Cook

Turn your passion for cooking into something truly meaningful

Love creating delicious home-cooked meals? Want to use your culinary skills to make a real difference every day?

At Rainbows Children's Hospice, every meal matters. Whether it's a favourite comfort food for a child, a birthday cake for a family celebration, or a freshly prepared lunch for our teams, the food you create helps bring comfort, joy and normality during some of life's most challenging moments.

We're looking for a caring and talented Cook to join our friendly Catering Team in Loughborough, helping us brighten short lives, one meal at a time.

About Rainbows

Rainbows provides specialist palliative care and end-of-life support to more than 750 babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions across the East Midlands.

We're here to make every moment count for the families who need us most, and our Catering Team plays an important part in creating a warm, welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

Location: Rainbows Hospice, Loughborough

Hours: 22.5 hours per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm), with flexibility to cover weekends if required

What you'll be doing

No two days are the same. One day you might be preparing a family's favourite meal, the next baking treats for a special celebration.

You'll:

• Prepare fresh, nutritious meals, snacks and homemade baked goods from scratch
• Work closely with our Care Team and families to cater for individual dietary and cultural needs
• Create a welcoming dining experience for children, families, visitors and staff
• Maintain the highest standards of food hygiene and safety
• Keep the kitchen clean, organised and running smoothly
• Be part of a supportive team that's passionate about making a difference

What we're looking for

You'll be someone who genuinely enjoys cooking and takes pride in creating high-quality food that brings people together.

You'll have:

• NVQ Level 2 in Food Preparation and Cooking
• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergy Awareness training
• Experience preparing fresh meals from scratch
• Excellent understanding of food safety and kitchen hygiene
• A positive, caring attitude and strong team spirit

Most importantly, you'll share our values and want to make a difference to the lives of the children and families we support.

Why join Rainbows?

This is more than a cooking role. It's an opportunity to be part of a team that brings comfort, smiles and special memories to families every day.

Alongside a rewarding role, you'll benefit from:

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holiday allowance
• Generous pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Healthcare cashback plan
• Blue Light Card discounts and Company Shop membership
• Free onsite parking
• Subsidised meals whilst at the Hospice
• Free tea, coffee and fruit
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing support and Mental Health First Aiders
• Fun staff events, away days and team celebrations

Ready to make a difference?

If you're passionate about food, enjoy working as part of a close-knit team and want your work to have a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Michael Cayless, Catering Manager at [email protected].

Click Apply Now to submit your application.

Please note: This role is subject to a Standard DBS check and pre-employment screening. We may close this vacancy early if sufficient applications are received, so we encourage early applications.