Job Description:

Location: Finchley, North London
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm (35 hours per week)
Contract Type: Temporary / Ad Hoc (with potential for extension)
Pay Rate: £15.00 – £16.00 per hour + holiday pay
Start Date: Immediate

About the Location

Our care home is situated in Finchley, a green and vibrant part of North London. The area is highly accessible, offering excellent transport links with local bus routes and multiple Northern Line stations close by.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and reliable Interim Chef Manager to lead our mainstream kitchen team at our residential home. You will support approximately 40 residents, ensuring they receive nutritious, high-quality meals in a warm, welcoming community environment. This is an ad-hoc, temporary position to cover ongoing absence, with the opportunity to review for a longer-term placement.

The Kitchen Structure

Our catering department is divided into two distinct culinary areas:

• 🌏 Asian Kitchen: Staffed by 2 cooks serving around 20 residents and our lively Day Centre.
• 🍽️ Mainstream Kitchen: Typically run by the Chef Manager and a Kitchen Assistant, serving our mainstream residents.

You will specifically lead the Mainstream Kitchen, stepping in to provide vital consistency—especially on Mondays when our kitchen assistant is on a scheduled day off.

Key Responsibilities

• 🍳 Meal Preparation: Prepare classic breakfast items (porridge, eggs, bacon, pastries) and lead the preparation and cooking of daily lunch meals.
• 🥗 Nutritional Standards: Follow set menus to ensure healthy, well-balanced, and appetizing meals.
• 🥑 Dietary Needs: Safely cater to diverse dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and textured/pureed diets.
• 📦 Kitchen Operations: Manage daily kitchen organization and maintain strict stock control.
• 🤝 Team Collaboration: Work alongside our skilled Kitchen Assistant, who handles daily cleaning, food prep, and temporarily manages food ordering and invoices.

Requirements

• 👨‍🍳 Proven Experience: Experience as a Chef Manager, Head Chef, or Cook in a residential care or healthcare setting.
• 🥣 Specialised Diets: Deep understanding of dietary requirements (including IDDSI standards for textured/pureed food).
• 💪 Leadership Skills: Strong leadership skills with a hands-on, reliable approach to work.
• 🧼 Hygiene Standards: Excellent knowledge of food hygiene, kitchen safety, and stock management.
• 🛡️ Background Check: Enhanced DBS check (or willingness to undergo one immediately).

👉 Ready to bring your passion and skills to our kitchen?

If you have a taste for leadership, a commitment to great nutrition, and are ready to serve up excellent meals for wonderful residents, we would love to hear from you!

Apply today by sending your CV or call us for a friendly chat.

Let's get cooking! 🧑‍🍳✨