Job Description

Post Title: Chef 

Reporting To: Head of Chef

Salary Grade Range: Cornerstone Support Pay Scale

Main purpose

The Chef will:

• Lead the catering team in the production and provision of the day-to-day food service for children and staff.

Duties and responsibilities

Provision of Food Service, including food preparation and cooking activities

• Responsible for the preparation and delivery of the daily lunch menu including the provision of special dietary meals for both children and staff.
• Producing meals of a high standard which are appetising but being responsive to feedback for changes or improvement.
• Awareness of food costs and how to use ingredients in an economical way to avoid waste or overspend. Ensuring food is correctly and adequately portioned.
• Familiarity with modern kitchen equipment.
• The provision of refreshments for meetings and functions.
• Creating and supporting an ethos of homemade food, fresh ingredients and healthy eating.
• To meet service deadlines and ensure adequate quantities of food are produced.
• To assist with the food service as necessary at lunchtime and during functions.
• Supporting and directing catering staff as necessary to achieve deadlines.
• Providing feedback to the Head Chef and leadership team as necessary around any challenges or issues.

Whole-school organisation, strategy, and development

• Support the school ‘family dining’ ethos and ensure we meet the requirements of the food school plan. Promoting healthy eating and looking at ways to diversify new trading areas when the opportunity arises.

Health, safety, and discipline

• Maintaining and taking responsibility for all aspects of health and safety within the kitchen. Ensuring standards are always kept high and issues are reported and dealt with.
• A preparedness for hygiene inspections and awareness of statutory requirements for food safety and allergens.

Professional development

• Take part in the school’s appraisal procedures.
• Take part in further training and development to improve own professional development and personal effectiveness.
• Where appropriate, take part in the appraisal and professional development of others.

Communication

• Communicate effectively with other staff members, pupils and parents as necessary.
• Use IT systems efficiently and effectively to communicate as needed. Responding quickly to emails and messages.
• Maintain accurate statutory records as necessary.

Personal and professional conduct

• Uphold public trust and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.
• Have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies, and practices of the school, and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality.
• Demonstrate positive attitudes, values, and behaviours to develop and sustain effective relationships with the school community.
• Respect individual differences and cultural diversity.

Management of staff and resources

• Direct and supervise staff in the appropriate use of resources ensuring they are maintained to a high standard and looked after responsibly.

Other areas of responsibility

• Support wider school initiatives, parental meetings, school fayres. Organising and delivering hospitality requirements as needed. Helping to promote the dining service.
• Support the wider school curriculum where needed, supporting the children and teaching staff with ideas for recipes, overseeing cooking events and helping with practical cooking skills.

Please note that this job description is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken, commensurate with the grade. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the postholder will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher or your line manager.

The post requires you to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the age range 2 to 11 years as consistent with the ages of students attending this Academy Trust and follow school policies and the staff code of conduct. This job description is not your contract of employment or any part of it. It has been prepared only for the purpose of school organisation and may change. It may be amended at any time after consultation with you.

Person specification