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School Cook
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South Lee Prep School and Nursery
Address: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 2BT
Salary: Competitive Salary
Hours: Full Time
Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
Monday to Friday: 8am-3pm, three days a week and 9am-5pm, two days a week (Wed and Fri) All Year round with 17 Weeks of the year 10am-2pm (Nursery cooking only)
Can you enrich the lives of young people as a School Cook?
South Lee Prep School and Nursery are looking for an all year-round school Chef to lead our kitchen team in providing delicious, nutritious food in an organised and professional environment.
You will oversee all aspects of catering in the school, including provision for our thriving year-round nursery, catering mainly for the pupils and staff each day at lunchtime but also for events such as match teas and special end of year dinners. We are looking for someone with vision, passion and commitment who can create exciting and healthy menus for family-style dining. You will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to deliver the school’s vision and be a key part of our bustling South Lee Prep community.
Leading the kitchen at South Lee is about far more than simply preparing meals. Food is an extremely important part of school life for our children and families, and we take great pride in the quality of what we serve. We care about where our food comes from, using local suppliers wherever possible and making the most of fresh, seasonal produce. We do not compromise on quality by buying cheap, heavily processed foods, and we avoid unnecessary additives and preservatives. Our expectation is that food is cooked properly from scratch, on site, every day, with no reliance on jars, packet mixes or convenience sauces. The School Chef would lead the kitchen with these principles at its heart, creating nourishing, varied and appealing meals while also working with our pupil food committee to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for food. We want someone who takes real pride in what they produce and understands that good food plays an important part in the happiness, wellbeing and experience of every child at South Lee Prep. Could you be part of this exciting journey?
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Your responsibilities will be:
- To design and deliver a nutritious, delicious, seasonal and diverse lunch and snack menu, providing for those with special dietary requirements
- To create, develop and promote a school food identity / brand around healthy, locally-produced, delicious food
- To be a central part of the school community, getting to know the staff and pupils and living by the school values
- To run an environmentally aware kitchen, minimising waste, and sourcing local food where possible
- To have excellent structures and routines in place for service, kitchen hygiene and ensure all staff are working together to this end.
Staff Benefits
- Very competitive salary
- 28 days holiday (including bank holidays) Must be taken in school holidays.
- We close the nursery from 23rd December until 3rd/4th January, which is extra days holiday and not part of your allowance.
- Company pension contributions
- We will work with you to provide the training to progress your career
- Free hot lunch each day
- On-site parking available
- Collaborative and supportive work environment.
- On site gym for staff to use
- Current chef will be available for a strong handover.
About South Lee Prep School and Nursery
South Lee Prep School is a forward-thinking school that is always looking for ways to enhance learning and ignite intellectual curiosity in our children. We want them to become independent learners, to ask questions, to challenge what they already know, to learn new ways of thinking and to be the best they can possibly be. We also want them to learn who they are and how to be resilient and happy in their own skin.
Through our six South Lee pillars (authenticity and achievement, communication and community, nurture, and zest) we aim to instil the skills and confidence in each child so they can go out into the world, ambitious and brave, ready to make a positive difference in whichever way they choose.
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If you are passionate about food and would relish the opportunity of working with us in our supportive, fun, and stimulating professional environment, then we would welcome your application.
For more information
Please read the Job Description (pdf) [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/ExtOrgs/Attach/H-Aug/0892-JD-School-Chef-South-Lee-Prep-School.pdf].
Please contact Clare Fayers by calling 01284 754654 or emailing recruitment@southlee.co.uk for an informal discussion or to arrange a visit.
To find out more about the school, please visit our website [http://www.southleeschool.co.uk/].
How to apply
Please submit your completed Application Form (Word) [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/ExtOrgs/Attach/H-Aug/0892-app-form-School-Chef-South-Lee-Prep-School.docx] by email to recruitment@southlee.co.uk.
Suitable candidates may be interviewed before the closing date and the school reserves the right to withdraw the position if an early appointment is made. Applicants are therefore encouraged strongly to apply in good time.
Closing date: 1pm, 21 September 2026
Interview date: Week commencing 28 September 2026
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING
To apply, please follow the application process detailed above.
This job does not have a Suffolk Jobs Direct online application form.
The ‘Apply Now’ button below only allows you to submit a job alert, not an online application.
The policy that we request employment references for all short-listed candidates prior to interview. Applicants will be asked to confirm that they have not been disqualified from working with children. Any gaps in employment will be explored at interview.
Candidates should be aware that in line with Keeping Children Safe, we will conduct online searches for shortlisted candidates.
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