Second Chef
| Posting date: | 17 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £14.86 per hour |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 April 2026 |
| Location: | Basildon, SS14 2TT |
| Company: | Care UK Plc |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 16293.20260317 |
Summary
If you’re an aspiring chef with experience gained in a high paced kitchen environment and are looking for a rewarding role offering great training, work life balance and the chance to be part of a catering team that are award winning, join Care UK as a Second Chef and make a real difference.
Being a Second Chef at Care UK
Second Chefs at Care UK are great at working with others. They enjoy sharing information and raising standards through culinary development, innovation and new ideas. They have access to a large supply chain for all catering requirements and the autonomy to create nutritious well balanced menus for everyone. They’re self-motivated, flexible, enthusiastic and happy to take responsibility for resolving issues that arise. And, they know how to maintain team discipline and morale within the kitchen. Do you have the same sort of attributes? Then we could have just the role for you.
What you’ll be doing
Being a Second Chef isn’t just about helping the Head Chef ensure food is prepared to the agreed standard and that deadlines are met. It’s about taking control of running the kitchen in their absence. It's about using modern kitchen equipment and fresh local produce to develop full diet sensitive meals for residents so they can enjoy the same flavour and nutrition. And it's about helping to come up with menus, consulting with residents to ensure their needs and choices are met and preparing food in line with specific diets. Put simply, it’s about making a difference. A real difference.
What you’ll need
As well as a Catering Diploma (City & Guilds/BTEC) and NVQ 2/3 in practical cookery and Health and Safety. Food Hygiene Certificates (minimum level 2) are essential. You’ll also need good knowledge of nutritionally balanced menu planning and a proven ability to cater for specific dietary needs. And, if you’ve worked in a care home and/or have experience of stock control or working with a budget, even better (but not essential). Above all, you have a natural ability to help make the lives of others more fulfilling and want to work in an environment where the work can be hard, but also fun and rewarding.
Being a Second Chef at Care UK
Second Chefs at Care UK are great at working with others. They enjoy sharing information and raising standards through culinary development, innovation and new ideas. They have access to a large supply chain for all catering requirements and the autonomy to create nutritious well balanced menus for everyone. They’re self-motivated, flexible, enthusiastic and happy to take responsibility for resolving issues that arise. And, they know how to maintain team discipline and morale within the kitchen. Do you have the same sort of attributes? Then we could have just the role for you.
What you’ll be doing
Being a Second Chef isn’t just about helping the Head Chef ensure food is prepared to the agreed standard and that deadlines are met. It’s about taking control of running the kitchen in their absence. It's about using modern kitchen equipment and fresh local produce to develop full diet sensitive meals for residents so they can enjoy the same flavour and nutrition. And it's about helping to come up with menus, consulting with residents to ensure their needs and choices are met and preparing food in line with specific diets. Put simply, it’s about making a difference. A real difference.
What you’ll need
As well as a Catering Diploma (City & Guilds/BTEC) and NVQ 2/3 in practical cookery and Health and Safety. Food Hygiene Certificates (minimum level 2) are essential. You’ll also need good knowledge of nutritionally balanced menu planning and a proven ability to cater for specific dietary needs. And, if you’ve worked in a care home and/or have experience of stock control or working with a budget, even better (but not essential). Above all, you have a natural ability to help make the lives of others more fulfilling and want to work in an environment where the work can be hard, but also fun and rewarding.