Chef Roles at Care South
Join Care South and make a difference in your community
Make a difference with a Chef career at Care South
Looking for care home Chef jobs in Dorset, Devon, or Somerset?
Join Care South and use your passion for food to make a genuine difference to the lives of our residents.
Food is about much more than nutrition. A familiar meal can bring comfort, a beautifully presented dish can brighten someone’s day, and sharing good food can create conversation, friendship and lasting memories.
Our professional catering teams prepare nutritious, freshly cooked meals that reflect residents’ individual preferences, dietary requirements and cultural backgrounds. From traditional favourites and seasonal menus to celebration meals, homemade cakes and themed dining experiences, every dish is prepared with care.
Every Care South home has a dedicated Head Chef, supported by Second Chefs, Kitchen Assistants and the wider home team. Whether you are beginning your catering career, ready to take on more responsibility or looking for a senior culinary role with more sociable hours, we can help you find your place within our kitchens.
Available Catering Roles at Care South
Care home Chef jobs where every meal matters
Working as a Chef in a Care South home is different from working in a restaurant, hotel or commercial kitchen.
You will still use your culinary skills to prepare attractive, high-quality food, but you will also have the opportunity to get to know the people you are cooking for.
You might learn that one resident loves a traditional roast with extra gravy, while another prefers lighter dishes or looks forward to a particular pudding every week. You may recreate a favourite family recipe, prepare a birthday cake or design a themed menu to complement an event taking place within the home.
These details matter.
Our chefs regularly speak with residents and work closely with care colleagues to understand individual preferences, dietary requirements and changing nutritional needs.
This helps us create food that is safe, nourishing and enjoyable, while ensuring residents continue to have choice and control over what they eat.
It also means you can see the difference your work makes. You are not cooking for anonymous customers. You are preparing food for people you know, as part of a friendly community where food plays an important role in everyday life.
What is it like working as a Chef in a care home?
No two days in a Care South kitchen are exactly the same.
Your working day will usually begin by reviewing the menu, checking supplies and making sure any individual dietary requirements are understood by the team.
You will prepare meals for residents while coordinating different dishes, specialist diets and service times.
Unlike many restaurant kitchens, care home catering generally offers structured daytime working patterns. Shifts can still include weekends and Bank Holidays, but many of our Chef roles provide more sociable hours than traditional restaurant, hotel or pub kitchens.
Care home catering also provides the opportunity to build relationships with residents.
Residents may visit the kitchen team to discuss the menu, share their thoughts on a dish or suggest something they would like to see served in the future. Their feedback helps shape the dining experience within each home.
There are also plenty of opportunities to be creative.
Alongside everyday menus, our chefs prepare food for:
- Birthdays and anniversaries
- Afternoon teas
- Seasonal celebrations
- Summer fêtes and garden parties
- Christmas and New Year
- Cultural and religious occasions
- Themed dining experiences
- Family events
- Community activities
- Residents’ favourite food days
Whether you are preparing a comforting everyday lunch or food for a major celebration, your work will contribute directly to the atmosphere and quality of life within the home.
Learn more about our catering roles at Care South
Head Chef roles at Care South
Every Care South home has a dedicated Head Chef who leads its kitchen and takes responsibility for maintaining excellent standards of food, nutrition and service.
As a Head Chef, you will have the freedom to use your culinary knowledge while getting to know residents and understanding the dishes, traditions and dining experiences that matter to them.
Your responsibilities could include:
- Leading the home’s catering team
- Planning varied and nutritionally balanced menus
- Preparing and cooking high-quality meals
- Consulting residents about menu choices and preferences
- Catering for allergies, medical needs and specialist diets
- Supporting residents who require texture-modified meals
- Maintaining allergen, food hygiene and safety procedures
- Training, supervising and supporting kitchen colleagues
- Organising rotas and coordinating daily kitchen operations
- Managing stock, deliveries and food ordering
- Monitoring budgets and reducing food waste
- Working closely with the Home Manager and care team
- Supporting inspections, audits and quality checks
- Planning food for events, celebrations and visiting families
- Ensuring meals are served attractively and at the correct time
Our Head Chefs balance consistent organisational standards with the flexibility to respond to the preferences of their home’s residents.
