Kitchen Assistant

KITCHEN ASSISTANT – RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION CENTRE

Location: Somerset Cultural Centre, Knowle Hall, Bawdrip, Bridgwater, Somerset

Contract: Initial two-year fixed-term contract, with the potential for extension

Hours: 416 guaranteed hours per year – equivalent to an average of 8 hours per week, worked on an annualised-hours basis

Pay: National Minimum/National Living Wage (age dependent), up to £13.00 per hour

Additional paid hours: May be available during busy programme periods

Start date: 23rd November or sooner if possible

Fancy a flexible kitchen role that's a little different from the usual?

Somerset Cultural Centre at Knowle Hall is looking for friendly, reliable and hardworking Kitchen Assistants to join our catering team.

We are a residential education centre welcoming groups of international students to Somerset for short-term educational and cultural programmes. This means our kitchen doesn't operate like a typical restaurant, hotel or school kitchen – and neither does this role.

Working as part of a small catering team, you'll support our Head Chef and Assistant Chef with food preparation, meal service, cleaning and the day-to-day running of the kitchen.

You don't need to be a qualified chef or have lots of kitchen experience. We're looking for people who are willing to learn, happy to get stuck in and take pride in helping to provide a safe, clean and welcoming catering environment for our students.

Enjoy cooking or baking? Great! While it's not a requirement of the role, there will be opportunities for Kitchen Assistants who are interested to get involved in cooking, baking and developing their skills alongside our chefs.

What You'll Be Doing

Working alongside our Head Chef, Assistant Chef and wider catering team, you'll help keep our kitchen running smoothly during residential student programmes.

Your role will include:

• Helping with food preparation and meal service.
• Preparing ingredients and assisting with packed lunches.
• Washing up and keeping the kitchen, equipment and dining areas clean and organised.
• Helping with deliveries, stock storage and basic kitchen records.
• Following food hygiene, allergen and Health & Safety procedures.
• Supporting deep cleaning and other kitchen duties between student programmes.
• Helping the wider Knowle Hall team with reasonable duties during quieter periods when required.

It's a practical, hands-on role, so you'll need to be happy getting stuck in wherever the catering team needs you.

Please Read This Bit Carefully Before Applying!

This is not a traditional 8-hours-every-week position.

The role is contracted for 416 guaranteed hours per year, which is equivalent to an average of 8 hours per week across the year.

Our catering requirements are driven by our residential student programmes, so your working hours will vary throughout the year.

When students are staying with us, you'll work more during our busy programme periods. Your hours may include early mornings, evenings and weekends, depending on the catering rota.

Between student programmes, you'll work significantly fewer hours and there may be some weeks where no hours are scheduled at all.

During quieter periods, some hours may also be used for preparation, deep cleaning, stock organisation, training and other catering duties. Where kitchen duties have been completed, you may also be asked to support other areas of the Centre with reasonable duties appropriate to your skills and capabilities.

Your guaranteed contracted hours are therefore worked across the year rather than as a fixed number of hours each week.

Where our operational requirements exceed your contracted annual hours, additional paid hours may also be offered, subject to prior authorisation.

So, if you're looking for exactly 8 hours every week on the same day and at the same time, this probably isn't the right role for you. If you like the idea of working more during our residential programmes and having much quieter periods between them, it could be a great fit.

What We're Looking For

Previous kitchen or catering experience would be helpful, but it isn't essential. We're much more interested in finding someone who is reliable, hardworking and willing to learn.

You'll need to:

• Be dependable and able to follow instructions.
• Work well as part of a small team.
• Take pride in maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
• Be friendly, respectful and comfortable working in an international environment.
• Be flexible and genuinely able to work around our residential student programmes, including early mornings, evenings and weekends when required.

A Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate would be desirable, although appropriate training can be provided.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to join a friendly, international Centre where your role goes beyond a traditional kitchen position.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Become part of a small and supportive catering team.
• Work in a varied environment where each student programme is different.
• Help provide meals for young people visiting Somerset from around the world.
• Develop your kitchen skills and get involved in cooking and baking if you'd like to.
• Gain experience within a residential education and catering environment.
• Work as part of an international and multicultural team.
• Enjoy a varied working pattern, with busy residential programme periods followed by significantly quieter periods.
• Become an important part of the wider Knowle Hall team.

If you're looking for a practical, hands-on role with variety, teamwork and the opportunity to learn new skills, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Safeguarding

Somerset Cultural Centre is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo appropriate pre-employment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references and confirmation of their right to work in the UK.

How to Apply

Please contact [email protected] or [email protected] to request an application form.

Please note: Applicants will not be considered without a fully completed application form. A CV alone will not be accepted as an application.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and the vacancy may close before the advertised closing date if suitable candidates are appointed. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

Closing date: Friday 9th October 2026

Interviews: Week commencing Monday 12th October 2026

Start date: 23rd November 2026 (or sooner if possible)

Pay: £10.85-£13.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Free parking
• On-site parking

Education:

• GCSE or equivalent (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person