Chef | East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

The Catering Department, Victoria Hospital, Blackpool are looking for a relief Chef. If you are a dynamic person who can raise to the challenges of providing a fresh cook service to over 800 patients per meal service and over 500 restaurant customers per day please read on.

Chefs hold an important role in food production and meal services that contributes to providing safe, nutritious food to patients and staff. They are part of the team who undertake key roles in the day-to-day food production, responsible for food service and the production of meals. The post ensures a high quality, cost effective and resourceful service delivery and that food is nutritious and appetising. They must meet patients' dietary and allergen requirements, for example, gluten free, milk free, low potassium, halal and vegan meals.

The successful candidate must be open to applying a partnership approach and embrace new ways of working which deliver the range and quality of service required to meet the needs of patients and customers, in as efficient and effective a way as possible.

If successful you will be part of a brigade of chefs carrying out day-to-day operational requirements for our traditional cook food services. You will ensure a high quality service delivery, following standardised recipes and food safety legislation. This relief post is 5 days over 7 including weekends and bank holidays are required.

Chef appointments are made to cover various aspects of food production and service for patients and other customers and to specific contract hours and shift patterns. However, in order to maintain and meet the varying needs of the service, it is emphasised that a chef may be allocated to work in other sections of the department in line with their Job Description and contracted hours.

The catering services are provided every day throughout the year and it is an obligation of all catering staff that if rostered to work on a Bank Holiday and needed to work to meet operational services it is a contractual requirement to do so.

Main duties are preparing, cooking and serving of all types of foods, including special dietary needs, allergens, religious and lifestyle for patients' meals services, including, staff and visitors to The Restaurant.

This post is part of the Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Collaborative, therefore all roles will be required to support system wide working across the Lancashire & South Cumbria regions. Catering are part of OneLSC Lancashire & South Cumbria) and as such come under East Lancashire Trust.

Using commodity supplies and ingredients in correct proportions and stock control rotation.

Being attentive to accuracy in the preparation, production and issue of all food items, with particular care given to consistent quality and portion controls.

Ensuring food produced is correctly cooked to achieve optimum nutritional standards and that meals are attractively presented and served at good appropriate temperatures.

As applicable to task, completing all associated HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) documentation and reporting to Kitchen Manager / Senior Chef regarding any items which are not of a satisfactory standard. Ensuring that all food items needing refrigeration are date coded and correctly stored without delay.

Minimising waste through economical and correct use of all materials.

Being correctly / cleanly dressed when on duty and in compliance with uniform policy and rules regarding jewellery, watches, hair control etc.

Attending wards as required to maintain contact and discuss catering quality matters with patients and ward staff with a view to development and improvement of catering services.

Strictly complying with codes of practice for general food safety and personal hygiene.

Knowing the correct procedure and complying with catering staff responsibility to report any sickness or diarrhoea prior to commencing duty.

Correctly using and ensuring proper interim cleaning between uses of any utensils, equipment, or item of plant or machinery, to a high standard of hygiene.

Being aware and complying with food separation systems E.g. separate storage, use of colour coding for knives, cutting boards etc., to avoid cross contamination risks.

Being aware of and following the Health and Safety procedures of the Catering Department and of the Trust.

Meeting personal responsibility, for one’s own safety and safety of colleagues, through proper personal conduct and safe working practices.

Warning colleagues, and reporting to section Manager/Supervisor, of any identified potential risk e.g. defective equipment.

Reporting immediately or as soon as possible any accident to one’s self or observed involving others, to the sectionManager / Supervisor.

You will be responsible to the Chef Supervisor and Kitchen Manager for day-to-day allocation of duties and the Catering Manager for all employment related responsibilities including work performance and conduct.

This advert closes on Wednesday 4 Nov 2026