Food Technology & Culinary Arts Technician

Location: Newham, East/Inner London

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time or Part-Time (Term-Time Only)

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start

A forward-thinking, community-focused secondary school and Sixth Form in the vibrant Inner London Borough of Newham is seeking a meticulous, practical, and enthusiastic Food Technology & Culinary Arts Technician to support their creative Design & Technology department. This is a vital operational support post for a culinary enthusiast, practical technician, or experienced kitchen assistant who excels at organizing practical teaching spaces, maintaining food hygiene standards, and supporting students in mastering culinary techniques.

About the Role

As the Food Technology Technician, you will ensure the seamless execution of daily practical cookery and food science sessions. Working closely with teaching staff across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 (GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition), and vocational hospitality courses, you will manage food preparation spaces, coordinate ingredient inventories, maintain commercial-grade kitchen equipment, and assist pupils during practical cooking lessons.

• Environment: A modern Inner London secondary school equipped with state-of-the-art food technology suites, industrial demonstration stations, and active health-and-nutrition enrichment initiatives

• Culture: A collaborative, supportive Design & Technology team where practical excellence, kitchen safety, culinary creativity, and student achievement are celebrated

Key Responsibilities

• Kitchen & Food Preparation: Prepare ingredient trays, weigh food supplies, set up specialized utensils/appliances, and organize workstation layouts prior to practical cooking classes and demonstrations.

• Health, Safety & Hygiene Compliance: Maintain strict hygiene and safety standards across all food rooms, ensuring compliance with COSHH, food safety legislation, temperature logging, and CLEAPSS health regulations.

• Inventory & Store Management: Manage stock levels, monitor shelf-life dates, coordinate weekly ingredient orders with local suppliers, and properly store dry goods, chilled products, and frozen items.

• Equipment Maintenance: Ensure food preparation machinery, ovens, hobs, food processors, and hand tools are clean, sanitized, calibrated, and maintained in safe working condition.

• Classroom & Lesson Support: Assist teaching staff during practical cookery sessions by providing extra guidance to pupils on safe knife skills, appliance operation, and hygiene routines.

Requirements

• Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety Certificate (or willingness to obtain before starting).

• Previous experience working in a school food technology department, commercial kitchen, catering environment, or practical educational laboratory setting.

• Solid practical understanding of food safety, kitchen hygiene practices, cross-contamination prevention, and allergen awareness.

• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage rapid turnarounds between practical class periods.

• Patient, approachable manner when assisting secondary-age students, with clear communication skills and a team-first mindset.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Inner London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with technical experience and food safety qualifications).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), structured continuous professional development (CPD) and safety training, term-time-only work schedules, and access to staff health and wellbeing benefits.

How to Apply

If you are an organized, safety-conscious culinary technician ready to support high-quality food education at a thriving secondary school in Newham, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.