Southampton Shirley jobs

Take Our #FoodForGood Mission Across Southampton!

Do you love food, enjoy working with children, and want a role where no two days are the same?

At City Catering Southampton, we are passionate about providing high-quality, nutritious meals to children across Southampton and beyond. As a charity, we believe every child deserves the very best lunchtime experience — and we’re looking for an enthusiastic, adaptable, and friendly Mobile Assistant Cook to support our kitchens across the city.

This is a rewarding and varied term-time role where you’ll work across multiple school sites, supporting kitchen teams, covering absences, and helping us maintain our high standards of food quality and service.

Location: Various school locations across Southampton
Hours: 20 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Working Weeks: 39 weeks per year (term-time only)
Pay: £13.19 per hour

What You’ll Be Doing

No two days are the same! You’ll help with:

· Assisting with the preparation, cooking, and serving of nutritious meals

· Supporting Head of Kitchens with the smooth running of different kitchens across Southampton

· Occasionally deputising for the Head of Kitchens when required

· Providing cover during staff absences, sickness, and busy periods

· Preparing special diets and allergen-safe meals

· Maintaining excellent food safety and hygiene standards

· Supporting stock control and helping to minimise food waste

· Keeping kitchen and dining areas clean, safe, and organised

· Providing a warm and welcoming service to children and school staff

· Supporting and encouraging Catering Assistants within the team

What We’re Looking For

We’d love to hear from you if you are:

· Experienced in supporting the day-to-day running of a kitchen or multiple kitchens/sites, ideally within a school or catering environment

· Passionate about food and customer service

· Friendly, reliable, and approachable

· Organised and able to work well in a busy kitchen environment

· A strong team player with a positive attitude

· Confident following food safety and hygiene procedures

· Adaptable and able to quickly settle into different kitchens and teams

· Flexible and happy to travel between locations across Southampton

Previous supervisory experience is desirable, and a Level 2 or Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate would be an advantage. A driving licence is also essential for this role.

At City Catering Southampton, we are proud of our positive culture, high standards, and commitment to equality, safeguarding, and employee wellbeing.

Important Information

This role is subject to eligibility to work in the UK and an Enhanced DBS check due to working within school environments. The cost of the DBS check will be covered by the Charity.

We are actively seeking to increase diversity within our organisation and warmly welcome applications from people of all genders, sexual orientations, people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and those with lived experience of food poverty.

If you’re passionate about making a difference and want a varied role supporting great food and great teams, we’d love to hear from you — apply today!

Pay: £13.19 per hour

Benefits:

• On-site parking
• Referral programme

Application question(s):

• Do you have an enhanced DBS certificate?

Work Location: In person