Nursery Cook & General Support Assistant
1 hour ago
£12.71–£13.5 hourly
Part-time
Hersham
Full job description Nursery Cook & General Support Assistant The Nest Day Nursery | Hersham, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey Salary: £12.71 to £13.50 per hour, depending on experience Hours: 35 paid hours per week, Monday to Friday Job Type: Permanent, full-time, all year round About The Nest The Nest is a small, independent day nursery with a warm, friendly, home-from-home atmosphere. We take pride in providing children with freshly cooked, nutritious meals and a caring, stimulating environment where they can learn, play and thrive. We're looking for a friendly, reliable and enthusiastic person who enjoys cooking but would also welcome the variety of helping with other aspects of nursery life. About the Role This is a varied position combining responsibility for our nursery kitchen with practical support across the wider nursery. You'll spend approximately 18 to 20 hours per week managing the kitchen, with the remaining hours helping our nursery team with a range of practical, creative and organisational tasks. We're looking for someone who enjoys variety, takes initiative and is happy to lend a hand wherever needed. Key Responsibilities 1. Cooking and Kitchen Management • Prepare fresh, healthy and nutritious meals for our nursery children., • Plan and manage weekly online food shopping and ordering within an agreed budget., • Cater safely for children with food allergies and special dietary requirements., • Maintain food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen safety standards., • Manage food storage, stock rotation and minimise unnecessary food waste., • Keep the kitchen clean, organised and running efficiently. 2. Nursery and General Support Alongside your kitchen responsibilities, you'll help support the wider nursery team with a variety of tasks. Additional responsibilities could include: • Social media and marketing: Taking responsibility for preparing our weekly Instagram content and helping with nursery marketing activities, subject to our safeguarding procedures and manager approval., • Garden and outdoor areas: Weeding, general outdoor upkeep and helping establish and maintain a children's vegetable and herb garden., • Cleaning and housekeeping: Assisting with routine cleaning, laundry, tidying rooms and keeping nursery spaces and resources organised., • Activity preparation: Preparing materials for art and sensory activities, helping with displays and maintaining our dedicated art room., • Cooking club: Helping practitioners organise and deliver cooking activities with the children., • Stock and supplies: Monitoring and restocking consumables, organising storage areas and helping manage nursery supplies., • Events and nursery presentation: Helping prepare for parent events, our planned coffee mornings and nursery tours, ensuring the nursery looks welcoming and presentable. These responsibilities will vary depending on the nursery's needs, and appropriate training and guidance will be provided. Cooking and kitchen management will remain the primary responsibility of the role. About You We're looking for someone who is practical, enthusiastic, organised and enjoys being part of a small, friendly team. Essential Requirements • Confident preparing fresh, home-cooked meals independently., • Basic understanding of food hygiene and safe food preparation., • Good organisational and time management skills., • Reliable, hardworking and willing to take initiative., • Friendly, approachable and comfortable working in a nursery environment., • Flexible and happy to undertake a variety of practical tasks., • Willing to undertake relevant training, including food safety, allergen awareness and safeguarding. Desirable, But Not Essential • Previous cooking experience in a nursery, school, care setting or similar environment., • Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering qualification., • Basic computer and social media skills., • An interest in gardening, children's activities and early years education. You do not need to be a qualified chef or hold an early years qualification. If you don't already have a food hygiene qualification, The Nest will arrange and pay for appropriate online food safety training. We will also provide training in allergen awareness and our nursery's food preparation procedures. What matters most is having the right attitude, being organised and being confident preparing fresh, nutritious meals. What We Offer • Competitive hourly pay of £12.71 to £13.50, depending on experience., • 35 paid hours per week, Monday to Friday., • Daytime working hours with no evenings or weekends., • A friendly, welcoming and supportive nursery team., • A varied Pay: £12.71-£13.50 per hour Expected hours: 35.0 per week Work Location: In person
