Cafe jobs in Billericay

Cook / Chef – Human Kind Cafe

At Human kind Cafe, we’re more than just a cafe, we’re a welcoming community space where food, kindness, and connection come together.

As a not for profit community charity cafe, our mission is centred around supporting people affected by food poverty, social isolation, and those living with dementia. We provide a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and connected within the community.

We are a Pay It Forward cafe, where customers pay as little or as much as they can afford, helping to ensure that everyone has access to good, wholesome, nutritious food regardless of their circumstances.

We are passionate about serving freshly prepared, homemade food, and the majority of what we offer is made in house, including all of our cakes and bakes. Human Kind Cafe is a vegetarian cafe with a strong vegan presence, so an interest in vegetarian and vegan cooking is important.

As part of our future plans, we are also looking to begin baking our own fresh bread in house, so experience or an interest in bread making would be a real advantage.

We work closely with local charities, community groups, volunteers, and our wider team to support wellbeing and create meaningful social opportunities within the community.

We are currently looking for a friendly, reliable, and passionate Cook/Chef to join our kitchen team.

This role would suit someone who enjoys preparing fresh, homemade food in a relaxed but busy community cafe environment. You should be confident working independently in the kitchen, maintaining good standards, and supporting a positive and compassionate atmosphere.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Preparing and serving fresh breakfasts, lunches, snacks, homemade cakes, bakes, and daily specials
• Supporting the day to day running of the kitchen
• Maintaining high standards of food hygiene and cleanliness
• Assisting with stock control and food ordering
• Working alongside volunteers, community members, and the wider team in a supportive and respectful way
• Contributing ideas for simple, affordable, homemade vegetarian and vegan menu items
• Supporting our mission to provide nutritious, accessible food for the local community
• Supporting future plans to introduce homemade breads and bakery items

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience working in a cafe, kitchen, or catering environment
• A passion for fresh, homemade food and baking
• Baking experience would be highly desirable, particularly cake baking and bread making
• An interest in vegetarian and vegan cooking
• Good organisational skills and the ability to remain calm under pressure
• Knowledge of food hygiene and kitchen safety
• A positive, caring attitude and willingness to work as part of a team
• Compassion and patience when working within a diverse community environment
• Flexibility to occasionally support evening or special events

What We Offer

• A supportive and welcoming team environment
• The opportunity to be part of a meaningful community project
• Flexible working patterns where possible
• Creative input into menus and specials
• Salary dependent on experience and skill level

Working Pattern

• Full-time or part-time hours available
• Monday to Sunday
• Shifts will fall between 7:30am – 6:00pm
• Flexibility to support evening events
• Flexible days off where possible
• Occasional additional hours to support events or team cover

How to apply:

Your application must include:

An up-to date CV which shows your full career history.

A supporting statement summarising why you are interested in joining our team, why you are interested in the role, which qualities you have that mean you will be a good candidate for the position and how you fulfil the person specification – we recommend that this is no longer than two pages

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: £12.80-£14.00 per hour

Experience:

• Chef: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person