Job summary
- Main area
- Catering
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 292-7374122-E&F
- Employer
- The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Princess Alexandra Hospital
- Town
- Harlow
- Salary
- £24,937 - £26,598 Per annum, pro rata plus 5% high cost area supplement
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 26/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Chef
NHS AfC: Band 3
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
Our values
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) promise to our patients, as identified by our three values which will contribute to improving our patients’ experiences, is:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts.
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both.
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care.
Job overview
We are looking for dynamic enthusiastic chefs to join our expanding In-house fresh cook catering team as we strive to give patients, staff and visitors Nutrition and Hydration of the highest standards possible.
We Cater for the needs of Patients and the Alexandra Restaurant & café.
Joining our team will give you opportunities to broaden your range of knowledge to include an understanding of needs of the elderly, young and vulnerable and offer a sense of contributing to the health and wellbeing of NHS users ,
Working for the NHS team offers you Paid Annual leave , access to the NHS Pension scheme and the No split shifts !
Main duties of the job
To work within a team producing a high standard of food production for the patient, staff and visitors of the Trust, which meets with all current Hygiene and Health & Safety legislation. To provide a high-quality catering service in line with standards, objectives and policy of the catering department for the patients, staff and visitors at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust.
• The duties will include food preparation, cooking and serving of meals to patients, staff and visitors of the hospital as laid down in the patient selective menu systems, using recognised recipes and methods. Always aiming to achieve the highest possible standard.
Working for our organisation
Our Organisation
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.
Our Values
The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job description and person specification for the full job details. This is available to download at any time.
Person specification
essential
Essential criteria
- GCSE qualifications
- Knowledge of Catering laws
Desirable criteria
- Previous large scale catering experience
- Passion for cooking and fresh ingredients
essential
Essential criteria
- Level 2 food hygiene
- level 2 allergen training
- NVQ level 2 or Equivalent In food production/Catering
- basic I.T Skills
Desirable criteria
- level 3 food hygiene
- Level 3 allergen training
- NVQ Level 3 in Catering
- Previous NHS Catering experience
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Graham Parker
- Job title
- Catering Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07732563044
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