Job Opportunities

The Dulwich Day Nursery

Nursery Chef

£29,868.80 per annum. 

40 hours per week.

Located on Perry Hill in Catford, The Dulwich Day Nursery & Preschool is a warm, home from home enviorment where every child feels safe, supported, and inspired to learn. With convenient bus links from Catford and Catford Bridge Stations and street parking avaliable right outside, the nursery is easy to reach for local families. Inside, our bright, open-space rooms create a calm and welcoming setting for children to explore a wide range of purposeful activities that nurture independence and creativity. Outside, our spacious garden offers endless opportunities for adventure and discovery in the fresh air. Our dedicated team of caring professionals builg strong, trusting relationships with each child and family, helping every little one feel confident, valued, and part of our nurturing community. 

We are seeking a dedicated Nursery Chef to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for preparing, cooking, and presenting age-appropriate meals to the highest standards, ensuring a clean, safe, and welcoming environment. You will work closely with the nursery team and parents to support the overall care and educational experience of the children.

You will also maintain accurate records of supplies, ordering replacements as needed, while adhering to the nursery’s budget requirements. This positions offer 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

Why Join Us?

At Family First, we value our team members and offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Annual Leave: Starting at 24 days, plus a paid day off for your birthday and bank holidays 
  
• Employee Childcare Discounts: 75% off nursery fees for our team member’s
  
• Health and Wellbeing Programme: Confidential employee assistance helpline available 
  
• Development: Tailored learning and development opportunities to support your career growth
  
• Referral programme:  Refer a friend and earn upto £750
  
• Excellent Transport Links
  

As Nursery Chef, you will:

• Keep the kitchen a clean and safe environment, adhering to internal and external requirements; complete the Kitchen Hygiene Checklist each month, and ensure that the Cleaning Schedule is complete and adhered to, being regularly updated and displayed prominently in the kitchen
  
• Ensure the highest levels of cleanliness and hygiene in the nursery and kitchen
  
• The nursery staff will tell you each day of the numbers to cater for; prepare and cook enough age-appropriate food (cooked as near to the point of service as possible) for all the children on a daily basis, with minimum wastage
  
• Take responsibility to make sure all dietary requirements are catered for and clearly communicated to the teams
  
• Ensure that dietary requirements and personal care routines are adhered to at all times, including the robust measures around the Red, Amber and Green plate procedures
  
• Work in co-operation and partnership with the Nursery team and parents to encourage a healthy and nutritious diet
  
• Ensure that budgetary requirements are met through careful planning of all food orders
  

*Duties and responsibilities in this job description are not exhaustive or restrictive, changes and other duties relevant to this post may be added.

As Nursery Chef, you will need:

• Able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of managing different dietary requirements around food allergies - essential
  
• Sound Knowledge of COSHH - essential
  
• Able to work to a catering budget, in a manner that avoids fluctuating standards of food service - essential
  
• Experience and qualified to the appropriate level in any role which involves cooking in domestic or commercial property - essential
  
• Fluent in written and spoken English at GCSE grade C (or equivalent) - essential
  
• Experienced and passionate about any role that involves cooking for young children - desirable
  

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.

The Dulwich Day Nursery 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.