desirable Criteria

• Level 2 Food safety Certificate (or willingness to work towards it).
• Experience preparing meals for older adults or in a similar care setting.
• Knowledge of nutrition and dietary needs related to older people.
• Previous experience working in a dementia care setting.
• Experience working with volunteers.

Does the job role include personal care?

No

Working Patterns

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday- 10-1pm