JOB DESCRIPTION – July 2024
Job Title Chef – Part Time - 21 hours per week
Department Operations
Reporting to Head Chef
Line manages N/A
Key relationships Food & Beverage Manager, Director of Operations
Hours Part Time – 21 hours per week
Indicative Salary £24,000 - £26,000 per annum pro rata
Benefits 25 days holiday (exc. Bank Holidays) pro rata, pension scheme
PURPOSE
Responsible for the preparation, production of food, adhering to set budgets and stock control, ordering, adhering to food safety and hygiene legislation and best practices. Whilst supporting the Head Chef on all matters relating to the running of the Kitchen function.
MAIN DUTIES
- To prepare, cook and garnish food for service to guests and staff during courses, meetings and other functions. Taking account of any special dietary requirements, on religious, medical or moral grounds
- Modify recipes to cater for special dietary requirements, on religious, medical or moral grounds.
- To rotate all kitchen stock (except alcohol) ensuring that products are within their shelf life including maintaining correct storage conditions
- Work flexibly and support as required to ensure continuity within the kitchen team
- Unloading food and equipment deliveries
- Have an understanding of the SFBB (safer Food Better Business) ensuring the guidelines and procedures in place are being followed so that we retain our food hygiene rating with the EHO via the Food Standards Agency
- To maintain kitchen records
- Work flexibly with the Head Chef/Food and Beverage Manager relating to food production and service
- To maintain good working practices, in keeping with the Trusts policies and procedures ensure that a high standard of kitchen cleanliness is maintained, and that any repairs/maintenance is brought to the attention of the Head Chef/ Director of operations
- Adhere to Health and Safety policies and procedures
- Other kitchen related duties which from time to time may be assigned by the Head Chef
PERSONAL SPECIFICATION
You will have:
- Ability to produce excellent high-quality food
- Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering
- City and Guilds Catering 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent qualifications or relevant experience
- Minimum of 2 years relevant kitchen experience
- Weekend availability
- Ability to produce excellent high-quality food
- Experience of working in a busy kitchen
- An eye for attention to detail along with diligence
- Experience in the use of different kitchen equipment
- Good communication and listening skills, with competent level of written and spoken English
- Multi-tasking and organisational skills including the ability to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines
- Team player qualities - willingness to be flexible and get involved as situations require
- Motivation and ability to take responsibility for own performance
- Adaptability to change and willingness to embrace new practises and ideas
- Ability to work unsupervised and deliver quality work
- Positive and approachable manner
- Aware of COSHH and manual handling techniques
You are also likely to have:
- Experience of working in a Busy Kitchen
- Good knowledge of all sections of the kitchen
- Good level of numeracy
- Motivation and ability to take responsibility for own performance
- Enthusiasm to develop your own skills and knowledge
- Adaptability to change and willingness to embrace new ideas and processes
- Ability to work unsupervised and deliver quality work
- Positive and approachable manner
APPLICATIONS:
Please send applications to Tim Sharp, tim@benslowmusic.org (telephone: 01462 459446), who will be happy to answer queries.
Candidates should include a full CV, the names and contact details of at least two referees and a covering letter outlining how they meet the personal specification criteria of the role.
Closing Date: 19 August 2024 – 12 noon
Benslow Music operates an equal opportunity policy and commits to treating all candidates and job-seekers fairly. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.
About The Benslow Music Trust
Benslow Music is a unique charity which inspires musicians of all ages and abilities to develop and express creativity throughout their life.
Beginnings
The first Rural Music School (RMS) was established in Hitchin in 1929 by Mary Ibberson to provide teaching for beginners and those wanting to continue musical involvement after their school years. The RMS Association (RMSA) was incorporated in 1947 to act as a focus for music teaching in rural areas and as a pressure group to address what was seen as a deficiency in the general educational system. This grew rapidly to some 20 centres in England devoted to making available good music teaching in country towns and villages, with its headquarters in Hitchin.
Little Benslow Hills, a substantial Victorian house, was bequeathed to RMSA by Esther Seebohm in 1952 ‘to be used in perpetuity for the support of music-making’ and became the operational hub of the organisation. A recital hall was added in 1976.
Benslow Music Trust
Benslow Music Trust was established in 1986 ‘to promote music education for social benefit through the study and practice of music, especially in its social and co-operative forms, amongst students of all ages’ with membership open to anyone willing to pay a subscription, and thus was established a substantial programme of short residential courses for adults, with a welcoming ethos.
The Instrument Loan Scheme – a separate charity – was brought to Benslow Music Trust at about this time. It had been set up to lend quality, mainly string, instruments to students up to the age of 25.
To accommodate increased activity, the Lodge was converted to bedrooms in the early 1990s and a new wing (Waldeck) – with a recital hall, practice rooms and bedrooms – was opened in 2001 with the help of a Millennium Lottery Grant of £1.1Mn. More accommodation and playing space was added with the Fieldfares extension, and by the conversion of the Coach House and other out-buildings in 2009. The Aston Building, which houses the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme, was opened in 2020.
Today and into the Future
Constant upgrading, refurbishing and rebuilding of facilities, and a new corporate identity have contributed to an unending quest to widen the scope of Benslow Music’s work and to improve access. There is now a fully professional staff running approximately 150 residential music courses annually. Good quality accommodation and in-house catering are available for up to 50 guests at any one time; some 35 public concerts and events are given during the year; and there is an extensive and well-used music library.
Our trading company, Benslow Music Enterprises, supports the core music education offer by providing Bed and Breakfast facilities for the general public, and by facilitating various third-party events.
Plans for the future include ongoing development of creative music activities for all ages, an expanded online offer, additional collaborative and partnership working, and further development of our site facilities and accommodation. In short, Benslow Music Trust weathered the pandemic and is now poised for continued evolution and diversification to reach new audiences in each area of activity. This is an exciting time at which to be joining the Trust, as we look towards our centenary celebrations in 2029.