Assistant Cook

HEART OF KENT HOSPICE

Job Title: Assistant Cook - Flexibank

Reporting To: Catering Manager

Responsible for: The day to day cooking and cleaning within the catering team, providing food for patient, colleagues and volunteers, helping to maintain all aspects and elements of the kitchen, all related food and beverage areas, and ensuring the production of meals and services at the required times and to the standards set by the Hospice and coffee shops. All services to be performed in a courteous, flexible and professional manner and to the satisfaction of the customer.

Hours: Flexible hours

Location: Preston Hall, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7PU

Contract: Flexibank contract

Salary: £12.35 per hour

Closing Date: 7th December 2025

About the Role

We are looking for a flexible and reliable Assistant Cook to join our friendly catering team on a flexibank staff basis. You will support the preparation and serving of nutritious, well-balanced meals in line with dietary requirements and food hygiene standards.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys cooking and wants to contribute to providing excellent food service, while keeping a flexible schedule.

Key Responsibilities

· Assist the Cook/Chef in preparing and serving meals.

· Maintain high standards of cleanliness in the kitchen and food preparation areas

· Follow all food safety and hygiene procedures.

· Support with stock rotation, deliveries and kitchen organization.

· Work as part of a team to ensure meal service runs smoothly.

Essential Criteria for the Role

· Possession of a food hygiene certificate

· Demonstrate relevant catering experience within a commercial kitchen environment or

the hospitality sector.

· Knowledge of cost control and stock management processes including stock rotation

and stock takes keeping wastage to a minimum.

· Ideally be able to demonstrate a good working knowledge of the operation and

cleanliness of catering equipment such as coffee machines, fridges etc.

· Demonstrate excellent customer service standards with a positive caring approach.

· Flexible team player able to interact with a wide variety of people.

About the Hospice

At Heart of Kent Hospice, we believe that everyone deserves compassionate, expert care when there is no cure for their illness and when they have a limited time left to live.

We are a charity and we don't charge a penny for our care. We depend on the compassion and kindness of you, the people of this community, to power our services and ensure that everyone gets the help they need.

We provide specialist care and support to adults who have a terminal illness as well as their families, friends and carers. We help people to live as fully and as well as possible for the rest of their lives and ensure that their final days are comfortable and peaceful,

wherever they choose to be. We treat every individual as the unique and special person that they are. Everything we do is tailored and personalised.

Our vision is that everyone living with a terminal illness in our community will have the best quality of life. Our purpose is to enable people with a terminal illness in our community to live with comfort, independence and dignity to the end of their lives, and to support those closest to them. All our care is underpinned by our core values of compassion, integrity, respect and teamwork. These values guide our decision-making and how we conduct ourselves in our work and every one of our colleagues plays an important part in enabling us to give our patients and their families the best possible care.

If you're passionate about our cause consider joining our team.

Benefits of Working at the Hospice

At the Hospice we offer a competitive remuneration package including contributory pension scheme with NEST or the option to continue in the NHS pension scheme specifically if you have been contributing in the NHS pension for the last year, life assurance (2 x salary), employee assistance programme, incremental increases in annual leave from 27 days or 19 shifts per annum, up to 33 days or 23 shifts per annum, a flexible/hybrid working approach (where practical and appropriate for the role - 3/5 days at the Hospice location), a warm and friendly atmosphere with a focus on your health and wellbeing. We support our colleagues and volunteers with on-going training and development, celebrating excellence and rewarding success. Full details will be provided if selected for interview.

For more information about what it's like to work with us please contact Karen Murphy, Catering Manager ext 205. Job description and application form can be found on our 'Work with us' page on our website.

Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Full terms of Use and Privacy Policy can be viewed on the hospice website using the following link:- policy outlines why we collect data, what we use if for and who we share it with.

We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity in all its forms and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, identities and disabilities.

All interested applicants must complete our application form in full.

A Standard DBS Check will be required if you are successfully appointed.

Registered Charity No 298164

Registered Charity No 298164

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: From £12.35 per hour

Work Location: In person