Kitchen Assistant
About this role
We're looking for a Kitchen Assistant to join the opening team at Yarrow, our brand new restaurant in the heart of Tunbridge Wells.
Yarrow is a fresh dining destination, open to both the public and our retirement village residents, serving high-quality, seasonal food in a welcoming environment. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a brand new kitchen, working alongside an experienced team and helping to create an exceptional dining experience from day one.
Unlike many hospitality roles, Yarrow offers a better work-life balance, with more sociable opening hours while still being part of a busy, fresh food kitchen.
What you'll be doing- Keeping the kitchen, equipment and utensils clean, organised and ready for service.
- Assisting the chefs with basic food preparation, including preparing ingredients and simple dishes.
- Receiving, checking and storing deliveries safely.
- Operating dishwashing equipment and ensuring crockery, cutlery and kitchen utensils are cleaned to a high standard.
- Supporting the kitchen team with stock rotation, waste management and maintaining excellent food hygiene standards.
- Following all health and safety and food safety procedures.
- Working closely with the wider kitchen team to ensure a smooth and efficient service.
- Previous experience in a kitchen or hospitality environment is desirable, but a positive attitude and willingness to learn are just as important.
- Food Safety Level 2, or willingness to achieve this shortly after joining.
- A reliable, hardworking team player who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment.
- Good organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Flexibility to work a rota that includes some evenings and weekends.
- Competitive salary.
- A great work-life balance with more sociable opening hours than many hospitality venues.
- Medicash healthcare plan.
- Pension scheme.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
- Birthday leave.
- Reward and recognition schemes.
- Paid volunteering days.
- Training and development opportunities.
- The opportunity to be part of an exciting new restaurant from the very beginning.
Company at a glance
Our mission
The UK’s population is ageing, fast, but the country cannot currently cope with the rising demand for active, independent later living. Too many people are therefore forced to live in inappropriate housing or move into care far too soon.
As a pioneer of later living in the UK we recognise the need. We have set out to create amazing, sustainable communities, connected to thriving local centres, breathing new life into urban and suburban neighbourhoods and country locations.
“Our mission is to create positive life choices for older people - built on community, wellbeing, and flexibility. We strive to support people to live their best lives for longer, while ensuring the planet, and our healthcare system, offer the same opportunities to future generations.“
Our story
We have been a developer and long-term operator of housing-with-care communities since 1981. We built the first community of its kind in the UK at Elmbridge in Cranleigh, Surrey and today we operate 16 sites across the country with over 1500 self-contained homes. We have another two sites opening to the public in 2026.
In 2017, Retirement Villages Group was acquired by BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts – a global leader in real asset investments and the leading real estate portfolio and asset manager in Europe – on behalf of their clients to provide long-term, sustainable investment in retirement living.
Supported by BNPP AM Alts we have ambitious plans to deliver over 5,000 new homes across over 40 new sites in the next ten years making appropriate housing more accessible to a wider group of older people.
We're hiring! Visit our jobs page on LinkedIn or the careers page on our website for more information: https://www.retirementvillages.co.uk/about-us/careers/
Top Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Medicash healthcare plan
- Pension scheme
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Birthday leave
- Reward and recognition schemes
- Paid volunteering days
- Training and development opportunities
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