Cook

**About you**

Are you a friendly and approachable person? Do you have a passion for food and impeccable standards? If this sounds like you, and you’re seeking a rewarding job role, we are currently recruiting for a Cook to join our Education staff team, working within our Education Services.

As part of our Education Services catering team at Mackenzie Thorpe Centre, you will provide a high-quality food provision service, ensuring that pupils have access to a healthy and balanced diet, which accounts for their individual dietary requirements

1. Ensure quality standards are maintained at all times in readiness for announced/unannounced inspections by both internal and external bodies.

2. Work effectively as a key member of the kitchen team to ensure the delivery of a high quality catering service for the children and young people who access our services.

3. Carry out safety measures in accordance with NEAS health and safety and risk assessment policies.

4. Safeguard and promote the welfare of children/young people and protect them from risk of harm, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.

5. Comply with the Society’s Safeguarding Policy and make sure all staff are aware of Safeguarding and Child Protection procedures.

6. Wear safety clothing and footwear provided, as necessary for the role.

7. Take responsibility for fire safety and be trained in Fire Evacuation Procedures, ensuring you are familiar with the service’s Fire Drill Exercise.

8. Able to operate fire equipment (such as extinguishers) in the case of fire/emergency.

9. Familiar with COSHH regulations, ensuring cleaning chemicals are stored safely and appropriately at all times.

10. Able to safely operate any cleaning or kitchen equipment as required.

11. Prepare and serve refreshments and meals at designated break and mealtimes.

12. Prepare and supply packed lunches when requested by the service manager/senior staff.

13. Plan and develop recipes and menus, taking into account pupils’ dietary requirements.

14. Maintain the kitchen and equipment in accordance with hygiene standards, ensuring the kitchen is left in an acceptable condition at the end of each shift.

15. Follow procedures for the ordering and rotation of stock, ensuring supplies are maintained.

16. Report any maintenance issues to the team leader as soon as possible, recording the required repairs in the service’s maintenance log book.

17. Report any accidents to the team leader as soon as possible, recording all incidents in the service’s accident book.

18. Participate in meetings which relate to the day-to-day running of the service.

19. Supervise kitchen assistants to ensure a high standard of service is delivered.

20. Assist with the induction, training and supervision of new, or more junior, team members. Revised December 2021

21. Work within a team setting, being courteous, respectful and anti-discriminatory at all times.

22. Attend all mandatory training within the timescale required, including e-learning.

23. Attend appraisal meetings, team meetings and supervisions when required.

24. Any other duties commensurate with the grading of the post. Commitment to safeguarding The North East Autism Society is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. We recognise it’s our responsibility to take all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from harm, abuse and exploitation. Employees and volunteers will endeavour to work together to encourage the development of an ethos which embraces difference and diversity and respects the rights of those we support. Supporting autistic individuals Supporting autistic and/or neurodivergent people in a specialist education setting provides a rewarding and diverse day-to-day job, however aspects of the role can be demanding. This includes times of crisis when it may be hard to understand and respond to the needs of those we support. Some of the children, young people and adults we support may have additional, co-occurring conditions including communication and/ or physical disabilities or difficulties meaning certain environments can be overwhelming and stressful. While others will have encountered placements breaking down in the past, relationships changing and other traumatic situations. Crisis situations do occur and while full ongoing training, peer and managerial support is offered, the role does require resilience and a strength of character alongside the ability to put training theory into practice

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: £20,506.08-£21,532.48 per year

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday

Work Location: One location