Job title: Chef

Salary: Approx salary range of £24,404 – £25,183 Pro Rata (plus Secure unit allowance £1350 and Weekend enhancement)

Hours: 30 hours per week over a 3-week rota covering 1 weekend in every 3

Contract: Permanent 

Location: Adel Beck Secure Childrens Home 

As a Chef you’ll thrive on working in a fast-paced environment as part of a motivated team supporting young people and staff within the home. 

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a Chef, you will bring to the role:

• A positive attitude,

• A flexible approach to work, 

• Ability to take ownership, 

• Good communication skills. 

About the role 

As our next Chef you’ll prepare, deliver and serve freshly cooked meals to meet with Childrens Homes Regulations, Children’s Homes National Minimum Standards, Youth Justice Standards, Food Safety, Healthy Eating Standards, Leeds City Council and the homes policies, procedures and guidance. Day to day responsibility for all activities in the Home’s main kitchen supporting the Chef Manager in menu planning and the ordering and stock control of food items, kitchen utensils and equipment.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays

• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions

• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements

• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities

• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Apply for this job online. Please upload your CV and complete a personal statement of no more than 500 words

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. 

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Jo Palmer, Chef Manager, Call 0113 378 3701 or email Jo.Palmer@leeds.gov.uk

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, candidates must consider their own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the 'standard' salary rate of at least £38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. For more information visit Skilled Worker visa on the government website. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description 

Job purpose

Adel Beck:

All staff are required to support the Home’s main purpose of encouraging and enabling children and young people to develop attitudinally, behaviourally, educationally and emotionally in order that they may deliver positive contributions to their families, society and their local communities whilst reducing offending, resulting in the decrease in victims of youth crime. To create and maintain a customer focused attitude and approach at all times that promotes positive relationships and generates a culture of openness and trust. To deliver efficient, effective and quality services by way of flexible working. To work together with colleagues from all other service areas within the home to provide and maintain a safe and secure living and learning environment that promotes the safety and welfare of children and young people in which they can prosper, develop and achieve. To foster, maintain and support pro-social behaviour, a restorative and solution focussed approach with, children, young people and colleagues.

Role:

To prepare, deliver and serve freshly cooked meals to meet with Childrens Homes Regulations, Children’s Homes National Minimum Standards, Youth Justice Standards, Food Safety, Healthy Eating Standards, Leeds City Council and the homes policies, procedures and guidance.  

Day to day responsibility for all activities in the Home’s main kitchen supporting the Chef Manager in menu planning and the ordering and stock control of food items, kitchen utensils and equipment.

Responsibilities

• Food production, portion control, presentation and service to accommodate service requirements within timescales and to agreed standards.
• Ordering of goods and contacting suppliers.
• Check deliveries and store all goods as stated in Cook Safe and Food Safety policies including stock rotation.
• To assist the Chef Manager in managing and directing the day to day tasks undertaken by the domestic assistant ensuring all required tasks are completed.
• Ensure attention is paid to healthy lifestyle choices and the nutritional needs of children and young people.
• To work together with the Chef Manager and other colleagues in the Catering Team with regard to menu planning to meet service requirements and specification, cultural and dietary needs and recommended nutritional guidelines.
• Work together with the Chef Manager in the delivery of a variety of themed menus and hospitality functions.
• Support the development of children and young people through the delivery of a well-balanced and nutritional diet.
• Together with the Chef Manager regularly review and revise the content of the menu taking into account seasonal variations in food items.
• Work together with Care and Education staff to provide catering opportunities and activities for children and young people. Training will be provided in managing challenging behaviour.
• Maintain quality control and food hygiene monitoring systems as stated in Leeds City Council, Cook Safe Food Hygiene Policy.
• Before using any equipment or substances make sure a risk assessment is in place and safety data sheets for products are available.
• The maintenance of high standards of Health & Safety and Hygiene including a daily recorded check of all operational catering equipment, the safe manual handling of stores and cooking equipment, ensuring the appropriate use and safe storage of all cleaning materials and the reporting of faults and hazards .
• Provide and maintain records to meet with legislative and statutory requirement.
• Attend and participate in meetings.
• Develop self to enhance performance and practice through reflection and learning, share knowledge, best practice, promote ideas for innovation and improvement and use information to take effective decisions.
• To, participate in annual appraisal, training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills, develop practice through reflection and learning.
• Promote the on-site catering service and encourage children, young people, staff and visitors to use the catering facilities.
• Use of current software programmes and packages (training will be provided).
• To undertake any other duties as required that are commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• To comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
• To actively promote and support Leeds City Council's and Departmental Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner.

Qualifications

Essential requirements:

• Ability to portion control, prepare, cook, deliver and serve meals to maintain the Centre’s high level of service delivery
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including face-to-face and telephone skills
• Able to listen actively, ask questions, clarify points and check understanding
• Able to deal positively with difficult and challenging people
• Able to demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team
• Able to work on own initiative and adhere to strict timescales
• Competence in the use of commercial catering equipment
• Basic Food Hygiene
• A QCF/, NVQ, qualification, or equivalent, in Catering/Hospitality
• An understanding of the delivery of catering services

Role specific requirements

• Experienced in the use of commercial catering equipment
• Experience of dealing with enquiries both face to face and over the telephone
• Experience of working in a time controlled environment
• Experience of working in a team and on own initiative
• Food preparation

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements:

• Knowledge of National Standards for Youth Justice Services
• Knowledge of Children’s Homes National Minimum Standards
• Knowledge of the Children act 1989, Volume 5, Children’s Homes
• Knowledge of the Secure Estate for children and young people
• Menu planning
• Of working in a residential care home or children’s service setting
• Of ordering goods and menu planning

Apply for this job