Cook – Damfield Gardens

Job Description

Job purpose –Supporting the Care Homes’ aim of delivering high standards to residents by providing nutritious, varied and well-balanced meals that are safely and hygienically prepared and served. Responsible for supervising the catering team along with managing and controlling the catering budget, submit food orders in a timely manner.

Key Responsibilities

1. To plan, prepare and cook a variety of meals which are appealing, nutritious and centres around residents’ preferences, requests or any special dietary requirements.
2. To be active and encouraging, provide advice and guidance for the team ensuring that The Care Home is a friendly, supportive working environment.
3. To understand and comply with statutory and legal requirements such as HACCP, Health and Safety, COSHH, Environmental Health, ensuring a safe environment within the home.
4. Implement, monitor and maintain cleaning schedules that meet the requirements of the HACCP Manual, and ensure that all areas of the kitchen are immaculately clean. This will include the washing up of pots, pans and dishes when required.
5.  Ensure sufficient food stocks are ordered and received from approved suppliers and that stock rotation is taking place to maintain optimum freshness of all food stuff ensuring the highest quality expected within The Care Home.
6. Responsible for all kitchen equipment ensuring it is in full, safe working order, reporting any damage or faults to the Caretaker and Home Manager and following up any appropriate action.
7. To be understanding towards residents and their needs and attend resident/relative meetings.   Regularly monitor and assess resident’s satisfaction with the catering service provided in their home, and respond accordingly and positively to ideas and feedback.

Relevant facts and figures relating to the job

• Formal supervision of catering employees
• Budget responsibilities: to manage and control an identified catering budget for the home.

Job context

You will be responsible for supervising assistant cook and  will also be in regular contact with outside suppliers when organising and ordering food produce for the home, again good communication and a courteous manner are needed.

Key challenges

Managing and controlling an identified budget for the homes’ catering service.  Planning and providing a varied, well-balanced and nutritious menu for the residents and supervising and motivating the kitchen team.

Key measures

• Mandatory training is up to date
• Completion of Intermediate Food Hygiene Qualification within 2 years of taking up position
• Supervision meeting with Home Manager every 2 months
• Results and feedback from Home inspections and audit reports (internal and external).

Person specification

• Previous experience of catering for a minimum of 25 covers (dependent on size of home)
• Good numeric and literacy skills and budgeting/accountancy skills
• Basic food hygiene certificate
• COSHH Training and understanding of HACCP

Name: Michelle Francis

Email: michelle.francis@highpointcare.co.uk 

To apply for this position, please download our application form. Please return your application form to the contact (detailed above).