Food Technician | Secondary School in Hackney

Food Technology & Culinary Arts Technician

Location: Hackney

Ofsted Rating: Outstanding

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

Contract: Full-Time Term-Time Only 1 Week (36 hours per week)

An Ofsted-rated Outstanding secondary school in the vibrant creative London Borough of Hackney is seeking a well-organized health-and-safety conscious and culinary-minded Food Technician to join their Design & Technology / Hospitality faculty. This is a fantastic opportunity for a dedicated support professional whether an experienced school food technician a hospitality/catering professional transitioner or a culinary arts graduate to play a vital role in enabling safe hygienic and inspiring practical food technology education.

About the Role

As a Food Technician you will be the operational backbone of the Food Technology department. Working alongside specialist teaching staff you will oversee practical room logistics maintain commercial-grade kitchen hygiene manage ingredients stock and equipment inventory and support students across Key Stages 3 4 (GCSE Food Preparation & Nutrition) and Key Stage 5 (Hospitality & Catering) as they master culinary techniques nutrition science and food safety.

• Start Date: Immediate or upcoming term

• Environment: A flagship Inner London secondary school celebrated for academic excellence creative innovation and state-of-the-art culinary teaching facilities

• Culture: A welcoming energetic and collaborative department where practical skill food education and student safety are prioritized

Key Responsibilities

• Practical & Kitchen Preparation: Measure weigh and prep ingredients; assemble cookery stations utensils and specialized equipment prior to practical lessons and practical examinations.

• Hygiene & Safety Management: Maintain immaculate standards of food hygiene and sanitation across kitchen suites and prep rooms upholding strict adherence to Environmental Health COSHH and Food Safety regulations.

• Inventory & Stock Control: Oversee grocery purchasing and deliveries monitor ingredient shelf life manage rotation and storage (chilled frozen dry) and assist with stock reconciliations and budget tracking.

• Equipment Care & Maintenance: Regularly inspect clean sanitize and test kitchen appliances (ovens hobs food processors mixers); report faults and coordinate specialist servicing when necessary.

• Classroom & Demonstration Support: Provide hands-on technical guidance to students during practical cookery sessions assisting with recipe execution knife safety hygiene compliance and station clearing.

Requirements

• Relevant qualification or certification in Food Safety & Hygiene (e.g. Level 2 or Level 3 Award in Food Safety in Catering) or equivalent practical catering/culinary experience.

• Prior experience in a food technician role commercial kitchen catering environment or practical educational support setting.

• Thorough understanding of kitchen health and safety protocols food allergy awareness HACCP principles and safe storage/handling procedures.

• Outstanding organizational skills meticulous attention to detail and the ability to multitask smoothly in a dynamic practical learning environment.

• Strong communication skills patience and a helpful proactive approach when supporting young people in practical culinary tasks.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Inner London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with technical experience pro-rata for term-time plus 1 week).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) generous holiday pro-rata allowance funded food hygiene and health & safety training/certifications and access to school staff wellbeing initiatives.

How to Apply

If you are an organized hygiene-focused culinary professional eager to deliver outstanding technical support at a top-performing secondary school in Hackney we would love to hear from you. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.