Mobile Assistant Cook
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Mobile Assistant Cook based at Biggleswade St Neots, Royston and surrounding areas 20 hours per week
At HCL SAFEGUARDING IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.The safety of children and young people is at the heart of everything we do.
At HCL, we're more than just a caterer. We proudly serve over 16 million meals a year, delivering outstanding dining experiences across schools and the commercial sector.
As a Mobile Assistant Cook, you’ll be supporting the cook manager helping to prepare and serve nutritious food, while working as part of a team to deliver a great lunch service.
Let’s talk about the role of a Mobile Assistant Cook:
- Flexible to travel to primary & secondary schools to provide support services as required
- Prepare nutritious meals that meet client and student expectations
- Demonstrate a positive, team-oriented attitude with strong communication skills
- Support the Cook Manager with general tasks as required
- Assist with stock control and inventory management
- Represent the brand professionally, always maintaining a positive image
- Adhere to all food safety and hygiene standards
- Ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations
About the Ideal Mobile Assistant Cook:
- Committed to safeguarding children and young people
- Previous experience in education catering or a similar environment is essential
- Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate (required)
- Strong knowledge of health and safety requirements within a school environment
- Clear understanding of key allergens and the ability to cater for a wide range of special dietary requirements
- Competent in using IT systems for ordering, inventory monitoring, and maintaining accurate allergen records
- Able to support and work collaboratively as part of a team
Essential Vehicle Requirements:
- Full valid driving licence
- Business insurance
- Valid MOT and road tax
- Access to your own vehicle
Why join us?
Salary: £12.84 per hour (£11,298 per annum)
Mileage Reimbursement: 45p Per Mile
Hours: 20 hours per week - No Weekends, No Late Nights
Schedule: Term Time Only – Enjoy all School Holidays off
Uniform provided
Rewards: Spread the Word & Earn Up to £500 - Refer a Friend! (T&Cs apply)
Succeed with us: Career progression opportunities
Excusive discounts: via VIVUP for supermarkets, cinemas, retail, dining, hotels, and family activities
Wellbeing matters: Support through EAP & Financial Support via Stream
Safeguarding: Enhanced DBS Disclosure paid by HCL - No Cost to You
If you're passionate, driven and ready to grow, we'd love to hear from you. Take the first step and apply online - your MobileAssistant Cook career with HCL starts here.
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
🍽️ Highlight your Food Hygiene Level 2 certificate prominently as this is explicitly required for the role
🚗 Emphasise your full driving licence and vehicle access as mobile roles require extensive travel between schools
🏫 Showcase any education catering experience as the advert states this is essential for working in school environments
🛡️ Mention your commitment to safeguarding as HCL states this is their number one priority
📊 Quantify your catering experience: 'Prepared 200+ meals daily across 3 school sites, maintaining 100% food safety compliance'
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Prepared 180+ nutritious school meals daily across 4 primary sites, maintaining 100% Food Hygiene Level 2 compliance standards
- •Managed allergen records and special dietary requirements for 320 students using digital inventory systems
- •Travelled between 6 education sites weekly covering 45 miles daily, supporting Cook Managers with stock control and meal preparation
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We've drafted a cover letter for Hertfordshire Catering Limited T/A HCL. Preview the opening, then unlock the full personalised version.
Letter preview — tailored to Hertfordshire Catering Limited T/A HCL
Dear Hiring Manager,
HCL's commitment to serving 16 million nutritious meals annually across education settings aligns perfectly with my passion for school catering, which is why I am applying for the Mobile Assistant Cook position. My Food Hygiene Level 2 certification and education catering background make me well-suited to support your Cook Managers across Royston, Biggleswade and St Neots schools.
My background in mobile catering roles has equipped me with the flexibility and organisational skills needed to travel between multiple sites while maintaining consistent food safety standards and allergen compliance protocols.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you manage allergen records and ensure compliance across multiple school sites?
- ›What IT systems have you used for inventory management and ordering?
- ›How do you maintain Food Hygiene Level 2 standards when working mobile between locations?
- ›Describe your experience with stock control in education catering environments
- ›How do you ensure nutritious meal preparation meets both client and student expectations?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly when working at a new school site
- ›Describe how you've worked as part of a team to deliver lunch service under pressure
- ›Give an example of how you've maintained professional standards while representing a catering brand
- ›How do you handle working independently while still supporting a Cook Manager?
- ›Describe a situation where you had to follow strict safeguarding procedures
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you had to adapt quickly when working at a new school site
Describe how you've worked as part of a team to deliver lunch service under pressure