Chef | Permanent | Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
£15/hr (£31,200/year) — above the local care-sector average of £13–£14/hr
40 hrs/week over 5 days | 7am–3.30pm every shift | Home by 4pm | Alternate weekends
A well-regarded care provider in Buckinghamshire is hiring a Chef on a permanent basis, direct with the employer (not agency). This is a genuine pay-review role — the rate was recently raised to bring in stronger candidates, so it now sits at the top end of what care kitchens in the area pay.
The schedule
- Same shift every day: 7am–3.30pm, home before 4pm
- 5-day rota, agreed with you before you start and fixed from week one
- Alternate weekends (not every weekend)
- 28 days holiday including bank holidays
The kitchens
You'll work across two of the employer's homes, about 4 miles apart — 3 days at the larger site (Head Chef, another Chef, 2 Kitchen Assistants), 2 days at the smaller site (running solo alongside the Head Chef's opposite shift, 1 Kitchen Assistant). Same employer, same standards across both, agreed rota so there's no last-minute juggling. Central menus mean you're executing high standards, not fighting menu-planning admin.
What you'll cook
Breakfast and lunch from scratch, made to central menus, including IDDSI texture-modified meals for residents who need them, plus allergen documentation and individual preference adjustments. Standards are proper — HACCP, temperature logging, full allergen matrices. If you've worked in a well-run care kitchen this will feel familiar; if you're coming from restaurants, expect a bit more paperwork but nothing overwhelming.
What we need from you
- 3+ years' paid chef experience (care, hospital, or contract catering preferred; restaurant/hotel background welcome)
- Level 2 Food Safety Certificate minimum
- Hands-on experience with IDDSI texture-modified diets (Levels 4-7)
- Working knowledge of HACCP and allergen documentation
- Full UK driving licence and your own reliable vehicle (you'll drive between the two sites)
- Right to work in the UK without employer sponsorship
- Willing to undergo an enhanced DBS check
Nice to have, not essential
- Split-site or multi-kitchen experience
- Level 3 in Professional Cookery
- Formal IDDSI Level 4-7 certification
The package
- £15/hr, £31,200/year
- Fixed 7am–3.30pm shifts, same every day
- Alternate weekends
- 28 days holiday including bank holidays
- Enhanced bank holiday pay
- Employer pension contribution
- Wage streaming (draw pay before payday) plus retailer discounts
- Blue Light Card discount access
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Refer-a-Friend bonus
- Recognition and long-service schemes
- Support toward nationally recognised qualifications
- Fully paid induction
Our process - three stages, nothing hidden
1. A short call with us (15 minutes) to talk through your experience, availability, and any questions.
2. Face-to-face interview with the operational lead at one of the sites (around 45 minutes). We'll confirm the exact site locations at this stage.
3. A short practical trade test in the employer's kitchen - you'll cook to a set brief, likely including an IDDSI dish. This is where the role gets decided.
We aim to respond to every applicant within 24 hours.
Pay: £15.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Employee discount
Work Location: In person