You will also receive guidance from Care South’s Catering Operations Manager and work alongside a wider network of experienced chefs across the organisation.
Second Chef roles at Care South
Our Second Chefs work closely with the Head Chef to prepare nutritious, attractive and high-quality meals for residents.
This is a varied position which combines practical cooking with additional responsibility for supporting colleagues and helping the kitchen operate effectively.
Your role could include:
- Preparing and cooking fresh, nutritious meals
- Ensuring food quality and presentation remain consistently high
- Helping plan seasonal menus
- Consulting residents and care colleagues about preferences
- Catering for individual dietary and nutritional requirements
- Supporting and supervising members of the kitchen team
- Maintaining food hygiene and health and safety standards
- Monitoring stock and supporting food ordering
- Receiving and checking deliveries
- Controlling supplies and reducing unnecessary food waste
- Supporting special events, birthdays and celebrations
- Leading the kitchen when the Head Chef is unavailable
You will need to be organised, calm under pressure and confident enough to take the lead when required.
Experience preparing high-quality meals in volume can be valuable, but previous care home experience is not always essential. We provide induction and support to help experienced catering professionals understand the specific requirements of working within a care environment.
Roaming Head Chef roles at Care South
Our Roaming Head Chefs provide flexible support across several Care South homes.
This role is ideal for an experienced Chef who enjoys variety, working with different teams and helping maintain consistently high standards across multiple kitchens.
Depending on the vacancy, the role may include:
- Providing Head Chef cover across different Care South homes
- Supporting kitchen teams during holidays or periods of absence
- Preparing and cooking nutritious meals for residents
- Ensuring Care South’s food and dining standards are maintained
- Helping teams manage menus, stock and supplies
- Supporting food hygiene, allergen and safety compliance
- Sharing experience and best practice with kitchen colleagues
- Adapting quickly to different kitchens and resident communities
- Building positive relationships with residents and home teams
- Supporting special events and seasonal menu changes
- Identifying opportunities to improve quality or efficiency
- Working with Home Managers and the Catering Operations Manager
As this is a mobile role, a full UK driving licence, access to a reliable vehicle and appropriate business-use insurance will normally be required.
Check the individual vacancy for the precise travel area, mileage payment and working arrangements.
Kitchen Assistant roles at Care South
Our Kitchen Assistants play an essential role in keeping our kitchens organised, hygienic and running smoothly.
Working alongside the home’s chefs, you will help prepare and serve meals while maintaining the high standards of cleanliness and food safety expected across Care South.
Depending on the home and vacancy, your responsibilities could include:
- Supporting chefs with basic food preparation
- Preparing ingredients, snacks, drinks and light refreshments
- Helping serve meals to residents
- Washing dishes, utensils and kitchen equipment
- Maintaining clean and hygienic preparation areas
- Following food safety and infection-control procedures
- Helping receive and store food deliveries
- Supporting stock rotation and storage
- Preparing dining areas and meal service equipment
- Working with colleagues to ensure meals are served promptly
- Reporting concerns relating to food quality, equipment or safety
- Supporting special events, celebrations and themed meals
A Kitchen Assistant position can be a great starting point for someone interested in developing a professional catering career.
You will gain practical experience within a busy kitchen while learning from experienced chefs and developing your understanding of food preparation, hygiene and care home catering.
Supporting our communities through food
Our chefs also have opportunities to use their skills beyond our care home kitchens.
Care South is proud to support organisations such as The CRUMBS Project, which helps adults with disabilities, neurodivergence and mental health conditions develop skills and create pathways into employment.
Care South chefs have supported practical catering experiences and shared their knowledge with trainees, helping people build confidence and explore opportunities within hospitality.
Community partnerships like these reflect our wider not-for-profit purpose and our commitment to creating long-term benefits for the communities we serve.
Professional chefs in every home
Every Care South home has a dedicated Head Chef, responsible for creating menus that balance nutrition, flavour and presentation. Our chefs take pride in cooking meals that feel familiar, comforting and satisfying, while also offering variety and choice.
