Mobile Catering Assistant (Peripatetic) I Schools Catering I South Ribble, Preston and Surrounding Areas

Job Description

Salary £13.45 per hour | Part time | 16.25 hours per week | Term Time only | Permanent, Variable hours | School Name | South Ribble, Preston and Surrounding Areas

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

PERIPATETIC / MOBILE COOK

South Ribble, Preston and Surrounding Areas

Join Lancashire County Council's School Catering Service

Lancashire County Council provides catering services to over 500 schools across Lancashire, serving thousands of nutritious school meals every day. We are seeking enthusiastic, reliable, and experienced individuals to join our catering team as a Peripatetic/Mobile Cook, supporting schools across the South Ribble, Preston and surrounding areas.

This is a varied and rewarding role providing cover across multiple school kitchens. You will play a key role in the preparation, cooking and service of high-quality school meals, whilst taking responsibility for the day-to-day running of kitchens, maintaining the highest standards of food safety, and ensuring an excellent dining experience for pupils.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and serve a wide range of nutritious, appealing and compliant school meals.
• Take responsibility for the daily operation and management of school kitchens when providing cover for absent cooks, catering supervisors or unit managers.
• Plan, organise and oversee food production to ensure meals are prepared efficiently and served on time.
• Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, cleanliness and food safety.
• Ensure compliance with all food hygiene, allergen management and health and safety procedures.
• Monitor stock levels, manage stock rotation and minimise waste.
• Support ordering processes and ensure kitchens are adequately stocked for service.
• Supervise, guide and support catering staff where required.
• Carry out kitchen administration and record keeping in line with service requirements.
• Prepare dining areas for service and assist with the set-up and clearing of equipment as necessary.
• Ensure all kitchen equipment, preparation areas and dining facilities are cleaned and maintained to the highest standards.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for cooking and experience of working in a busy catering environment.

• Previous experience of preparing and cooking meals in a professional kitchen.
• The ability and confidence to run a kitchen independently.
• Experience of organising kitchen operations and managing meal service.
• Good knowledge of food hygiene, food safety and allergen management.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Flexibility to work across different schools within the South Ribble and Preston areas.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.
• A positive, proactive and team-focused approach.

Working Hours

• Monday to Friday
• Term-time only
• Essential car user
• 16.25 hours per week (hours may vary depending on service requirements and meal uptake)

Why Join Us?

This role is ideal for an experienced cook who enjoys working in a busy kitchen environment and takes pride in producing high-quality meals. As a Peripatetic/Mobile Cook, you will have the opportunity to use your cooking skills and kitchen management experience to support schools across the South Ribble and Preston areas, ensuring children receive nutritious, freshly prepared meals every day.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications

Job Description and Person Specification