JOB TITLE                     COOK

DEPARTMENT:             Catering

SHIFT/HOURS:            Morning (8am-2pm)/Afternoon Shift (12pm-6pm) Sunday to Saturday. 

REPORTS TO:                Head Chef

LOCATION                      Kitchen, In-patient Unit, The Mary Stevens Hospice, 221 Hagley Road, Stourbridge 

 

Role Summary
The Cook is responsible for the daily execution of high-quality, nutritious, and safe food services for our hospice patients, staff, and visitors. This role requires a strong balance of standard culinary skills and strict adherence to healthcare catering regulations. The Cook oversees daily kitchen operations during their shift, supports the Kitchen Assistant, and ensures that all patient dietary requirements and hygiene standards are meticulously met.

1.      Daily Kitchen Operations & Culinary Duties

Food Preparation: Execute all food preparation and cooking for the current day's service, while simultaneously completing the necessary prep work for the following day.

Operational Oversight: Work effectively within the team to ensure the smooth running of the daily kitchen operations, ensuring meals are served on time and to the highest quality standard.

Stock Management: Conduct daily checks of the food stock and inventory. Identify any shortages and leave a detailed note for the Head Chef so that missing items can be ordered promptly.

Fresh Cooking: Handle or assist with the hospice's daily cooking procedures to maintain a varied, efficient meal service.

2.      Hospice-Specific & Patient Care Duties

Patient Requests: Handle ad hoc patient food requests with empathy and efficiency, adapting meals as needed to support patient comfort and well-being.

Specialised Diets (IDDSI): Strictly adhere to IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) guidelines when preparing texture-modified diets for vulnerable patients. Available on the menu and completed by the nursing team.

Allergen Control: meticulously follow all allergen matrices and cross-contamination protocols to guarantee patient safety.

Nursing Team Liaison: Coordinate with the nursing team and ward staff regarding new patient admissions, sudden dietary changes, or immediate food requirements.

3.      Team Work

Kitchen Assistant Supervision: Support the Kitchen Assistant on shift, ensuring they complete their daily tasks efficiently and safely (e.g., prep work, dishwashing, and cleaning schedules).

Reporting: Report directly to the Head Chef on daily operations and escalate any significant issues. 

4.      Compliance & Administration

Hygiene Paperwork: Complete all required compliance and Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) paperwork accurately twice daily (e.g., temperature probing, fridge checks, cleaning sign-offs).

Standards Maintenance: Ensure the kitchen consistently upholds the standards required to maintain our 5-star Environmental Health Officer (EHO) hygiene rating.

5.      Requirements & Expectations

Punctuality & Presence: The core kitchen floor hours are strict. On the morning shift staff must be in uniform and ready to work at the start of the shift; 08:00 or 12:00.

Adaptability: The hospice environment is unpredictable. The Cook must be prepared to adjust plans at a moment's notice to accommodate late admissions or urgent requests from the care team.

Communication: Excellent communication skills are required to work seamlessly with the Head Chef, kitchen assistants, clinical staff, and patients.

Specialised Training (Provided): Must be willing to undergo hospice-specific training, including strict adherence to IDDSI (texture-modified diets) guidelines and our bespoke hospice catering manual.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities and is subject to review and change, along with reasonable requests to carry out other duties that assist in the smooth operation of the kitchen and the hospice. 

 

6.      Mandatory Qualifications

Food Safety: Level 2 (or higher) Award in Food Safety in Catering.

Culinary Certification: A recognised culinary qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Professional Cookery, City & Guilds, or equivalent professional experience).

Allergen Training: Valid Food Allergen Awareness certification (or willingness to complete immediately upon hire).

Experience: A minimum of 1 year proven experience working as a Chef or Cook in a professional kitchen environment. (Experience in a healthcare, hospital, or care home setting is highly desirable but not strictly mandatory if the candidate is willing to learn).

Flexibility to work shifts, including weekends and bank holidays

 

This post is subject to satisfactory references and pre-employment checks including DBS.