Our catering teams are led by Mark Wardman, Catering Operations Manager, who provides leadership, guidance and support across all Care South kitchens.
This structure ensures consistent standards across our homes, while allowing each kitchen the flexibility to respond to the preferences of the people they care for.
Available Catering Roles at Care South
Frequently asked questions about Chef roles at Care South
Not necessarily.
Experience in a care home or another regulated environment can be useful, but we also welcome applications from chefs who have worked in restaurants, hotels, pubs, schools, hospitals and other professional kitchens.
We provide induction and training to help you understand the needs of residents and the standards required within a care setting.
Requirements vary depending on the role.
For some Chef positions, we may look for a relevant Level 2 qualification in Food Production, Professional Cookery or Food Hygiene, or an interest in completing one.
You will also need an appropriate understanding of food safety, allergens, health and safety and current catering legislation.
Always check the individual vacancy for its essential and preferred requirements.
A Second Chef supports the Head Chef with food preparation, cooking, menu planning and supervising the kitchen team.
They may also lead the kitchen when the Head Chef is unavailable, taking responsibility for areas such as ordering, checking deliveries and controlling supplies.
The Head Chef has overall responsibility for the kitchen, including menus, food quality, resident satisfaction, staffing, compliance, stock and daily operations.
A Roaming Head Chef provides cover and practical support across several Care South homes.
They may work in different kitchens according to operational needs, helping maintain standards, supporting colleagues and ensuring residents continue receiving high-quality meals.
A driving licence, suitable vehicle and business-use insurance will normally be required.
Working patterns vary between homes and vacancies.
Many of our Chef roles are primarily daytime positions, although shifts can include weekends and Bank Holidays.
Some full-time vacancies offer 40 hours across four working days, with alternate weekend working.
Check the individual advert for the exact hours and shift pattern.
Most care home kitchens operate seven days a week, so Chef roles will normally include some weekend work.
Many vacancies use an alternate-weekend pattern or specify the number of weekends worked each month.
Care home kitchens are busy professional environments with service times, dietary requirements and high standards to maintain.
However, they can offer more predictable hours and fewer late-night shifts than many restaurants, hotels or pubs.
You will still need to be organised, efficient and able to work calmly under pressure.
Our chefs prepare varied, nutritious and thoughtfully presented meals for residents, with menus reflecting seasonal ingredients, familiar favourites and individual preferences.
The precise arrangements can vary by home and menu, but our focus is always on serving enjoyable, high-quality food prepared with care.
Yes, supporting individual dietary requirements is an important part of care home catering.
This can include food allergies, medical requirements, vegetarian and vegan diets, fortified food, cultural preferences and texture-modified meals.
Training and guidance are provided where appropriate.
Yes.
Resident choice is central to food and dining at Care South. Our chefs consult residents, listen to feedback and work with care colleagues to understand individual preferences.
Menus are adjusted to reflect the people living within each home.
Yes.
A Kitchen Assistant role can provide valuable professional kitchen experience and an opportunity to learn from qualified chefs.
Care South supports colleagues who want to develop their skills and explore progression opportunities.
Yes.
Colleagues receive a role-specific induction and ongoing training appropriate to their responsibilities.
This can include food safety, allergens, nutrition, texture-modified food, health and safety, dementia awareness and leadership development.
Yes.
As you will be working within a care environment, the role will be subject to the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
Where applicable, Care South provides a free DBS check as part of the recruitment process.
Current Chef vacancies may require applicants to be aged 18 or over.
Always check the individual job advert for the specific eligibility requirements.
Care South has care homes across Dorset, Devon, Somerset and West Sussex.
Chef and kitchen vacancies may become available at homes in:
- Bournemouth
- Poole
- Ferndown
- Christchurch and Southbourne
- Ringwood
- Gillingham
- Dorchester
- Weymouth
- Taunton
- Bideford and Abbotsham
Find your next catering role
Join Care South and become part of a supportive catering team where your food, skills and creativity will be genuinely appreciated.
Whether you are starting as a Kitchen Assistant, ready to progress into a Second Chef position or looking for a Head Chef role with greater responsibility, explore our latest opportunities today.
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