Nursery Chef | Bridgwater, Somerset | £14.05ph

Location: Bridgwater, Somerset
Salary: £14.05 per hour
Contract: Permanent
Schedule: Monday to Friday
Closing date: Sunday 29 November 2026

Love cooking but ready to leave evenings and weekends behind?

Are you a Chef, Cook, Nursery Chef or School Cook looking for a role where you can use your skills while enjoying a better work-life balance?

We're looking for a Nursery Chef to join our team in Bridgwater, Somerset, preparing nutritious, tasty meals and snacks for the children in our care.

With Monday-to-Friday working, no late-night restaurant shifts and a role where your food genuinely makes a difference, this could be your next adventure.

Why join us?

We want you to have more than a job. We want you to enjoy coming to work and feel part of our nursery community.

You'll benefit from:

• £14.05 per hour

• Monday-to-Friday working

• No late-night restaurant shifts

• 33 days' holiday for full-time colleagues, including bank holidays

• An additional paid day off for your birthday

• Excellent staff childcare support from day one. For eligible colleagues in England, where funded childcare applies, a 100% discount applies to remaining childcare fees after available funding has been used, subject to availability and scheme conditions

• Training and career development, including apprenticeships, mentoring and learning resources

• Wellbeing support, with services that may include 24/7 emotional support, virtual GP/nurse access, online physiotherapy and medical, financial and legal helplines

• Stream financial wellbeing tools

• Gym and lifestyle discounts

• Cycle to Work scheme for eligible colleagues

• Recognition and rewards, including Adventurous Applause, colleague awards, referral rewards and long-service recognition

• Team events and celebrations

We're proud to be a Great Place to Work® certified organisation and recognised by The Sunday Times Best Places to Work, reflecting the supportive, inclusive culture we're building for our people.

What you'll be doing

As our Nursery Chef, you'll:

• Prepare and cook fresh, nutritious meals and snacks for children

• Plan and deliver varied menus that support children's nutritional needs

• Cater safely for allergies, intolerances and individual dietary requirements

• Maintain excellent food hygiene and kitchen standards

• Manage food preparation, storage, stock rotation and kitchen organisation

• Complete relevant food safety and kitchen records

• Support effective stock management and ordering

• Reduce food waste wherever possible

• Work closely with the nursery team to ensure children's individual dietary needs are understood and met

• Maintain a clean, safe and organised kitchen

• Follow safeguarding, health and safety and food hygiene procedures at all times

What we're looking for

We're looking for someone who:

• Has experience working as a Chef, Cook or within a professional kitchen

• Understands food hygiene and safe food preparation

• Is confident managing allergens and dietary requirements

• Can plan, organise and prepare meals efficiently

• Understands the importance of providing balanced and nutritious food for children

• Is organised, reliable and able to manage a busy kitchen

• Has a positive and professional approach

• Enjoys being part of a wider team

• Is committed to safeguarding and children's wellbeing

Experience working as a Nursery Chef, School Cook, Nursery Cook or in education catering would be an advantage, but isn't essential.

Swap hospitality hours for something different

Already working as a Chef, Cook, Catering Assistant, School Cook or Kitchen Chef?

If you're tired of late finishes, evening services or regular weekend shifts, a nursery kitchen could offer the change you're looking for.

You'll still get to do what you love, preparing great food, while working Monday to Friday in an environment centred around children and families.

Our culture is built around our ARCH values: Accountability, Reliability, Caring and Honesty, with learning, recognition and career opportunities forming part of our colleague promise.

Safeguarding children

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

You'll be working within a nursery environment, so our safer recruitment process includes appropriate identity and Right to Work checks, references, Enhanced DBS and barred-list checks where required, and employment history checks.

Easy to reach from across Somerset

Our Bridgwater location could be convenient for candidates travelling from:

Bridgwater | North Petherton | Cannington | Puriton | Highbridge | Burnham-on-Sea | Street | Glastonbury | Taunton | Somerset

Ready for your next adventure?

If you're looking for a Nursery Chef, Nursery Cook, School Cook, Kitchen Chef or catering job in Bridgwater or Somerset, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today and bring your passion for great food to our nursery.

Applications close Sunday 29 November 2026.