Cook - Portobello High School

Cook 3 – Portobello High School

Salary: £25,322 - £25,623 (pro rata for part time and sessional).

Hours:

26 per week, 38 weeks sessional.

Assistant cooks play a vital role in delivering high quality meals to pupils. Working with the Unit Manager, the Assistant cook supports the skilled cooking of meals. Taking ownership and accountability for the quality of meals and supporting the unit manager to deliver a safe working environment.

• To undertake individually or as part of a team, activities in a kitchen or dining centre connected with the provision and transportation of the catering service.
• Provide a fully compliant, high quality catering provision which meets the council’s aims and objectives.
• Skilled cooking activities connected with the full range of meals and recipes.
• Paperwork – Completion of Cook Safe, allergen paperwork and other food related paperwork (e.g. recording temperatures, service specification etc).
• Complete daily/weekly audits of the service – e.g. cleaning schedules, Covid compliance checks etc.
• Stock – Receiving food deliveries, checking temperature, quality of food and storing and labelling food appropriately. Stock rotation, checking dates to ensure old stock is used first and occasional ordering of stock.
• Control of hygiene within the kitchen – Ensuring Cook 1’s maintain a high level of hygiene, health and safety is maintained throughout. Ensuring Supervisors are made aware of any staff hygiene issues within the kitchen.
• To support counter set-up and presentation of the food offer and assist in the service of that food as required.
• Cash handling (as and when required).
• Place orders for food and non-foods as and when required.
• Support the preparation and delivery of function activity as required.
• Work with the unit manager to cater for theme days in accordance with service specifications.

• Assistant Cooks must hold or are working towards a formal cook’s qualification (e.g. City and Guilds or SVQ).
• The post holder will be required to deliver to the specification requirements and to cooperate with performance measurement so that the overall agreed standards are met. The post holder should ensure Cook 1’s in their charge, follow and understand service specifications.
• The post holder will require knowledge of the use of dangerous catering equipment as necessary to carry out the role, techniques and an understanding of safe working practices. The post will require a good standard of communication.
• Applied knowledge of culinary skills within Council policy, practices, processes, and supported by relevant qualifications or demonstrable knowledge in key areas such as Health and Safety.
• Demonstrate a passion for high quality meals and to resolve issues and/or make improvements.
• Demonstrate a curiosity to grow knowledge and professional development.
• Demonstrate the ability to self-motivate and manage their own time and deputise in the absence of a supervisor.
• The post will involve liaison with council/other staff and incidental contact.

• The duties of this job may vary according to the demands of the business from time to time; the Council may require the post holder to work in varying locations or carry out different duties.
• Working to tight timescales to ensure food is delivered on time.
• Covering other units where there are staff shortages (e.g. having to work with different staff and equipment and the different serving times).
• Working with agency staff when there are staff shortages and having to shadow them.
• Daily lifting of heavy pots and pans containing hot food or liquid.
• Standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Working within kitchen environments that may be subject to extremes of temperature and noise.

• Respond to any queries that a Cook 1 (Catering Assistant) may have and provide direction as appropriate.
• Deputise in the absence of line manager, which could include visits to the dining centre as necessary.

• The Assistant Cook will be required to control the use of stock as per service specification and to ensure activities reduce waste and environmental…