Location
Mare Street, London

Hours
Full time (hours not specified)

Salary
£30,663 per annum

About the Role
As a Chef at St Joseph's Hospice, you will be responsible for preparing and serving hot and cold food for the In-Patient Unit and cafe, including breakfast, lunch, supper, soups, main meals, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. You will prepare hospitality and buffet food ahead of booked events to a professional standard and cook to meet patients' nutritional needs, special diets, and allergen requirements under the direction of the Catering Manager and dietitians. Your duties include setting up workstations and patient trolleys for safe meal preparation and service, assisting other chefs as needed, and supporting events and menu rollout across Hospice sites.

You will work in compliance with the Hospice's Food Safety Management System (FSMS) and all health and safety policies, including HACCP, COSHH, and manual handling. Maintaining high standards of personal hygiene and kitchen cleanliness is essential, as is the safe operation and maintenance of kitchen equipment such as ovens, fryers, mixers, Merrychef, and dishwashers. You will complete daily food safety records accurately and report any defects, pest sightings, or serious food safety breaches promptly.

The role involves day-to-day supervision of junior team members including Catering Assistants, Porters, volunteers, and apprentices, especially when the Catering Manager is absent. You will guide junior staff in food preparation and safety standards and collaborate with other chefs to ensure a consistent, high-quality catering service for patients, staff, and visitors.

Customer service is a key aspect of the role, requiring you to build positive relationships with all catering service users and communicate courteously and professionally. You will lead by example in promoting excellent customer service and handle complaints or menu queries. You will also attend site meetings with departmental managers and dietitians to review and develop the catering service and actively participate in menu development and creativity sessions.

Additional responsibilities include participating in monthly stock counts, ensuring secure and safe stock storage, reporting any losses or discrepancies, and ensuring goods, recipes, and menus meet financial targets and quality standards.

Personal development is encouraged through identifying learning needs, engaging in supervision, and keeping up to date with catering practice developments. Other duties appropriate to the role may be assigned by your line manager.

Experience
Experience in professional kitchen environments is desirable. Ability to prepare a variety of hot and cold dishes to meet dietary and allergen requirements is essential. Experience supervising junior staff and working within food safety and health and safety frameworks is advantageous.

About you
You are a motivated and reliable individual with a passion for delivering high-quality food and excellent customer service. You have strong communication skills and the ability to work well both independently and as part of a team. You demonstrate attention to detail, particularly in food safety and hygiene, and are willing to engage in continuous professional development.

Qualifications
Relevant food hygiene and safety qualifications are preferred. Training will be provided to ensure compliance with the Hospice's Food Safety Management System and health and safety policies.