Prepare nutritious meals for tamariki and manage daily kitchen operations in the centre

Join Busy Bees The Lakes in Tauranga

Be part of a welcoming, supportive team where your contribution is valued. You'll enjoy supportive leadership, clear processes and a team that recognises the important role you play in our centre community.

Centre Cook

As our Centre Cook, you'll prepare nutritious Nourish meals each day, helping our tamariki learn, grow, and thrive through wholesome, delicious kai.

This is a part-time role at 32 hours per week.

Why Join Our Team?

Regular daytime hours working Monday to Friday with no late nights

Discounted childcare fees for your own tamariki

Fully funded first aid training, food safety certification, and annual flu vaccination

Ongoing guidance and wellbeing support from the wider Busy Bees Aotearoa network

The rewarding feeling of knowing the wholesome kai you prepare makes a genuine impact every day

The Opportunity

You'll prepare daily kai for our tamariki, following menu guidelines while maintaining high kitchen hygiene standards and supporting food-related routines within the centre. You'll be a friendly, familiar presence for children and an active part of the team. Your role will include:

  • Preparing nutritious meals and snacks
  • Involving the older children in kai preparation to support learning and independence
  • Managing weekly grocery shopping and tracking kitchen expenses
  • Ensuring all nutrition and safety regulations are consistently met
  • Maintaining hygiene standards through daily food records and cleaning schedules
  • Supporting the wider centre team as needed

About You

  • Have a genuine passion for creating wholesome kai
  • Be warm and approachable
  • Have excellent organisational skills to manage a busy kitchen
  • Confident in menu planning
  • Have a proactive mindset ensuring food safety and hygiene are always top priority
  • Have previous experience cooking in an ECE centre or for large groups

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and why this opportunity excites you. Applicants must have NZ residency or a valid work visa.

Why Work for Busy Bees? If you're passionate about early learning, Busy Bees is the place to be. Although we are part of a global organisation, our company was founded by three families looking for better, more enriching childcare. Three decades later, we still keep the same values at heart.

We know that we couldn't do what we do without the important people in our teams. We invest in our people and work with them to build career pathways that inspire.

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