📍 Location: Stroud & Surrounding Areas
💰 Pay: £14.80 per hour
🕒 Hours: 25 hours per week, during school hours, term-time only

Join The Great Plate – Where School Lunches Are Made with Love & Care!

Are you a passionate chef who believes in the power of good food? Do you want to be part of a team that makes a real difference in children's health and happiness? The Great Plate is looking for a skilled Chef to help us create delicious, nourishing school lunches that fuel young minds and bodies.

Why Join Us?

✅ Work-Life Balance: No evenings or weekends – perfect for fitting around family life!
✅ Meaningful Work: Help shape young eaters' relationship with healthy, home-cooked food.
✅ Supportive Team: Work with like-minded food lovers in a positive, collaborative kitchen.

About the Role:

As a Chef at The Great Plate, you’ll play a vital role in preparing and delivering wholesome, high-quality meals to primary school children. You’ll be part of a small but mighty team committed to avoiding ultra-processed foods, refined sugars, and artificial additives, ensuring our meals are as nutritious as they are tasty!

Your Responsibilities Will Include:
👨‍🍳 Cooking & Prep: Prepare fresh, balanced meals from scratch in line with our food philosophy.
🔪 Menu Execution: Follow and contribute to seasonal, student-friendly menus.
🥦 Ingredient & Stock Management: Help maintain kitchen stock levels and ensure minimal waste.
💡 Leadership & Teamwork: Work seamlessly within the team, stepping up to lead when needed.
🧼 Kitchen Standards: Maintain excellent hygiene and food safety practices (Level 2 Food Hygiene required or willingness to obtain).
📦 Meal Distribution & Service: Assist with packing and delivering meals to schools where required.

Who We’re Looking For:

✅ Professional Kitchen Experience – Whether from a restaurant, café, school, or catering background.
✅ Passionate About Fresh, Healthy Food – You care about what children eat and understand the impact of good nutrition.
✅ A Great Team Player – You can lead when needed and follow direction without hesitation.
✅ Reliable & Organised – Able to manage prep, cooking, and service efficiently in a busy but rewarding environment.

What We Offer:

🍎 A Role with Purpose – Play a key part in improving school food culture.
📅 School-Friendly Hours – Work only during term time, with your holidays free!
📈 Training & Development – Opportunities to grow and refine your skills.

Apply Now! Keep Scrolling For Application Info!

2)Chef (School Catering) – 25 Hours per Week, Term-Time Only

📍 Location: Central Gloucester
💰 Pay: £14.80 per hour
🕒 Hours: 25 hours per week, during school hours, term-time only

Cook with Purpose – Join The Great Plate!

Are you a skilled chef who thrives working independently? Do you enjoy running a kitchen efficiently, managing your own time, and taking pride in producing delicious, nutritious meals? The Great Plate is looking for a self-motivated, organised Chef to prepare and deliver wholesome school lunches that nourish young minds.

Why This Role?

✅ Independence: Take ownership of your kitchen and manage your workflow effectively.
✅ Term-Time Only: Enjoy a work-life balance with no evenings, weekends, or school holidays.
✅ Purpose-Driven Work: Make a difference by preparing meals that support children's health.

About the Role:

As a Chef with The Great Plate, you’ll work independently to prepare fresh, high-quality meals for primary school children, following our commitment to real, nutritious food free from ultra-processed ingredients and refined sugars. You’ll have autonomy in the kitchen while ensuring consistency, efficiency, and high standards.

Key Responsibilities:
👨‍🍳 Solo Meal Prep & Cooking – Work efficiently to produce fresh, nutritious meals on schedule.
📋 Time Management – Plan and execute your daily prep, cooking, and cleanup effectively.
🥦 Stock & Ingredient Control – Monitor supplies, manage stock rotation, and minimise waste.
🔪 Food Safety & Compliance – Maintain high hygiene standards and follow all food safety regulations (Level 2 Food Hygiene required or willingness to obtain).
🚗 Delivery & Organisation – Ensure meals are packed correctly and delivered on time to schools, where required.

Who We’re Looking For:

✅ Self-Motivated & Organised – You can manage your workload efficiently without needing supervision.
✅ Professional Kitchen Experience – A background in restaurants, catering, or school kitchens is essential.
✅ Passionate About Healthy Food – You understand the importance of proper nutrition for children.
✅ Reliable & Punctual – You take pride in meeting deadlines and keeping service running smoothly.

What We Offer:

🍎 A Role with Purpose – Play a key part in improving school food culture.
📅 School-Friendly Hours – Work only during term time, with your holidays free!
📈 Training & Development – Opportunities to grow and refine your skills.

Apply Now!

If you're a confident, independent chef who thrives on responsibility and wants a role that fits your lifestyle, we’d love to hear from you!

Join us in making healthy, homemade school lunches the norm! 🥕🍞✨

If you’re excited about this role and meet the requirements, we’d love to hear from you! Apply today by sending your CV, a short cover letter explaining why you’d be a great fit and the questions below answered.

📩 To Apply: maisie@thegreatplate.org.uk

About The Great Plate CIC:

 The Great Plate CIC is dedicated to providing delicious, nourishing meals while promoting community engagement and sustainability. We operate with a mission to offer high-quality food and a welcoming environment for everyone. To learn more about us, visit http://www.thegreatplate.org.uk (http://www.thegreatplate.org.uk)  

Safer Recruitment:

 The Great Plate CIC is committed to safer recruitment practices. All employees will undergo a DBS check to ensure the safety and well-being of our community.

Please include answers to the following in your application-:

 1. Can you tell us about a time when you worked effectively as part of a team in a kitchen environment? What was your role and how did you contribute to the team's success?

2. How do you ensure that you maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in a kitchen setting? Can you provide an example of when you had to address a cleanliness issue in the kitchen?

3. How do you prioritize tasks and stay organised in a fast-paced kitchen environment? Can you give an example of a time when you had to manage multiple tasks simultaneously?

4. How do you ensure that you follow food safety and hygiene standards in your work? Can you provide an example of a situation where you had to address a food safety concern?

5. Can you tell us about a time when you had to learn a new skill or take direction in a kitchen setting? How did you approach the learning process and what was the outcome?

6. How do you handle stressful situations in a kitchen environment? Can you provide an example of a time when you had to deal with a challenging situation while working in a kitchen?

7. How do you ensure that kitchen equipment and supplies are properly organised and maintained? Can you give an example of a time when you had to troubleshoot an equipment issue in the kitchen?

8. Can you explain why you are enthusiastic about working in a kitchen environment and how this enthusiasm will benefit The Great Plate ?

Join us at The Great Plate CIC and contribute to a meaningful community initiative while gaining valuable kitchen experience!

We look forward to receiving your application!