Job summary
We're looking for a skilled, passionate chef to join our Catering team at Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
If you're energetic, hardworking and committed to delivering high-quality, freshly cooked, nutritious food, this is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to the experience of our patients, staff and visitors.
About the Role
As a Chef within our busy hospital kitchen, you will play an important role in ensuring our meals are fresh, wholesome and attractively presented. You will work as part of a supportive and experienced team, preparing meals to meet nutritional standards and supporting our wider catering service.
Our Catering Department is one of only a handful within the NHS that delivers true fresh-cooked catering on-site for both patients and retail services. We are proud to be recognised as one of only seven Exemplar Fresh Cooked Sites nationally, showcasing best practice in high-quality, nutritious food provision. Our chefs work closely with dietitians, nutritionists and clinical teams to cater for a wide range of medical, cultural and specialist dietary requirements -- ensuring every patient receives safe, appropriate and nourishing meals tailored to their needs.
Main duties of the job
- Preparing and cooking dishes using fresh ingredients
- Ensuring meals are cooked to a high standard and well presented
- Working to forecasted meal numbers and maintaining portion control
- Supporting the delivery of function and event catering when required
- Maintaining high standards of food safety, allergen awareness and nutritional knowledge
- Operating effectively in a high-volume production kitchen
We are looking for someone who can thrive in a busy environment, stay calm under pressure, and is motivated by producing quality food every day.
About You
To succeed in this role, you will need:
- Previous experience working as a chef in a quality-driven kitchen
- Strong practical skills and confidence preparing food from scratch
- Good knowledge of allergens, dietary requirements and nutritional content
- A positive attitude and genuine passion for food
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Flexibility to work shifts across a 7-day rota, including some weekends
About us
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides outstanding care to a population of around 600,000 across Hampshire and parts of West Berkshire. We operate three hospital sites:
- Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital
- Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester
- Andover War Memorial Hospital
We are proud of our inclusive culture where people belong, learn and grow. With over 9,000 staff and an annual turnover of £500 million, we offer excellent career development opportunities and the chance to be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking organisation.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about this role please see Job Description document attached.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about this role please see Job Description document attached.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Basic food hygiene certificate
- City and Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent
Desirable
- Intermediate food hygiene certificate
- City and Guilds 706/3
- Computer literate
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of large scale food production
- Ability to work autonomously
- HACCP, COSHH
- Working knowledge of Health and Safety
Desirable
- Experience working in an NHS Catering environment
- Knowledge of legislation - The Food Act 1990
- Food Hygiene Regulations 1995
Skills and Ability
Essential
- Effective team member with the ability to work unsupervised.
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
- Effective organisational skills and ability to manage time and prioritise work
- Attention to detail
- Agility to change work pace to meet needs of service.
- Ability to make judgements unaided and to work pro-actively.
Other role specific requirements
Essential
- Professional manner and organised approach
- Enthusiastic, determined and assertive
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Flexible
- Calm under pressure
- Occasional flexibility in working hours may be required
- High levels of personal hygiene
- Physically fit
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Basic food hygiene certificate
- City and Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent
Desirable
- Intermediate food hygiene certificate
- City and Guilds 706/3
- Computer literate
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of large scale food production
- Ability to work autonomously
- HACCP, COSHH
- Working knowledge of Health and Safety
Desirable
- Experience working in an NHS Catering environment
- Knowledge of legislation - The Food Act 1990
- Food Hygiene Regulations 1995
Skills and Ability
Essential
- Effective team member with the ability to work unsupervised.
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
- Effective organisational skills and ability to manage time and prioritise work
- Attention to detail
- Agility to change work pace to meet needs of service.
- Ability to make judgements unaided and to work pro-actively.
Other role specific requirements
Essential
- Professional manner and organised approach
- Enthusiastic, determined and assertive
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Flexible
- Calm under pressure
- Occasional flexibility in working hours may be required
- High levels of personal hygiene
- Physically fit
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
