Job title: Agency Chef
Location: Reading
Contract type: Temp
Starting on: Sep 2025
Rate of pay: Mon- Fri £15.00 to £20.00 + Holiday pay per hour
Weekends £15.00 to £30.00 per hour + Holiday pay per hour
Are you wanting to choose the hours you work and be paid for every hour you work?
Do you enjoy working in a variety of different kitchens gaining experience in all sectors of our industry?
If the answer is yes, then we would love to hear from you.
The role:
You will be working for one of the UK's leading recruitment agencies providing chefs cover to a variety of catering and hospitality business. Our clients are: Hotels, Golf clubs, Sporting Venues, Private clubs, Garden centres, Retirement villages, Schools, Colleges, Universities, Pubs, and Restaurants along with many other catering and hospitality venues. As a chef, you will work in different venues providing vital cover to ensure that our clients can provide a great food offer to their customers.
Benefits:
Paid weekly
Hourly Pay
Flexible working hours
Free meals whilst on duty
Free Parking available
Opportunities to gain experience in diverse venues
Training and development available

Key information:
Immediate Start
Choose your working days and we will match you with suitable shifts
Work Monday to Friday or just weekends - The choice is yours.
Variety of shift patterns available for full time and part time hours
Key responsibilities include:
Knowledge and ability to independently and effectively run your section, for example, meat, fish, vegetables, pastry, butchery, sauces, grill, starches, starters, fry, pantry and roast
The ability to supervise, engage and teach Commis Chefs and Kitchen Assistants
The ability to delegate tasks appropriately
Ability to work without close supervision and deliver quality work
Strong ability to produce good quality food and first-rate culinary skills
A flair, passion and a love of ingredients
Strong organisational skills
An ability to work unsupervised and consistently deliver quality work
Experience of a variety of kitchen environments and cuisines
Awareness of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
Good maths/numeracy skills
Good oral communication with all members of the team
Prepare, cook and present food as per your station
Prepare food to ordering during service as per your station/section e.g. meat, fish, vegetables, pastry, butchery, sauces, grill, starches, starters, fry, pantry and roast
Ensure you and your team have high standards of food hygiene and follow the rules of health and safety practises in the kitchen
Manage and train any assigned Commis Chefs or Demi-Chef de Parties working with you
Monitor portion and waste control to maintain profit margins
May be involved in assisting the Head Chef and Sous Chef in creating menu items, recipes and developing dishes

As a Chef you will be/have:

Strong attention to detail
Enthusiasm and willingness to develop your own skills and knowledge, plus those around you
Flexible and have a willingness to embrace new ideas and processes
Good team management skills
Team player qualities and the ability to work well with staff at all levels in the kitchen
Positive and approachable manner
Able to thrive in a fast-paced kitchen
A cool/calm/level head when under pressure and during a busy service
*In the care sector need a basic awareness of allergens, special diets, portion control and recipe costings, under guidance from the Sous Chef or Head Chef

Qualifications/Licences/Certifications/Experience

City & Guilds 706/1 or 706/2 in Catering
NVQ/SVQ Level 2 (or equivalent)
Level 1 and 2 Food Safety Awards
Minimum 1 year's relevant experience
Awareness of manual handling techniques
Awareness of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and chemical safety
Experience of kitchen equipment including different knives
Understandable level of English spoken and written
Any health and safety and food hygiene courses

Desired but not necessary

Level 2 Health and Safety in the Workplace Award
Level 3 Food Safety Awards

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people.