Thomas Franks - Day Care & Wrap Around Chef

Day Care & Wrap Around Chef Solihull Contract: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: 14.53

Hours: 40 per week

A co-educational private day prep school in Solihull, West Midlands. Catering for 640 students and teachers daily. We offer a core feeding of lunch and some hospitality at this location. This is a term-time only role working 43 weeks and operating Monday to Friday. Additional benefit to this location is free parking on site.

We are looking for a talented Day Care & Wrap Around Chef to join our team at one of our prestigious locations in Solihull.

Monday – Friday

10.00 – 18.00

ROLE REQUIREMENTS (TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES)

Food Preparation and Delivery

• Prepare meals for all areas, including the Independent Preparatory School, Pre-Preparatory site, Day Care & Wrap Around, ensuring they meet the required standards of quality and presentation.
• Prioritise the preparation of meals for the Day Care & Wrap Around at the appropriate times, ensuring they are ready for timely delivery and service.
• Ensure all meals are nutritionally balanced and cater to specific dietary requirements and allergens.
• Transport meals to the Day Care, ensuring quality is maintained during delivery.
• Provide a comprehensive allergen briefing to Day Care staff during food handover, clearly outlining any special dietary considerations.

Hygiene and Food Safety

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organised working environment, ensuring compliance with food safety and hygiene regulations.
• Properly label all food items with allergen information and storage instructions.
• Conduct routine checks on food storage, preparation areas, and equipment, ensuring they meet health and safety standards.

Team Support and Communication

• Collaborate with the kitchen team to ensure smooth operations and seamless meal service across all areas.
• Communicate effectively with Day Care staff to ensure meal plans meet the specific needs of children, including dietary adjustments.
• Provide support to the kitchen team during busy periods or events, as directed by the Chef Manager or Senior Sous Chef.

Stock and Resource Management

• Assist with managing ingredients and resources to ensure efficient use and minimal waste.
• Notify the Chef Manager or Senior Sous Chef of any shortages or equipment issues promptly.
• Ensure proper stock rotation and storage practices are followed to maintain freshness and compliance with safety standards.

Event and Function Support

• Assist in the preparation of food for special events, functions, or hospitality services as required.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Attend team meetings and training sessions as required.
• Maintain a professional appearance and high standards of personal hygiene.
• Support the kitchen team by covering duties for absent colleagues when necessary.
• Undertake other reasonable duties requested by the Chef Manager or Senior Sous Chef.
• From time to time, you may be required to support the Senior School catering team or other Thomas Franks locations.

PERSON SPECIFICATION (Skills, Competencies & Abilities)

Key Personal Skills and Attributes

• Strong organisational and time management skills, particularly in managing priorities between different areas.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, especially in liaising with Day Care Centre staff regarding allergen and dietary information.
• High standards of personal hygiene and professional presentation.
• A proactive, reliable, and adaptable attitude to meet the needs of a diverse catering environment.

Knowledge and Competencies

• Recognised cooking qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 2 or equivalent).
• Level 2 Food Hygiene qualification (or willingness to obtain).
• Proven experience in a professional kitchen, ideally catering for young children or a similar environment.
• Knowledge of food safety, health, and hygiene regulations, including allergen management.

Benefits

• Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers, restaurants, gyms etc).
• Free meals on duty
• Volunteers leave – up to one day per year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Recommend a friend bonus.
• Unrivalled individual training and development.
• Well established apprenticeship programme.
• Team & company social events.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Workplace pension.
• Excellent career progression within a leading independent contract caterer.

About us

Thomas Franks is a founder led, fresh food catering business with a focus on excellence and service delivered with individuality, passion and style. We are unique in every approach and our clients, and our people are paramount to our daily success.

Disclaimer

All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.

An enhanced DBS, Identity & reference checks (covering the last five years) will form part of the selection process. As an organisation using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants\” suitability for positions of trust, Thomas Franks Ltd complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed. However, for any post in a school please be aware that any application is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such any criminal conviction, caution or bind-over must be declared.

Diversity and Inclusion at Thomas Franks

We actively encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and continue to develop a culture of growth and inclusion and would like to invite applications from groups who are currently under-represented, because we believe greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life.