At a Glance
- Tasks: Prepare fresh, nutritious meals and create appealing menus for students.
- Company: Join a brand-new specialist school dedicated to supporting young people with unique needs.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, term-time hours, and no late-night shifts.
- Other info: Help shape the kitchen from day one in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while enjoying a stable work-life balance.
- Qualifications: Experience in cooking and knowledge of food hygiene and dietary requirements.
The predicted salary is between 25857 - 31603 £ per year.
£27,105 - £30,355 actual annual salary | £14.43 - £16.16 per hour Permanent | Full-Time | Term-Time Only + 2 Weeks (41 weeks per year) 40 hours per week | Monday to Friday Start: November 2026
Love cooking but ready to leave evenings and year-round hospitality behind? Simply Education is recruiting an experienced Cook to join a brand-new specialist school opening in January 2027. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone from a school, care, hospitality, restaurant or commercial catering background who wants to use their skills in a rewarding environment - with term-time working and no late-night restaurant shifts.
You'll be joining ahead of the school's opening, giving you the rare opportunity to help set up and shape the catering provision from the very beginning. The school will support children and young people aged 5-19 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, providing a nurturing and supportive environment for up to 120 pupils.
The Role
As Cook, you'll take ownership of the day-to-day running of the kitchen, preparing fresh, nutritious and appealing meals for pupils and staff. You'll have the freedom to bring your own ideas to the kitchen, helping develop menus and create meals that pupils genuinely enjoy while accommodating individual dietary, allergen and sensory requirements.
What you'll be doing:
- Preparing and serving fresh, nutritious, home-cooked meals
- Creating balanced and appealing menus
- Catering for allergies, special diets and sensory requirements
- Managing stock, ordering, portion control and kitchen budgets
- Maintaining excellent food hygiene and health & safety standards
- Supporting and supervising other kitchen staff
- Building positive relationships with pupils and encouraging healthy eating
- Helping establish an efficient, welcoming kitchen within a brand-new school
Who We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who genuinely enjoys cooking and takes pride in producing great food. You could currently be working within a school kitchen, care home, restaurant, hotel, pub, café or other catering environment and be looking for a role offering greater stability and a better work-life balance.
Ideally, you'll have:
- Previous experience preparing and cooking meals using fresh ingredients
- Good knowledge of food hygiene and food safety
- Understanding of allergens, special diets and nutritional requirements
- Experience with stock control, ordering and portion management
- Strong organisation and communication skills
- Experience supervising kitchen staff would be beneficial
- Experience within SEN, education or care would be advantageous, but isn't essential
Why consider this role?
- ✓ £27,105 - £30,355 actual annual salary
- ✓ Permanent position
- ✓ Term-time working - 41 weeks per year
- ✓ 40 hours per week
- ✓ No late-night restaurant shifts
- ✓ Brand-new kitchen and school environment
- ✓ Opportunity to shape the catering provision from day one
- ✓ Rewarding role supporting children and young people
If you're an experienced Cook looking for a role where you can enjoy cooking, have greater stability and make a genuine difference to young people's day-to-day lives, we'd love to hear from you.
School Cook in Great Malvern employer: Simply Education Ltd
Simply Education is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and supportive work culture, where ambition and hard work are recognised and rewarded. With competitive salaries, uncapped commission, and performance bonuses, employees have the opportunity to build a successful career in recruitment while enjoying the flexibility of hybrid working options in the vibrant location of Kent. The company prioritises employee growth, offering long-term progression and the chance to make a meaningful impact in the education sector.
