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- Tasks: Prepare and serve healthy meals while managing budgets and ensuring kitchen safety.
- Company: Choice Care, a leading residential care provider with over 30 years of experience.
- Benefits: 28 days holiday, sick pay, employee assistance, and exciting rewards for long service.
- Why this job: Join a vibrant community and make a real difference in residents' lives through food.
- Qualifications: Organised, enthusiastic, and able to maintain high service standards.
- Other info: Enjoy a lively environment with regular social events and opportunities for personal growth.
The predicted salary is between 20000 - 25000 £ per year.
The role of the Cook is to prepare and serve healthy balanced meals to residents in our homes. You will oversee weekly budgets and shopping lists. On occasion you will work alongside other staff or residents in the kitchen making sure everyone's safety is paramount.
Key duties:
- Creating appropriate, exciting and well-balanced menus for residents
- Preparing and serving meals for the home
- Ensuring all special dietary needs are followed
- Familiarising yourself with residents' allergens
- Preparing food to a high standard
- Maintaining relevant records and controlling stock rotation
- Ensuring the kitchen is always clean and hygienic
- Completing weekly food shops whilst managing the budget and adhering to all safety standards
- Setting a professional example with all working methods, procedures, personal presentation, timekeeping and hygiene
- Maintaining health and safety at work practices at all times
Our homes are more than just a place to live, they’re like a second family for everyone we support. Each home is a close knit community, with its own unique personality, and all the ups and downs of typical family life, built on trust and the promise of unconditional care. Our colleagues build close bonds with the people they care for, helping to create enduring, positive relationships that build confidence and self-esteem. In every Choice Care home there’s a strong emphasis on living life to the full and having fun, with purposeful daily activities based on individual preferences and capabilities. Alongside this there are regular social events, projects, outings and holiday breaks which everyone can get involved in and express themselves through.
Where will you work?
Appletrees is a large, detached country house supporting up to eight men and women with moderate to severe learning disabilities and associated complex needs. The property is set in beautiful open countryside in the village of Upper Bucklebury, six miles from Newbury town centre. Appletrees has a lively and active environment with a real can do spirit. Within the grounds, Treetops is a separate, purpose-built day services centre, where the home’s Day Activities Coordinator helps deliver individual and group activity programmes, including educational support, arts and crafts, and sensory activities. In addition, the home has two vehicles for local travel. There are regular meals out, monthly club nights and there’s music every week.
Qualifications:
- Organised and willing to learn
- Committed and enthusiastic approach
- The ability to maintain the required quality and service standards set
- A can-do attitude
- Satisfactory written and verbal communication skills
Benefits:
- Holiday entitlement - starting from 28 days inclusive of Bank Holidays
- Sick pay entitlement
- Employee Assistance Programme - comprehensive health and wellbeing support for staff
- Refer a friend scheme - enjoy a payment of £500 when you recruit a friend to Choice Care
- Choiceversary - staff receive vouchers of £75 after 5 years, £100 after 10 years and £150 after 15 years to celebrate their commitment to Choice Care
- Christmas bonus - vouchers for all staff members
- Life insurance
- Annual staff awards - this year each winner received £400 and we had over 30 winners in total
- Complex in-house training - this includes our Advanced Management Development Programme for managers in the making and our Foundation Management Development Programme for rising stars
- A paid day off on your birthday
- Free monthly prize draw - all frontline care colleagues are automatically entered into a monthly prize draw. Three winners, selected at random, receive £500 each, tax‑free
- Blue Light Card eligibility
- Reclaim prescription costs for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and access free feminine hygiene products whilst on shift
- Stream - a financial wellbeing app that enables you to: track your earnings; save with high‑street beating interest rates; choose to access your earnings ahead of pay day with flexible pay; receive discounts with hundreds of retailers; learn with financial coaching and education, and much more
Cook employer: Choice Care
Contact Detail:
Choice Care Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Cook
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture! Before your interview, check out their website and social media. Understanding their values and community vibe will help you connect better during your chat.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Run through common interview questions with a mate or in front of the mirror. This will help you feel more confident and articulate when discussing your cooking skills and experience.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for food! Bring along a portfolio of your best dishes or even a sample menu that highlights your creativity and ability to cater to special dietary needs. It’s a great way to stand out!
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Cook
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Cooking: When you're writing your application, let us know why you love cooking! Share your enthusiasm for creating healthy, balanced meals and how you can make mealtimes enjoyable for our residents.
Highlight Your Organisational Skills: Since you'll be managing budgets and shopping lists, it's important to showcase your organisational skills. Give examples of how you've successfully handled similar tasks in the past.
Emphasise Safety and Hygiene: Safety is key in our kitchens! Make sure to mention your understanding of health and safety practices, and any relevant experience you have in maintaining a clean and hygienic workspace.
Tailor Your Application to Us: Take a moment to read through our job description and align your application with what we're looking for. We want to see how you fit into our community at Appletrees, so don’t hesitate to apply through our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Choice Care
✨Know Your Ingredients
Before the interview, brush up on your knowledge of healthy cooking and dietary needs. Be ready to discuss how you would create balanced menus that cater to various dietary restrictions and allergens. This shows your commitment to the role and the well-being of the residents.
✨Budgeting Basics
Familiarise yourself with budgeting for food shopping. Prepare to talk about how you would manage a weekly budget while ensuring quality meals. You might even want to bring a sample shopping list to demonstrate your organisational skills!
✨Safety First
Emphasise your understanding of health and safety practices in the kitchen. Be prepared to share examples of how you've maintained hygiene standards in previous roles. This will reassure the interviewers that you prioritise safety for both yourself and the residents.
✨Show Your Personality
Remember, this role is about creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Be yourself during the interview! Share your passion for cooking and how you can contribute to the community spirit at Appletrees. A positive attitude goes a long way!