We are seeking a passionate and dedicated Chef to lead the day-to-day operations of our kitchen during allocated shifts. In this role, you will do much more than cook; you will ensure the delivery of high-quality, nutritious, and safe food production that directly impacts patient wellbeing and customer experience. Working as part of a collaborative and flexible team, you will champion excellent food safety, customer service, and operational standards while embodying the core values of the hospice.
Key Responsibilities
- Kitchen Leadership: Lead the operations of the kitchen, guiding the catering team to ensure smooth, efficient daily service.
- High-Quality Food Production: Prepare, cook, and present nutritious, appealing meals tailored to the dietary requirements of patients, as well as comforting options for visitors and staff.
- Standards & Compliance: Maintain excellent food safety, hygiene, and health and safety standards across all food prep and storage areas.
- Customer Excellence: Ensure an outstanding dining experience for everyone, demonstrating empathy and responsiveness to patient and family feedback.
- Team Collaboration: Support the wider catering team, fostering a positive, flexible, and cohesive working environment.
What we are looking for
- Proven experience working as a Chef, ideally within a healthcare, care home, or high-standard hospitality environment.
- Strong knowledge of food hygiene regulations (Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate or the commitment to attain. NVQ Level 2 Professional Cookery.
- Ability to adapt menus to meet specific nutritional or medical dietary needs.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and customer service skills.
- A compassionate, flexible approach to work, with a commitment to supporting the values of a local charity.
For more details about this role please read the job description and person specification or contact Lizy Henry, Head Chef Elizabeth.Henry@stelizabethhospice.org.uk
We have over 30 charity sites across Norfolk & Suffolk which includes two retail centres in Ipswich along with a community coffee hub and a Zest retail outlet. Other income is produced through our e-commerce sites, furniture operation and retail events.
St Elizabeth Hospice is an independent charity and hospice, which improves life for people in the East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney areas living with a progressive or life-limiting illness. Established in 1989, the hospice has built a reputation for delivering high-level care to patients and the community it serves. Last year the charity supported over 4,000 patients and their families.
The hospice’s work is centred on the individual’s needs and they provide specialist support wherever it is needed; whether that is in the home, another setting in the community, in hospital or in the hospice itself. Support is provided to patients and their families via the Inpatient Unit, the Community Care Unit including outpatient’s clinics, home visits from the community nursing, medical or therapy team, the OneCall 24/7 telephone helpline and bereavement support.
In 2023, St Elizabeth Hospice merged with East Coast Hospice to form a collaborative approach to developing achievable and sustainable specialist palliative care services for people living the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area.
St Elizabeth Hospice is committed to safeguarding and protecting the adults and young people that we work with and has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and discrimination of any person. As such, all posts are subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process, including the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We have a range of robust safeguarding policies in place which promote safeguarding across the hospice and staff are expected to undertake regular, mandatory safeguarding training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to potential risks.
