Chef

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University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust Chef

The closing date is 16 September 2026

Apply for this job

Job summary

Are you a passionate chef looking for an exceptional work-life balance within an award-winning team? University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD) is seeking a dedicated and skilled Production Chef to join our state-of-the-art Central Production Kitchen (CPK) based at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. Our CPK produces high-quality, nutritious patient meals using a modern cook-freeze regeneration system. We proudly hold the Food for Life Silver Award, reflecting our strict commitment to sustainability, local sourcing, and organic produce. This role offers a highly stable employment environment with standard healthcare hours and no evening or weekend shifts required (subject to future service reviews), providing a rare opportunity for true work-life balance in the culinary industry.

• Base Location: Central Production Kitchen (CPK), Royal Bournemouth Hospital
• Hospitals Served: Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch Hospitals
• Working Pattern: Full-time, Monday to Friday staggered shifts (7:00 am to 5:00 pm)

Interview: September 25th

Main duties of the job

As a Production Chef, you will prepare nutritious meals that cater to a wide range of dietary and cultural requirements, directly impacting patient recovery and well-being. Your core responsibilities include:

• High-Volume Cooking: Preparing, batch-cooking, chilling, and portioning dishes safely using approved standard recipes and production schedules.
• Specialist Nutrition: Supporting patient meal delivery by preparing specialized dietary meals, including IDDSI texture-modified recipes.
• Food Safety Compliance: Monitoring critical temperature controls, chill logs, food storage parameters, and strict stock rotation protocols.
• Hygiene & Environment: Maintaining exceptional levels of kitchen cleanliness and food hygiene protocols in alignment with statutory legislation.
• Allergen Management: Strictly adhering to ingredient controls and allergen legislation to safeguard vulnerable patient groups.
• Team Collaboration: Partner with the catering assistants and management team to maintain smooth, highly efficient kitchen operations.
• Service Innovation: Contributing professional ideas toward future menu planning, recipe development, and food waste reductions

About us

Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.

UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme. This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.Please note if the role or service is relocated as part of a planned move, employees will not be eligible for excess mileage reimbursement. Travel from the postholder's home to the new work base will be considered a normal commute. Any other changes not related to this relocation will be managed according to the relevant Trust or National terms and conditions.

Details

Date posted

03 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£25,760 to £27,476 a year Per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

153-CO06555-A

Job locations

Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Experience & Knowledge

Proven experience cooking high-volume dishes using structured production schedules.

Comprehensive understanding of food safety legislation, HACCP controls, and kitchen hygiene protocols.

Practical knowledge of specialist dietary requirements, cultural preferences, and allergen management.

Previous experience working within a hospital or large-scale institutional catering environment.

Documented experience or formal training with IDDSI texture-modification standards.

Skills & Attributes

Strong teamworking mindset with a willingness to support and train junior kitchen team members.

High attention to detail regarding portion controls, weighing accuracy, and recipe adherence

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Experience & Knowledge

Proven experience cooking high-volume dishes using structured production schedules.

Comprehensive understanding of food safety legislation, HACCP controls, and kitchen hygiene protocols.

Practical knowledge of specialist dietary requirements, cultural preferences, and allergen management.

Previous experience working within a hospital or large-scale institutional catering environment.

Documented experience or formal training with IDDSI texture-modification standards.

Skills & Attributes

Strong teamworking mindset with a willingness to support and train junior kitchen team members.

High attention to detail regarding portion controls, weighing accuracy, and recipe adherence

To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.

Person Specification

Qualificaions

Essential

• City & Guilds 706/1 706/2 or equivalent vocational level 3 qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Level 3 Food Hygiene/Safety
• Level 3 Allergen awareness

Desirable

• Formal Dietetics Course

Experience

Essential

• Large scale Catering experience within healthcare sector
• Experience of special dietary requirements gained through Education & training to level 3.
• ``Work unsupervised in all areas of the kitchen

Desirable

• Previous experience within catering sector
• Previous NHS experience

Skills/Competencies

Essential

• Attention to detail inc. Accuracy & ability to multi-task.
• Culinary Expertise (Excellent knife skills, Equipment knowledge, Safety/Sanitation methods, cooking methods)

Desirable

• Evidence of creativity by introducing new recipe ideas in areas of control

Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of food nutrition
• Good understanding of H&S, HACCP & COSHH regulations

Desirable

• Understand the needs of Special Diets for patients

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Able to work as part of a team and mix with other members of staff
• Ability to communicate effectively with all hospital staff
• Passion for cooking

Desirable

• Evidence of working in busy kitchens

Person Specification

Qualificaions

Essential

• City & Guilds 706/1 706/2 or equivalent vocational level 3 qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience
• Level 3 Food Hygiene/Safety
• Level 3 Allergen awareness

Desirable

• Formal Dietetics Course

Experience

Essential

• Large scale Catering experience within healthcare sector
• Experience of special dietary requirements gained through Education & training to level 3.
• ``Work unsupervised in all areas of the kitchen

Desirable

• Previous experience within catering sector
• Previous NHS experience

Skills/Competencies

Essential

• Attention to detail inc. Accuracy & ability to multi-task.
• Culinary Expertise (Excellent knife skills, Equipment knowledge, Safety/Sanitation methods, cooking methods)

Desirable

• Evidence of creativity by introducing new recipe ideas in areas of control

Knowledge

Essential

• Good understanding of food nutrition
• Good understanding of H&S, HACCP & COSHH regulations

Desirable

• Understand the needs of Special Diets for patients

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Able to work as part of a team and mix with other members of staff
• Ability to communicate effectively with all hospital staff
• Passion for cooking

Desirable

• Evidence of working in busy kitchens

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.uhd.nhs.uk/careers (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Kitchen Production Manager

Vikram Pauniker

[email protected]

03000194016

Details

Date posted

03 September 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£25,760 to £27,476 a year Per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

153-CO06555-A

Job locations

Bournemouth Hospital

Castle Lane East

Bournemouth

BH7 7DW

United Kingdom

Supporting documents

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