Job Description
Job title: Day Centre Cook
Responsible to: Charity Services Manager
Responsible for: Volunteers
Hours: Standard hours - 25 hours per week. 09:00-14:00, 5 days a week including weekends.
Salary: £13.55 per hour
Requirements: Due to the nature of the clients we work with we can only accept applicants who are 18+ years old.
Job Summary
We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate Cook to support the delivery of nutritious, high-quality meals to homeless and vulnerable adults attending our day centre. For many of our clients, this hot meal is the only meal they will eat that day, so quality, care, and dignity are at the heart of this role.
Based in our day centre kitchen, the postholder will be responsible for preparing, cooking, and serving meals, maintaining high standards of food hygiene and safety, and managing volunteers within the kitchen environment.
Job Purpose
To provide safe, nutritious, and well-prepared meals for clients using our day centre service, while ensuring full compliance with food hygiene, health and safety legislation, and Somewhere to Go Ltd policies and manage the running of the kitchen
Personal Specification - Experience
· Previous experience catering for groups of 30-50 people.
· Previous catering experience within an environment for individuals with multiple and complex needs.
· Experience working within the guidelines of 'Safer Food, Better Business' by the Food Standards Agency.
· Experience being responsible for and scoring well in Food Hygiene Checks by the Local Authority.
Personal Specification - Knowledge & Skills
· Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented kitchen.
· Knowledge of health and safety and good hygiene practice in the kitchen through the holding of a current Level 2 award in Food safety and Hygiene.
· Positive attitude, willingness to learn, and a passion for supporting vulnerable adults.
· Ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team.
· Able to follow instructions from line manager.
· Able to undertake physically demanding work.
· Ability to cope with periods of pressure and prioritise workload, accordingly, meeting all deadlines.
· Demonstrates a passion for creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all clients, staff and volunteers of Somewhere to Go Ltd.
· Knowledge about dietary needs for vulnerable adults.
Main Responsibilities - Service Delivery
* Ensure the cleanliness of the kitchen is maintained.
* Sorting donated food and ensuring the stock is rotated.
* Prepare lunches (2 courses) when required.
* Cater for occasional additional events such as Open days, exhibitions, Christmas dinners, cream teas etc when required.
* Cater for food allergies, preferences and intolerances in accordance with policies.
* Ensure temperatures of fridges and freezers are recorded on a daily basis.
* Ensure ingredients and final products are fresh.
* Bake, grill, steam and boil meats, vegetables, fish, poultry and other foods.
* Serve food.
* Maintain a clean and safe work area, including handling utensils, equipment and dishes.
* Handle and store ingredients and food.
* Maintain food safety and sanitation standards.
* Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment and utensils.
* Execute opening and closing procedures.
* Check the quality and freshness of ingredients.
* Create a menu and prepare food according to the menu.
* Recording and documenting all relevant paperwork to comply with food hygiene regulations, Health & Safety, and Somewhere to Go Policies.
* Monitor kitchen inventory levels. Ensure all food is produced to our high standards making sure the correct quantities are ordered to minimise wastage.
Main Responsibilities - Staff & Volunteers
* Supervising volunteers, ensuring a safe and secure working environment.
* Be a positive member of Somewhere to Go and work in close partnership with staff and volunteers.
* Training volunteers in the preparation of food where required.
Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we support
Any job offer made will be subject to satisfactory references.
Any job offers made will be made subject to a satisfactory DBS enhanced check.
At Somewhere to Go Ltd, we understand that people can and do put their offending behind them. This recognition is embodied in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA). Due to Somewhere to Go Ltd supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged adults it is necessary for us to conduct a DBS check on staff members to be able to give close consideration to someone's criminal history. Somewhere to Go falls within the Rehabilitation of Offenders act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 ("the Exceptions Order") due to their work with vulnerable adults. We value lived experience and each DBS check will be assessed on a case by case basis.
The above is not a comprehensive task list but is illustrative of what the role will entail, and we reserve the right to change and review the job description and responsibilities. Job descriptions will be subject to review and possible change on an annual basis subject to project and charity priorities.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: £13.55 per hour
Benefits:
* Company pension
* Discounted or free food
* Employee discount
* Free flu jabs
* Free parking
* Health & wellbeing programme
* On-site parking
* Sick pay
Application question(s):
* Please highlight any experience you have working with vulnerable adults.
Education:
* GCSE or equivalent (required)
Language:
* English (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
* Driving Licence (preferred)
* Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate (required)
Work authorisation:
* United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person