Second Chef

Job summary

Ready for a chef role that lets you unleash your creativity? If so, join St Neot's Neurological Centre as a Chef working alongside a dedicated team. Become a crucial part of the kitchen team working 37.5 hours a week, crafting daily meals for service users, staff and visitors. Dive into food preparation and elevate your role by providing guidance and training to your peers. Heres the exciting part- the calendar is buzzing with activities, events and special occasions which youll also cater for. From World Food Day to festive moments like Christmas and Easter, you get to infuse your own flair and keep things exciting. Its a calm and pleasurable working environment, where youll be able to manage your workload and enjoy creating delicious meals. Theres a great social aspect to this role where you can interact with people outside the kitchen regularly. Just imagine great job satisfaction, home in time for dinner every night and two days off a week. Now thats a recipe for a balanced work-life combo.

Main duties of the job

As a Second Chef at St Neot's Neurological Centre, you'll be a vital part of the kitchen team, working 37.5 hours a week. You'll craft daily meals for service users, staff, and visitors while also participating in food preparations. This role allows you to showcase your creativity through catering for activities, events, and special occasions. You will support the Head Chef in the daily kitchen operations, maintain good food storage practices, and ensure food hygiene regulations are met. The role also involves preparing meals with consideration for special dietary needs, serving food professionally, and taking on responsibilities for the whole catering operation during shifts. You'll also have the chance to engage in menu planning, costing, and stock control, while adhering to safety procedures.

About us

Elysium Healthcare employs over 8,000 people and has services across England and Wales. Their approach to care delivery creates unique opportunities for professional growth. Part of Ramsay Health Care's global network, Elysium Healthcare operates over 80 services, offering pathways for those affected by mental health or neurological conditions. They value the well-being of their staff, providing comprehensive benefits including a competitive salary, extensive leave options, and career development opportunities. They are committed to fostering a supportive work environment, promoting welfare of service users, and inclusive recruitment practices, also ensuring all candidates undergo a DBS disclosure.

Details

• Date posted: 04 September 2026
• Pay scheme: Other
• Salary: Depending on experience Salary expectations will be discussed at interview stage.
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 1546192063
• Job locations: Elysium Healthcare, St Neots, PE19 2JA, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Ready for a chef role that lets you unleash your creativity? If so, join St Neot's Neurological Centre as a Chef working alongside a dedicated team.

Become a crucial part of the kitchen team working 37.5 hours a week, crafting daily meals for service users, staff and visitors. Dive into food preparation and elevate your role by providing guidance and training to your peers.

Here’s the exciting part- the calendar is buzzing with activities, events and special occasions which you’ll also cater for. From World Food Day to festive moments like Christmas and Easter, you get to infuse your own flair and keep things exciting.

It’s a calm and pleasurable working environment, where you’ll be able to manage your workload and enjoy creating delicious meals. There’s a great social aspect to this role where you can interact with people outside the kitchen regularly.

Just imagine… great job satisfaction, home in time for dinner every night and two days off a week. Now that’s a recipe for a balanced work-life combo.

As a Chef you will be:

• Supporting the Head Chef for the day-to-day running of the kitchen.
• Maintaining good food storage procedures and stock rotation according to established procedures.
• Preparing, planning and cooking meals to a consistently high standard, taking account of any special requests or dietary requirements within the unit.
• Serving service users, staff and visitors with food and beverage in a professional and courteous services manner.
• Preparing and producing foods for conferences and banquets.
• Participating in food costings through effective cost control procedures.
• Adhering to the ‘Safer Food Better Business’ standards and record keeping.
• Adhering strictly to Food Hygiene Regulations and other safety procedures at all times.
• Taking full shift responsibility for the catering operation
• Assisting the Head Chef by researching and creating new menus ensuring meals are of a high quality and compliment healthy eating guidelines.
• Correctly filing of all paperwork in relation to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point system (HACCP) i.e. Fridge temperatures, food temperature logs and cleaning schedules

To be successful in this role, you'll need:

• To be 18 years or older
• GCSE or equivalent English
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 2 (or equivalent) Basic Food Preparation Cooking
• Basic Food Hygiene (essential)
• Intermediate Food hygiene (desirable)
• Previous experience in a similar environment
• Previous experience in delivering a service on mass
• Menu planning, costing, ordering, stock control and budget experience

Where you will be working:

Location:

What You’ll Get:

At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• A competitive annual salary
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave, in our annual selection window.
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future

About your next employer:

Elysium Health care has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 80 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move.

Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally.

Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person’s individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure