Hospital Chef£25,009 per annumStockton-on-the-Forest, YorkPermanent 37.5 hours per weekBased in the historic city of York, we are looking for a Chef for our 112 bedded Forensic medium secure psychiatric hospital, which cares for both mental illness and learning disability patients, which includes an Autistic Spectrum Disorder service and a female service.These valies are what we believe in and what you can count on:Highest level of QualityCaring SafelyIntegrityWorking togetherValuing peopleOur Hospital has a reputation for providing high standards of care and treatment to all patients. Job Role:Assists with the provision of a catering service within a Priory Group Service with particular emphasis on the planning, preparation, cooking and serving of meals, ensuring all activities and operations comply with operational standards and statutory regulations. Responsibilities:

• Undertakes the planning, preparation and cooking of meals, taking account of any special requests or dietary requirements within the unit.
• Ensuring operational standards comply with the company’s Food Safety policies and guidelines and statutory regulations.
• Takes full shift responsibility for the catering operation (in the absence of the Head Chef).
• Ensures the cost-effective and efficient control of stock including placing orders for food products and the checking/reconciliation of deliveries. 
• Monitors and adapts food production ensuring that there is a minimum amount of wasted food.
• Researches, develops and creates varied and interesting menus, which take account of healthy eating guidelines and any dietary requirements of the particular resident group. 
• To ensure that wherever possible the people who use the service are provided with variety and choice, with full regard 
• for dietary, nutritional and religious requirements, adapting to the changing needs of the people who use the service so 
• their diets can be amended accordingly when needed
• Responsible for food safety standards and the standard of kitchen cleaning. 
• Experience producing meals for large groups on time and to budget
• Supervises assigned catering staff ensuring their quality of work continues to meet required operational standards including food safety and cleanliness.

Experience:

• Experience within a professional kitchen environment
• Experience producing meals for large groups on time and to budge

Knowledge / Education / Skills

• Numerate, literate and qualified to NVQ2 or equivalent & basic qualification in food hygiene.
• Organises and priorities own workload within established procedures 
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills 
• Ability to monitor costs and liaise with suppliers
• Good organisation and time management
• Knowledge of specialised diets may be required (Dysphagia, Allergens, etc)
• First class customer service skills 

Good written and verbal communication skills, the post holder will be required to direct and instruct a team of catering support staff, as well as discuss new menus with other staff to ensure the well-being of service usersIn return for your expertise and hard work, we offer a wide range of benefits including:

• Competitive benefits package and time off, including enhanced maternity leave
• Extra service annual leave awards
• Career development opportunities 
• An employee assistance programme
• Supplemented meals/refreshments when on duty
• Free car parking
• Relocation support
• Payment into the pension scheme
• CPD top up
• Donation to a charity of your choice
• Meridian Business Support is a recruitment specialist acting on behalf of our client as an Employment Agency for this vacancy