Kitchen Assistant - #1641312

Kitchen Assistant

Location: Hestia House

Salary: £15,210 per annum

Hours: Friday – Sunday, 10am – 6pm

Job Type: Permanent

Shortlisting: 17th April

Interviews: 25th April

Why this role would be great for you:

You will have the ability to work within & have commitment to YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness. You will be energetic, dynamic and self-motivated. The service will provide effective, high-quality care and support to a minimum of 12 people who meet the threshold for statutory care options in a residential setting, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

What your week may look like:

• To be responsible for planning interesting and varied menus providing a balanced nutritious diet, taking into account special or cultural diets of specific residents and their preferences.


• Be responsible for the ordering of food and budgetary control.


• To prepare, cook and serve meals to residents, using fresh foods, where possible, as available.


• To organise and control the ordering of fresh vegetables – weekly, fresh meat – monthly, groceries weekly and monthly from reputable suppliers.


• To be responsible for supervising the overall cleanliness of the kitchen, including washing up, cleaning work surfaces and kitchen floor – daily. Dining room tables should be clean before and after meal times. The oven and hob should remain clean at all times. It may be necessary from time to time to participate in a ‘special’ clean of the kitchen.


• To uphold Health and Safety standards in the kitchen and dining area. To be in possession of adequate food hygiene certification.


• To lead and maintain the application and compliance for the service to meet the environmental & FSA standards and preparation for the Local Authority Inspections.


• To keep a record of food supplies, fridge and freezer temperatures, food-probing results, menus and other information as required by the environmental agency and Commission for Quality Care.


• To have full knowledge of the service's fire and emergency procedures.


• Attend regular supervision sessions with the Service Manager in accordance with the supervision contract.


• Maintain good professional practice and ensure ongoing development, through use of supervision and training.


• Respect the confidentiality of residents using the service and be responsible for the security of personal and confidential information.


• Carry out all these duties within the organisation’s safety guidelines.

It is recognised that the association is operating in a dynamic environment and as such this job description may be varied in consultation with the post holder to reflect evolving needs of the business and changing nature of the job.

What can we offer you:

Working with YMCA Together comes with a whole host of benefits. We hope that people will find personal fulfilment and purpose by working alongside people in our services. Our teams are compassionate and supportive, fostering a strong sense of community. With opportunities for professional growth, YMCA Together offers training to support your role and personal development.

For a full list of benefits see here: Careers Page | YMCA Together

The skills we are looking for:

• NVQ Level 2/3 in Food Preparation/Catering.


• Food Hygiene/ Intermediate Food Hygiene.


• First Aid.


• Experience of maintaining records around Health & Safety including Kitchen and Hygiene standards, temperature monitoring, COSHH.


• Evidence of working effectively as part of a team.


• Experience of customer service.


• Ordering of food and budgetary control.


• Experience of accommodating special or cultural diets of specific residents and their preferences.


• Knowledge of work-based Health and Safety issues.


• Knowledge of dietary requirements and Nutrition & Hydration in Care Homes.


• Knowledge of Food Standards Agency & Environmental Health.


• Cleaning Standards, Infection Control & COSHH.


• Preparing and planning meals and food orders.


• Ability to prioritise and manage own workload.


• Trustworthy and reliable.


• Team worker.


• Ability to work within & have commitment to YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness.


• Energetic, dynamic and self-motivated.

What is a nice to have:

• IT qualification.


• Administration skills.


• Experience of working in a care setting.

Even if you don’t feel that you have all of the relevant skills and “nice to haves,” we would still like to hear from you and invite you to fill out our application form.

YMCA Together is an equal opportunities employer, values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity.