Nursery Chef

15.58 per hour | 40 hours per week | Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm | Permanent | 52 weeks per year

Are you passionate about creating fresh, nutritious food and making a positive difference to childrens health and wellbeing?

Were looking for a dedicated Nursery Chef to join our team at Riegate St Marys. Youll play an important role in preparing delicious, balanced meals and snacks that support the health, wellbeing and development of the children in our nursery.

Working Monday to Friday with no weekend shifts, this is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced chef looking for a rewarding role in a friendly and supportive environment.

What youll be doing

As our Nursery Chef, youll take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the nursery kitchen, including:

Preparing fresh, nutritious and well-balanced meals and snacks for children
Catering for dietary requirements, allergies and individual needs
Maintaining high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and kitchen safety
Ensuring food is prepared, stored and served in line with current food safety requirements
Managing kitchen stock, ordering and food supplies effectively
Keeping accurate records, including food temperatures, allergens and kitchen safety checks
Maintaining a clean, organised and welcoming kitchen environment
Working closely with the nursery management team to ensure menus meet the nutritional needs of the children

What were looking for

Were looking for someone who:

Has previous experience working as a chef, ideally within a nursery, school, childcare or similar environment
Has a genuine passion for preparing healthy and enjoyable meals for children
Understands food hygiene, allergen management and safe food preparation
Has a good understanding of childrens nutritional needs
Is organised, reliable and confident working independently
Takes pride in maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness and food presentation
Is friendly, approachable and enjoys being part of a team

A Food Hygiene Certificate and relevant catering or chef qualifications are desirable.

What we offer

We believe your hard work deserves to be rewarded. In addition to a salary of 15.58 per hour, youll receive a comprehensive benefits package, including:

Free meals while on duty
Contributory pension scheme
Career development through our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
Quick access to a Digital GP for you and your immediate family, plus wider healthcare benefits
Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and more
Discounts at Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons and other retailers
Up to 44% off cinema tickets
Cash rewards when you spend with a wide range of brands
Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
Discounts and offers that you can share with friends and family

Ready to join us?

If youre passionate about great food and want a role where your cooking can make a real difference to children every day, wed love to hear from you.

Apply today to join our team as a Nursery Chef.

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Lodestone House is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Lodestone House has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Lodestone House serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK.

Lodestone House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children’s Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/0911/98286001/52835625/R/SU #LodestoneHouse

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive – because diversity is our strength!

Reference: com/0911/98286001/52835625/R/SULocation: Reigate…

Posted: November 11th, 2026