Cook - Casual

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Summerset by the Lake in Taupo is seeking a casual Cook to join a team focused on fresh wholesome meals for residents and café guests. The role involves producing production meals and short order cafe items, keeping an audit-ready kitchen under the Food Control Plan, and collaborating with care teams to deliver a great dining experience. It’s a casual as needed role with weekend and holiday shifts; benefits include weekend penal rates, career growth across Summerset, and opportunities to gain culinary qualifications. Ideal candidates bring cooking experience, preferably in healthcare, solid food safety knowledge or certification, and a positive, adaptable approach. Applications close Tuesday 24th February; apply early to avoid missing out.

Company Description

You can help bring our villages to life!  

At Summerset, from the moment we start developing a village, to when our residents call it home, it’s the passion and dedication of our people that brings our villages to life. We are one team united by being part of something bigger – to bring the best of life to our residents.  

Job Description

We’re looking for a dedicated Cook to join our team at Summerset by the Lake in Taupo! This is more than just a kitchen job — it’s a chance to be part of something meaningful, where every meal you prepare brings joy, comfort, and nourishment to the lives of our residents.

As a Cook, you will play an essential role in creating fresh, wholesome meals in a supportive and team-focused environment. Your work will help ensure our residents enjoy nutritious food that supports their health and wellbeing.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Preparing and cooking production meals for our care centre as well as short order meals for the café, based on established menus and dietary needs
• Maintaining an “audit-ready” kitchen by adhering to Summerset’s Food Control Plan
• Working collaboratively with kitchen staff, care teams and management to deliver an exceptional dining experience

This is a casual role offering hours on an as need basis.

Qualifications

This role is ideal for someone who takes pride in their work, loves bringing people together over food, and enjoys going the extra mile for their customers. You will bring a warm and positive approach to everything you do, along with:

• Previous experience as a Cook, ideally in a healthcare or residential care setting
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards Certification in safe food handling (preferred)
• Confidence to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high standards
• Flexibility to work rostered shifts, including weekends and holidays as required

At Summerset, we believe diversity strengthens our team and enriches the care we provide. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life—including those with transferable skills from other industries. You may not tick all the requirements, and that’s okay; we value what you bring to the table and look at the whole individual. We’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Equal opportunity is at the heart of how we recruit, and we encourage you to bring your unique perspective and passion to our team.

Additional Information

We are proud to show our appreciation for the passion and commitment our people show every day, by offering a selection of employee benefits:.  

Our benefits include:

• Weekend additional penal hourly rates apply 
• The ability to grow your career across a variety of roles in Summerset
• Opportunities to gain recognised culinary qualifications

Next Steps: Applications for this role will close on Tuesday 24th February. This role may close early due to an increased number of applications - apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!