We have a rare and exciting opportunity for a Nursery Chef to join our welcoming team at Just Imagine Day Nursery – Wickford London Road, part of the Family First Group.
Location: 72-74 London Road, Wickford, Essex, SS12 0AN
Salary: £25,688 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Our latest Ofsted report praised the supportive leadership at the nursery, highlighting a manager who is “responsive and listens to staff” and “continuously strives to improve practice.” You’ll be joining a nurturing, reflective environment where your role is truly valued. The nursery is located on London Road, less than a 10-minute walk away from Wickford High Street. The Wickford train station is just 10 minutes walking distance away. Situated on a main residential road, the nursery has its own car park area with plenty of spaces for drop off/ pick up.
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✨ What We Offer
* 24 days annual leave plus bank holidays and a paid birthday off
* 75% childcare discount for team members
* £750 referral bonus for recommending a friend
* Health & wellbeing support, including a confidential Employee Assistance Programme
* Tailored training and development opportunities
* Excellent transport links and on-site parking
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About the Role
As Nursery Chef, you’ll be responsible for preparing and cooking fresh, nutritious, age-appropriate meals for children each day. You’ll maintain high standards of hygiene and safety, ensure all dietary and allergy requirements are met, and manage food ordering within budget.
You’ll work closely with the nursery team and parents to support children’s health, wellbeing, and overall nursery experience.
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Key Responsibilities
* Prepare and cook meals daily with minimal waste
* Ensure all dietary requirements and allergies are catered for
* Maintain a clean, safe kitchen environment in line with regulations
* Follow Red, Amber and Green plate procedures
* Complete hygiene checks and cleaning schedules
* Manage food orders to meet budget requirements
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What We’re Looking For
Essential:
* Experience cooking in a domestic or commercial setting
* Strong knowledge of food allergies and dietary requirements
* Understanding of COSHH
* Ability to work within a catering budget
* Fluent spoken and written English (GCSE grade C or equivalent)
Desirable:
* Experience and passion for cooking for young children
We are committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A Disclosure and Barring Service Certificate will be required for all posts. This post will be subject to enhanced checks as part of our Safeguarding Duty.
Just Imagine Day Nursery - Wickford London Road is part of the Family First Group where we take great care to treat everyone as a person, with equal rights and responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no place within the Family First Group.