Nursery Cook

Key Responsibilities Ø

To organise, cook and prepare a healthy, balanced diet for children aged 0 to 5 years in accordance with the nursery menus.

Ø Take into consideration daily those children who have special dietary requirements and prepare a suitable alternative. Ø Prepare a suitably balanced rotating menu taking into account dietary and cultural requirements of the children.

Ø Ensure high standards of hygiene, health and safety is maintained in the kitchen at all times.

Ø AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

**1 Operational Responsibilities**

Ø To be responsible for the day-to-day running of the kitchen, ensuring compliance with registration and legislative requirements at all times.

Ø Responsible for the planning and preparation of food to provide meals in accordance with our nursery menus and food policies.

Ø Ensure that all individual dietary requirements are catered for in line with parental guidance. Ø Maintain necessary kitchen procedures and records in accordance with Hope Day Nursery’s and Environmental Health policies and processes

Ø Liaise with nursery Manager on the ordering of necessary kitchen equipment.

Ø To undertake any other reasonable catering duties as requested by the Nursery Manager.

Ø Ensure the kitchen and equipment is kept suitably clean at all times including walls, floors and trolleys to transport food following a cleaning schedule. On a daily basis that all crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils are washed in accordance with food safety guidelines.

Ø Ensure that all foods are ready at the specified time and correctly served.

Ø To implement and maintain the company’s equal opportunities policy ensuring that children, parents and the staff team are valued and practice is positive and non-discriminatory.

Ø To monitor any safeguarding issues following local authority procedures.
- Fill washing machine and tumble dryer, fold and put away clean washing as required
- Clean any washable furniture and clean rugs using appropriate equipment on a regular basis. Agree cycle with nursery manager.
- Order cleaning materials according to the needs of the nursery.
- Assist with any housekeeping duties within the nursery as requested

**2 Individual Accountability**

Ø To ensure you have a clean uniform, including head wear, daily and wear suitable footwear for working in a busy kitchen space.

Ø To give daily feedback to the Nursery Manager about the kitchen including any situation that may be detrimental to the company.

Ø Ensure the effective and regular removal of waste materials to the designated waste area. Ø The ability to use food preparation equipment and ensure the economic use of materials, equipment and energy.

Ø The ability to work as part of a team and use your own initiative.

Ø The ability to manage your own time and prioritise tasks.

Ø Have a friendly, flexible approach.

Ø To have total responsibility of the kitchen, cleaning all of the equipment and appliances, take temperatures of the food, fridge and freezer and record these in the kitchen file.

**3 Personnel**

Ø To establish good professional relationships with colleagues.

Ø Work with the Nursery Manager to implement and ensure that set budgets are not exceeded.

Ø Responsible for control, storage and rotation of kitchen stock.

Ø Order food in line with Hope Day Nursery’s policies.

Ø The ability to order correct amounts of food and control kitchen stock.

Ø To prepare a weekly shopping list and help with putting the shopping away.

**4 Marketing**

Ø Have good customer awareness.

**5 Training and Development**

Ø To contribute to the team effort of the nursery and to attend staff meetings and social events as and when required.

Ø Commitment to undertaking appropriate training and continued professional development. Ø To undertake future and refresher training as appropriate.

Ø Be professional, polite and positive in all verbal and non-verbal interactions with staff, parents and children at all times.

**6 Health & Safety**

Ø Ensure that hygiene and cleanliness within the kitchen is of the highest standard in accordance with Environmental Health requirements and legislation.

Ø Pay due attention to the cooks dress code: Hair to be tied back if touching your collar, no nail varnish, no false nails, no rings with the exception of the wedding band, trousers, nursery polo shirt and apron

Ø Maintain an awareness of food allergies keeping an up to date log of all children in the nursery, working with the staff team during new admissions.

Ø Update your knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety issues including COSHH regularly.

Ø To be responsible for the hygiene and complete all Risk Assessment within the kitchen area.

Ø Prevent cross contamination of food within the kitchen area.
Ø Temperatures of high-risk food must be recorded at time of delivery and cooking. All food must be stored and served at the temperatures required by the Chartered Institute of Environme