Salary: £13.47 to £14.13 per hour
Grade: E
Contract Type: Permanent
Vacancy Hours: 36.5 hours per week (Monday to Sunday 8am to 5pm on a rota basis)
Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire
Are you someone who takes pride in preparing nutritious, beautifully presented meals?
We are looking for a dedicated Cook to join our Adult Care service at 5 Whitby Road in Pickering, helping to provide high‑quality meals for older people in our care.
About the Role
As our Cook at 5 Whitby Road, you will be responsible for the day to day running of the kitchen, delivering a high standard of meal preparation for residents with varying needs, including those who require special diets. You will ensure the kitchen operates safely, hygienically, and efficiently, working largely on your own initiative.
You will also play an important role in supporting residents’ wellbeing by offering choice, dignity, and respect in relation to their meals, and by ensuring food is prepared to a consistently high standard.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare, cook, and present a full range of meals, including special dietary options.
- Create menus, portion plans, and ensure meals are appealing and nutritious.
- Order supplies and maintain accurate kitchen records.
- Ensure excellent standards of hygiene, food safety, and health and safety.
- Work within agreed budgets and manage stock effectively.
- Supervise and direct operational kitchen / frontline staff where required.
- Attend training sessions, team meetings, and supervision when needed (including occasionally outside standard hours).
- Contribute to safeguarding by being aware of the physical, emotional, and social needs of older residents.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Awareness of Equality & Diversity, Dignity & Respect, and Human Rights and how these apply in practice.
- Experience of cooking a variety of meals for large groups of people.
- Knowledge of food hygiene and the ability to apply safe cooking practices.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Understanding of kitchen and workplace health and safety.
- Ability to manage budgets, monitor stock and complete simple paperwork.
Desirable
- Experience working in a residential or care setting.
Qualifications
- Level 2 qualification in Food Preparation, Food Handling or Food Safety, or willingness to work towards achieving this.
Why Join Us?
Working in Adult Social Care means making a meaningful impact every day. You’ll be part of a supportive team that values compassion, professionalism, and dedication to improving the lives of older people.
- Competitive pay
- Access to salary sacrifice schemes and staff discounts
- Benefits including green car scheme, childcare vouchers, and home technology offers
- Opportunities for career progression – With the wide range of services we offer, you’ll gain valuable experience in a care setting that could support your development along our career pathway
If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Amy Ball [email protected]
Key Documents
Job Description Cook Grade E.docx
Total Rewards
Key Dates
Closing Date: Sunday 12 July 2026
Shortlisting Date: Monday 13 July 2026
Interview Date: Monday 20 July 2026
Venue for Interview: 5 Whitby Road, Pickering, YO18 7HH
Using AI?
Please follow our guidance to ensure your application reflects your own knowledge and experience: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/advice-your-job-application
***DBS***
Enhanced Level DBS Disclosure is required for appointment to this post.
It is a criminal offence for people who are barred from working in Regulated Activity (under the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Groups Act 2006) to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with adults at risk.
We are committed to the inclusion, safeguarding, and promoting the welfare of adults at risk.
NYC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.
We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to this commitment.
North Yorkshire Councils’ purpose is to deliver services and facilities to the diverse residents and visitors of North Yorkshire. To ensure we deliver inclusive services we strive to have a diverse workforce where everybody can be themselves by respecting differences and embedding equality of opportunity. We celebrate diversity and recognise each other’s contributions; we therefore welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds.
