Cooking Coach

**Job Description: Cooking Coach**

**Job Department** :......Operations.....................................................................................

**Location**:..........Inverness........................................................................................................................

**Background**:New Start Highland is a dynamic and evolving organisation which creates opportunities for transformation in people’s lives. As part of our Highland Affordable Living (HAL) project we want to enable people who have no or very limited experience in preparing and cooking food and recipes the opportunity to learn new skills which will help them sustain a better, cheaper and healthier lifestyle. We want to do this by offering short food awareness courses to anyone with the enthusiasm to learn.

Purpose of Post

To deliver fun, informative food awareness courses, lasting approximately 4 hours per session, over either 2 or 4 weeks.

Accountability

HAL Project Worker

Cookery Coach

Responsible for

Teaching participants
- How to use utensils and kitchen appliances
- How to cook basic, nutritious recipes using a variety of equipment (hobs, ovens, slow cookers, microwaves).
- How to use simple ingredients, flavourings and condiments to make food taste or look better.
- How to reduce or eliminate food waste through avoiding it in the first place or using it in recipes.
- How to cook on a budget and look out for bargains and deals.

Working Relationships
- The Cooking Coach will be supported in their function by the HAL Project Worker
- The Cooking Coach will work closely with the team in developing new opportunities.

Key Results
- Successful completion of Food awareness courses by 8 participants per month

Key Tasks
- Teach a minimum of 4 people per session how to prepare ingredients and good a range of simple, healthy meals, using either a hob or oven or slow cooker.
- Explain what and how utensils and appliances are used in the kitchen.
- Show how simple household flavourings and condiments can make food taste better.
- Cook recipes which either reduce waste or use waste as an ingredient, for example, vegetable offcuts in soups.
- Teach people what to look out for in shops to minimise spend and shop on a budget. For example, seasonal products, bargains and deals.
- To ensure all staff and participants are aware and adhere to Health and Safety requirements.
- To play a part in maintaining suitable monitoring and records.

Conditions

Based in Inverness, this is a 9 month fixed term post for 10 hours per week. There are 32 days holiday per year, inclusive of public holidays and there is a competitive remuneration package available. There will be an opportunity to participate in a contributory pension scheme. This post requires PVG Full Scheme membership and you must be eligible to work in the UK. The position is funded by SGN under their Highland Affordable Warmth Initiative.

**Person Specification**

Job Title

Cookery Coach

Department

Operations

Location

Inverness

Reports to

HAL Project Worker

**GENERAL DESCRIPTION**

The Cookery Coach will be an enthusiastic person with food preparation and cooking skills as well as an appetite to work with people who want to learn.

**CORE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES**

SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Essential
- Good understanding of the challenges faced those facing food poverty
- Upscaling food quantities for groups
- Food Hygiene qualification or willingness to complete
- Health & Safety compliance within a cooking environment
- Cooking healthy meals on a budget
- Organised, hygienic food preparation
- Multitasking in a busy kitchen
- Excellent verbal communication skills
- Using kitchen equipment
- Ability to work on own initiative, make decisions, work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Ability to organise and record workload independently
- The ability to deliver outcomes whilst maintaining the integrity and reputation of the organisation
- Ability to work well within a team - exchanging ideas and collaborating to achieve positive results.
- The ability to form and develop constructive relationships with people at all levels and from all backgrounds

Desirable
- Awareness of current and potential food and energy poverty issues
- Driver, own transport

EXPERIENCE

Essential
- Meal planning and budgeting
- Helping individuals

Desirable
- Delivering group and one to one training workshops

APPROACH

Essential
- Big hearted
- Carries responsibility well, outlines expectations clearly and has the ability to inspire and motivate
- Exhibits high integrity and is reliable whilst being approachable and willing to go the “extra mile”
- An enthusiastic and open communicator who is relational, trustworthy, client focussed, motivated, and empathetic
- Possesses a good sense of humour

Desirable
- Willing to seek and undertake CPD to enhance the role performance if required

**Job Types**: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Part-time hours: 10 per week

**Salary**: