Assistant Cook
Burnview Healthcare is a group of family run care homes which specialises in Dementia, Nursing, Residential, and Day care. Our emphasis is on creating a caring and secure environment where our residents know that they are ‘Living Amongst Friends.
Working as part of a team all our employees play a vital role in ensuring our residents are well cared for whilst promoting a positive and enjoyable working environment. In return, we offer our employees competitive rates of pay, full training both online and in person, and access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
We are currently recruiting for a Bank Assistant Cook to assist in the preparation and delivery of nutritious and appetising meals to residents, taking into consideration individual residents dietary needs, preferences, and care plans. The Assistant Cook supports the Head Cook in maintaining a safe, clean, and compliant kitchen environment in accordance with food safety and care home regulations.
About the role
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Food Preparation & Service
Prepare, cook, and serve meals according to planned menus, including special diets (e.g., diabetic, vegetarian, modified texture).
Assist in portion control and timely food service.
Help with food presentation and ensure meals are served at appropriate temperatures.
Kitchen Operations
Follow kitchen cleaning schedules; ensure all equipment and surfaces are cleaned and sanitised.
Maintain accurate food safety records (e.g., temperature logs, fridge checks).
Health, Safety & Hygiene
Comply with food safety legislation including HACCP, COSHH, and relevant care standards.
Report any maintenance or safety concerns to the Home Manager or Head Cook.
Teamwork & Communication
Work closely with care staff to ensure residents’ dietary needs and preferences are met.
Support the Head Cook and cover duties during absences.
Contribute to a positive team environment and provide support to new kitchen staff or volunteers.
An Enhanced Access NI check will be required for this position. If successful please be advised that we have a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders which is available from our HR Team. Having a criminal record will not necessarily affect you from working with Burnview Group and will be reviewed in line with our policy.
In line with the Access NI Code of Practice we have a policy on the secure handling, storage and disclosure of Access NI information and both the Code of Practice and this policy are available from our HR Team on request.
What you will need
Required criteria
- Right to live and work in the UK
- A relevant catering qualification and Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.
- Ability to prepare and cook meals safely and efficiently
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
Desired criteria
- Understanding of food safety standards, HACCP, and COSHH
- Awareness of the needs of older people and those requiring special diets
- Experience working with dietary requirements and food allergies
- Previous experience in a kitchen, preferably in a care home or healthcare setting
Professional skills you’ll need for this job opportunity
Establishing Rapport With Clients
Ability to Identify and Anticipate needs
Food Production
HACCP/Food Safety Management Skills
Burnview Healthcare
In all our homes we aim to care for our residents in a way that promotes independence and autonomy whilst giving each resident the surety that we are there to care and assist with their individual needs. Being family run with nursing experience we pride ourselves in being active in the operation of our care homes. We have high standards and are driven along with our management team of highly experienced health care professionals to lead our excellent staff in providing the optimum in resident care. We pride ourselves in adhering to the principles of accountability, involvement and communication and as such operate an ‘open door communication policy’ to all.
As family run care homes our emphasis is on recruiting and retaining the best people. We have high standards and are driven along with our management team of highly experienced health care professionals to lead our excellent staff in providing the optimum in resident care. We consider that everyone working in adult social care should be able to take part in learning and development so they can carry out their role effectively. We believe that developing our people can only enhance the care we give. We can all learn daily which can develop us both as people and care givers. Training from Induction to recurrent training updates will help to develop the right skills and knowledge so our team can provide high quality care and support. We encourage staff training either in-house or via external training organisations. We promote individual supported training, group training and practical training.
Our benefits
When you join us we make a commitment to you and we want you to commit to us. You will receive tailored training to give you the best start along with ongoing support to give you the best possible conditions to thrive and develop. We are a team and as such welcome your input and ideas that may make what we do even better.