Relief Chefs - Care homes & resident homes in Congleton

Overview

Position: Care & Nursing home Chefs and Cooks

Location: Stafford, Staffordshire, including Stoke on Trent and surrounding areas

Rate: £17-£20 per hour

Are you a chef who can whip up a proper cottage pie and knows their way around a soft diet? We’re on the lookout for relief chefs to step in and keep the ovens warm in our care and nursing home environments when the regular kitchen staff take time off or during increased demand.

This isn’t restaurant stress — it’s calm, meaningful cooking for residents who appreciate a good meal.

Responsibilities

• Cook tasty, nutritious meals with variety in diets including texture diets, blended meals, and modified meals.
• Cater for dietary needs under the IDDSI framework
• Keep the kitchen tidy and running smoothly
• Work solo or with a small team, depending on the site
• Manage stock and deliveries
• Food orders, depending on role (head chef/chef manager)
• Prepare food
• Potential for pot washing and supporting a kitchen assistant
• Adhere to all relevant health and safety requirements
• Cook nutritious food within defined requirements
• Maintain a clean-as-you-go policy
• Possibly serve food

What You’ll Need

• Previous experience as a chef in care homes and nursing homes
• Understanding of pureed meals and their impact on residents
• Experience with the IDDSI framework to prepare and cook texture diets
• Ability to work without chaos and under pressure
• Food Hygiene certificate at level 2 or above (dated within last 3 years) or willingness to obtain one at a cost
• Food Allergen Certificate
• Friendly, calm, and capable of creating good home-cooked meals
• Reliable, gets the job done
• Open to temporary/relief shifts — you decide when you’re available
• Ability to support with ad hoc shifts, including same-day sickness/absence requirements
• Flexibility in shift patterns, including weekends
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Full UK driving licence and own vehicle may be required for certain locations
• Enhanced Adult DBS (dated within last 12 months or on the update service) to work in care settings

What You Get

• Good hourly rate + weekly pay
• Flexible shifts to suit you
• Opportunity to work with clients in your local area
• Support from a dedicated consultant
• Feel-good work — residents appreciate your cooking
• Blue Arrow app and portal to find and accept shifts
• Company pension scheme
• Many temporary roles can lead to permanent opportunities

Here at Blue Arrow we have national agreements with several caterers across Stafford & North Staffordshire, and we can offer work in a variety of environments.

Working Hours & Commute

You can choose your working rota each week, and hours vary by site. We offer full-time, part-time, and flexible days, including weekends. Most chef shifts run roughly 6/7am–6/7pm. As we cover many locations across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, commutes will vary. If you rely on public transport, we’ll send you to sites with public transport links and provide travel information.

Blue Arrow Working Environments

Due to the variety of sites we cover, working environments may change. We place candidates in the most suitable environments, including contract catering sites, hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafes, prisons, schools, nurseries, and care homes.

Next Steps

If you’re a chef who enjoys cooking with care (and perhaps singing a bit while you stir), we’d love to hear from you. Click apply today, and a chef consultant will contact you to review your application. You’ll start our registration process in the meantime, which can take less than 10 minutes to complete and speeds up the process.

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping people find great work opportunities.

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