Bank Chef

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 10 March 2026

University Hospitals Birmingham Catering Department have an exciting opportunity for a Chef to join our catering team.

The Chef will assist in preparing meals for Patients, Staff Restaurants and Hospitality events within a thriving catering department. The ideal candidate must be customer focused and is able to demonstrate practical experience and knowledge of allergens and nutritional content. Having experience within an Industrial Kitchen is essential. They will be required to ensure food safety standards are always met following our HACCP procedures.

Prepare, cook and serve food for patients and staff to the highest possible standard. Following food hygiene regulations and site HACCP plans for set standards for food safety and service delivery. Work within agreed catering budgets following management guidance.

Prepare and cook meals to a planned menu using standard recipes at set times, ensuring accurate portion control and correct nutritional values. Prepare patient meals as required and liaise with Catering Team Leaders regarding special dietary referrals from the Dietetic Department.

Maintain high standards of food hygiene and safety in line with current legislation, assured safe catering practices, and the agreed Catering HACCP plan. Keep all work areas and equipment clean and hygienic, ensuring safe working practices and completion of all required documentation.

Use equipment correctly, report faults to Estates, and ensure assistants' work meets required standards, referring issues to senior staff where necessary. Report accidents, incidents, stock discrepancies, and any hygiene concerns promptly to the Supervisor or Catering Manager.

Maintain professional communication with wards and departmental staff, attend required training, and undertake additional duties appropriate to the role. Report any grievance, disciplinary, or welfare matters to the line manager

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people.

As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

Please note:

For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description.

• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• City and Guilds 706/1 or NVQ 2/3 equivalent
• City and Guilds 706/2 or NVQ 2/3 equivalent
• Food Hygiene Level 3 or equivalent (e.g. Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, CIEH)
• Level 2 Health & Safety qualification or equivalent (e.g. Institute of Occupational Safety and Health IOSH, CIEH)
• Level 2 HACCP qualification or equivalent
• BETEC Level 3 Catering course or equivalent ( 706/1 2 certificate)
• Good basic education
• HACCP Training
• Level 2 in Infection Control or equivalent (e.g. NVQ)
• Level 2 in Customer Care/Services or equivalent
• Level 3 Health and Safety Qualification or equivalent (e.g. IOSH, CIEH)
• Food Hygiene Level 4 or equivalent (e.g. Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, CIEH)
• Level 2 -- Team Leading/Management qualification or equivalent (e.g. Institute of Leadership & Management ILM)
• Level 2 Cleaning qualification or equivalent (e.g. National Vocational Qualification NVQ or certificated British Institute of Cleaning Science qualification (BICs)

• Food Hygiene Regulations
• Catering background with a minimum of one year's experience
• Food Safety
• Experience of monitoring standards against targets
• Self-management and team-building skills, aware of customer requirements, aware of inter-personal dynamics
• Knowledge of catering services within a health care environment
• Knowledge of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, COSHH, HACCP and Environmental Health legislation
• Knowledge of National Specification for Cleaning and methodologies in the NHS including monitoring standards
• Site HACCP plans
• Experience of training individuals or groups
• Experience of working in a large scale catering operation
• Knowledge of hospital routines and procedures
• Knowledge of Infection Control, implementation of infection control measures and methodology
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 -- Quality Management System
• Knowledge of Menu-Mark system or equivalent ordering system
• Minimum of Team leader/supervisory experience
• Human Resources procedures -- recruitment, appraisals, absence management

• Good time…