 Continuing our Sector Spotlight on Orkney Islands Council, today we hear from Ellie Newlands, who is a Cook Supervisor at Papdale Primary School. After time working in a busy restaurant, Ellie started her career in the school kitchens as a relief worker, filling in if someone was off ill. After completing mandatory food hygiene qualifications at Orkney College UHI – which was a requirement to be able to get a cook’s position in school meals, Ellie started a full-time post as Assistant Cook before progressing to her current role. Alongside this, she has also achieved her NHC in Cookery. Can you describe a typical day in your role as Cook Supervisor?
I start work at 8am and get straight to work preparing the main course or dessert, whichever needs doing first. I make soup and prepare veg when needed. Each day is different from making mince or stir-fry to breading fish or chicken goujons and always trying to prepare for the following day. Other tasks I do include ordering the butcher meat, dry goods and veg, fruit and milk for the menu, I also order cleaning supplies too. I have a team of 15 staff but only 11 are in at the same time as I have four staff who job share. At lunchtime, I serve the children. Some pupils have different dietary needs and we have to make sure that all staff are aware of who the children are. How did you end up in this role? I came into school meals 28 years ago as a relief worker, filling in if someone was off ill. I then went to Orkney College and did my SVQ2 and SVQ3. This was a requirement to be able to get a cook’s position in school meals. I then started my full-time post in 1998, as the Assistant Cook and covered the Head Cook post while she was on maternity leave. In 2013 I took up the post of Cook Supervisor/Head Cook which is the job I am doing at present. Since then, I have returned to college and completed an HNC in Cookery. Prior to coming to school meals, I worked in a busy restaurant/cafe/coffee shop. What is the best thing about your job? I really enjoy the children. Encouraging them to try foods, some things they have never tasted and sometimes they like it, sometimes not. Having conversations with them as they come for their lunch, they like to tell you when their birthdays are. I have an excellent team of girls and we all work well together. What is the worst thing about your job? When we are short-staffed. But this is unavoidable at times. What skills do you need to undertake your role? When working in a big kitchen like Papdale you need to have good communication skills. Be able to describe tasks and explain them in a way people understand. As this is different for everybody there is not always one fits all. You need to be fair and treat all the staff the same. Good manners are vital. Portion size is important as if the staff are not aware of the correct amount, we could end up running out of food or the child not getting enough. What qualifications do you have? SVQ 2, SVQ3 and HNC in Cookery Would you recommend this job to young people, if so why? School meals are very rewarding, you have the opportunity to see the children grow in confidence and come into their own personalities. The hours are excellent, even better for when you ever have your own family, brilliant holidays and a brilliant team. You meet other like-minded people and form good bonds with staff which quite often end up as lifelong friends. Visit Orkney Islands Council on: Website: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OICUpdates Twitter: https://twitter.com/orkneycouncil Comments are closed.
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