Senior Cook (Obelisk)

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic Cook/Chef to deliver high‑quality, nutritious meals for our elderly residents. This is a rewarding role where your skills will directly contribute to the wellbeing of those in your care.

We have an opportunity within Obelisk House, which provides exceptional levels of support to older persons living with Dementia, Physical disabilities or /and Sensory impairments.

Situated in a residential suburb in Northampton, offering a wonderful living environment in which residents can enjoy an enhanced quality of life.

Our customers (Residents) are at the heart of what we do. You will receive continuous training, support assistance.

37 hours per week: What your rota, looks like:

Week 1

• Mon 8–3, Tue 9–5, Wed 8–2, Thu 9–5
• Fri Off
• Sat 7–3, Sun 7–3
  
  

Week 2

• Mon Off
• Tue 9–5, Wed 8–3, Thu 9–5, Fri 8–2
• Sat Off, Sun Off ..........No late nights!
  
  

Our Benefits

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council

What will you be doing?

You’re not just preparing meals — you’re creating moments of comfort and joy for the people who live in our care home. A warm meal can brighten someone’s whole day, and you’ll be a big part of that.

• Cooking daily meals
  
  

Preparing and cooking breakfast, lunch and tea for residents in a 24‑hour care home. Ensuring meals are tasty, nutritious and meet residents’ needs.

• Planning menus
  
  

Designing menus that take into account different diets, allergies, health conditions, textures, and personal preferences.

• Leading the kitchen team
  
  

Allocating tasks, supervising kitchen assistants, and making sure everyone is working safely, efficiently and to the right standard.

• Managing food supplies
  
  

Ordering food, checking deliveries, maintaining stock levels, and investigating any issues with suppliers.

• Working within a food budget
  
  

Managing a set budget for food and kitchen resources and using ingredients economically.

• Ensuring safety and hygiene
  
  

Keeping the kitchen clean and compliant, following food hygiene rules, completing risk assessments, and reporting any faults or hazards.

• Record‑keeping
  
  

Recording orders and invoices accurately, managing stock rotation, and completing required paperwork.

• Supporting residents
  
  

Creating a positive mealtime experience, supporting staff at mealtimes, and ensuring residents are kept safe around kitchen areas.

About You

What’s Essential for This Role

Kitchen leadership

You’ll run the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, organise tasks, lead a small team, and make sure food is cooked to a high standard.

Catering Experience

You’ve worked in a catering environment before and feel confident preparing meals for groups, including planning menus and meeting a range of dietary needs.

Organisation and time management

You can plan ahead, manage your time well, and deliver meals promptly and consistently.

Budgeting Skills

You’ll order supplies, record invoices, and work within a set food budget using smart and economical choices.

Safety and hygiene

You understand food hygiene rules, health and safety requirements, and infection control, and you keep the kitchen safe and compliant.

People-focused approach

You communicate well, support residents with kindness, and lead your team in a positive and respectful way.

Key requirements

• Experience in a catering environment

Ability to supervise and guide kitchen staff

Ability to plan menus, including special dietary options

Good literacy and numeracy

Physically able to work in a busy kitchen setting

Food Hygiene qualification (for example, City & Guilds Cookery)

Understanding of equality, safeguarding, and care standards

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

This role does not meet the legal requirements for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. We cannot accept individuals on full-time sponsorship who are seeking this as a second job or as their main job, as care is no longer classified as a Skilled Worker occupation.

Don’t delay — this role may close very quickly if we receive a high volume of suitable applicants.

About Us

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us

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If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.