Salary: £27,319 with progression to £28,778 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 2 August 2026
The Role
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, multi‑talented, and highly skilled Chef to join our highly motivated team in the University’s In‑House catering department. The role requires experience in a similar environment with relevant food preparation and cooking experience and a Level 2 Food Safety for Caterer’s certificate. You will undertake a range of food preparation tasks to a high standard, always complying with Food Hygiene regulations. The role will provide high quality food for university customers through traditional cooking methods or cook‑chill.
The University catering and hospitality is a busy fast‑paced environment that operates across multiple locations on Newcastle University Campus. Kitchens may require a team of 6 or 7 or may involve events where you will be customer‑facing. You will regularly engage with Kitchen Porters and General Assistants, loading vehicles and managing daily deliveries. A typical day is a shift of 8 + hours, from 9 to 5 or 10 to 6. To meet business needs you will need some degree of adaptability and flexibility.
The standard rota system is 5 out of 7 days (notice of shifts will always be provided).
Interviews will consist of a formal interview and a skills‑based practical assessment. Week commencing 17 August 2026.
Key Accountabilities
- Prepare and produce food in accordance with the Service’s HACCP Policy, using either cook‑chill or traditional cooking methods to meet customer demand.
- Ensure the work environment and work practices comply with operating procedures, food hygiene regulations and health and safety legislation; maintain equipment in clean and working order, monitor food temperatures and report irregularities.
- Support the line manager with menu and recipe planning to meet current trends, expectations and customer demand.
- Order, control and use food items required for menu production, checking quality, quantity and cost‑effectiveness to minimise wastage.
- Be responsible for achieving agreed gross profit within your area of control.
- Assist with coordinating the activities of catering staff, where appropriate, to ensure service delivery.
- Participate in the development of policies and procedures to establish best practice for service provision to customers.
- Support the Service’s commitment to training and development by participating fully in training courses and, where appropriate, delivering training and development to staff (e.g. PDR and induction).
The Person (Essential)
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Awareness of current trends and issues within the catering industry.
- Up‑to‑date knowledge of legislation in relation to Food Hygiene, HACCP and Health and Safety.
- Relevant experience in a large‑scale catering operation.
Attributes and Behaviour
- Ability to communicate clearly.
- Customer‑focused approach.
- Ability to keep calm in pressured situations.
- Positive attitude.
- Team player.
- Ability to work in other locations as required.
- Ability to work unsupervised and prioritise workload.
- Willingness and ability to establish and maintain good working relationships.
Qualifications
- Food Safety for Caterers Level 2 Certificate.
- City & Guilds 706/1/2 NVQ Level 1/2 in Food Production.
Equal Opportunities & Inclusion
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess Initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
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