Kitchen Assistant | Elderly Care | Petersfield

Kitchen Assistant – Join Our Friendly Team at South Downs Care

📍 Location: Downs House, Petersfield
💷 Pay: £13.45 per hour (annual review)
⭐ Weekend Rate: £13.95 per hour
🕒 Hours: 35 hours per week  | Rolling shift pattern (Monday – Sunday)

Make a difference every day as a Kitchen Assistant

Are you passionate about preparing great food and making a positive difference in people’s lives?

We are looking for a caring and enthusiastic Kitchen Assistant to join our friendly team at Downs House in Petersfield, a welcoming 46-bed residential care home.

This is a rewarding opportunity to become part of a supportive team where the meals you prepare play an important role in supporting the health, wellbeing, and happiness of our residents. You will help create enjoyable dining experiences by preparing nutritious, home-style meals in a warm and caring environment.

About SDR

At SDR, we provide personalised, high-quality care in a warm and welcoming environment where residents can truly feel at home.

We are a family-owned care provider operating two homes, Downs House and Stroud House, set within the beautiful Hampshire countryside. Our values guide everything we do:

💚 Kindness, Dignity & Respect
💚 Calmness
💚 Creativity
💚 Responsibility

These values shape how we care for our residents and how we support our teams.

About the role

As a Kitchen Assistant, you will play an important role in supporting the wellbeing of our residents by helping to prepare nutritious, home-style meals and maintaining a clean, safe, and welcoming kitchen environment.

Working closely with our Chefs, you will help ensure meals are prepared and served to a high standard for both our residents and colleagues, contributing to a positive dining experience every day.

Previous kitchen experience, particularly within a care home or similar setting, would be an advantage but is not essential. Most importantly, we are looking for someone who is reliable, caring, and takes pride in their work, with a willingness to support our team and make a difference to the people we care for.

What we offer

✨ Career development – Ongoing training and opportunities to develop your skills
✨ Generous holiday allowance – Equivalent to 29 days including bank holidays (pro rata)
✨ Pension scheme – Available where eligible
✨ Structured induction and probation support – Helping you settle into your role
✨ Supportive management team – Guidance whenever you need it
✨ Employee referral bonus – Earn £200 each upon appointment and a further £300 each after one year (T&Cs apply)
✨ Great location – Petersfield is easily accessible with regular train links from Waterlooville, Havant, and surrounding areas

Who we’re looking for

We would love to hear from you if you are:

✔ Friendly, reliable, and enjoy working as part of a team
✔ Passionate about preparing food and supporting others
✔ Caring and sensitive to the needs of older people
✔ Creative and willing to contribute ideas
✔ Looking for a rewarding role where your work makes a difference

Apply Today

Email: careers@sdrgroup.co.uk Call: 07484 482896

We are unable to offer Skilled Worker visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have unrestricted right to work in the UK.

A DBS check will be required following a successful offer.

Early applications are encouraged as this vacancy may close once filled.