Senior Cook

**Job description**

To provide a high-quality best-value meals provision service to the School.

To manage the kitchen and kitchen and catering staff, undertaking line management and supervision responsibilities, including costing and budget management

To help the Headteacher to introduce healthy eating within School, ensuring that best practice and government guidance is implemented.

**1. ORGANISATIONAL - To provide a full kitchen and meals provision management service.**
- Comply with current Food Safety legislation.
- Ensure compliance with all health and safety policies and procedures.
- Ensure safe use of equipment and materials.
- Operate everyday equipment in accordance with instructions.
- Make daily quality and safety checks on equipment.
- Monitor and manage stock and supplies, cataloguing as required and ensure their hygienic storage in accordance with domestic and catering standards.
- Maintain high standards of food hygiene and cleanliness in the kitchen in accordance with appropriate catering standards.
- Develop contact with the suppliers of food and cleaning materials.
- Maintenance of specialist equipment, check for quality and safety and report other damage.
- Demonstrate and assist others in safe and effective use of specialist equipment and materials.
- Direct other staff in cooking activities.
- Organise cooking routines to comply with specified standard.
- Train new staff in Health, Safety and food hygiene issues as appropriate.
- Ensure effective portion control and minimise wastage.
- Source, design menus and calculate costings.
- Supervise and direct other staff including allocation of duties and work rotas.
- Ensure the security of the kitchen, associated stores and surrounds.

**2. OPERATIONAL - To ensure the presentation and delivery of high-quality food to pupils and staff within the School**
- Present food in a way that is attractive and encourages healthier choices.
- Prepare and Supervise the preparation of ingredients for meals.
- Organise and supervise food service, to include transportation of meals if required.
- Undertake skilled cooking activities connected to a full range of menu provision.
- Oversee the preparation of healthy, nutritionally balanced menus that meet the Government's national nutritional standards for school lunches including compliance with allergen safety guidance.
- Ensure that clean and dirty processes are kept separate.
- Ensure that cooked and raw foods are kept separate during the preparation, cooking and serving process.
- Operate School lunch ordering and stock ordering service.

**3. RESOURCES**
- Ensure the maintenance of a clean and orderly working environment.
- Prepare routine equipment in a timely and accurate manner as set out in the instructions.
- Order and record all ingredients used and take stock.
- Refill and replace consumables.
- Undertake basic record keeping as directed.
- Report faulty equipment and other maintenance requirements to the appropriate person.
- Ensure that lights and other equipment a switched off as appropriate.
- Actively promote the school meals service to parents and pupils to increase awareness of healthy eating and the uptake of healthy school meals, I.e. attendance at parents' evenings.
- Obtain materials by local purchase ensuring cost and quality standards are met.

**4. RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Manage the school meals budget, and be responsible generally for all financial matters in regard to the School Kitchen.
- Write the school meals specification either for the schools' own staff including planning and compiling seasonal menus, using fresh ingredients, organising and monitoring controls of food quality, presentation and service.
- Ensure that all food is prepared catering for pupils with allergies/intolerances including Sourcing and developing recipes including identifying allergens in each recipes.
- Ensure that all meals and drinks served comply with current legislation or guidelines as well as the whole school food policy.
- Liaise and deal with suppliers to secure best value.
- Ensure that all kitchen equipment is maintained at all times.
- Source and develop recipes including identifying allergens in each recipes.
- Manage kitchen staff including the replacement cover for staff on sick leave, training ensuring that staff follow and work in line with School’s own policies and current legislation.
- Manage and develop staff to ensure all staff are motivated and developed to their full potential.
- Be responsible for the cleaning and maintaining of the kitchen and facilities to include all aspects of Health and Safety.
- Take responsibility for ensuring the school receives information to demonstrate the progress of the school meals service and the progress of pupils in dietary choice.
- Take responsibility for liaising with school to ensure a whole school approach to the delivery of school meals, including caterers working with.
- Have an awareness of and comply with policies and procedures relat