About CJUK

CJUK is a specialist relief chef recruitment agency placing hardworking, reliable head chefs, sous chefs, and chefs de partie in reputable hotels, restaurants, and care settings.

We pre-vet all of our chefs and establishments and match the best chef with each placement on our books.

Based in Blackburn, Lancashire, our professional chef recruitment team has experience in the hospitality and catering industry and works alongside chefs and sites nationwide, building successful partnerships that create better kitchen experiences for everyone.

Chef in a white uniform and gray apron sitting in front of a fireplace
Smiling person with a beard wearing a white shirt indoors.
Chef standing with arms crossed wearing a white chef's coat and gray apron, with tattoos visible on forearm.
Chef standing outside a building in uniform
A chef in a white uniform, arms crossed, standing outdoors.
Man in suit standing at a bar counter with bottles in the background.

Our Values

Our values inspire and shape the way we work and every decision we make:

Dark blue checkmark on a white background

Commitment to results

Magnifying glass icon

Transparency

Light bulb icon with rays indicating illumination

Autonomy

Illustration of stacked stones in varying shapes and sizes

Balance

Blue ribbon award icon with a star

Authenticity

Our Family of businesses

Logo of Personnel Checks with a stylized check mark integrated into the letter 'K'.
Four silhouetted musicians playing instruments
Logo of Cummins Mellor Recruitment with stylized initials 'CM' in pink.
Logo of "TAXIPLUS" in teal color with stylized "X"

A little bit of history

  • Young child sitting in an office chair, wearing sunglasses and holding a red mug, surrounded by office supplies and papers on the desk.

    February 1990 – Where it all began

    Our Chairman began ‘Richard Mellor Recruitment’ in his back bedroom. Here’s Katie (our current MD) prepping for her next meeting.

  • Two businessmen in suits in an office setting, one seated at a desk with a pen, the other standing behind with a hand on his shoulder, certificates on the wall, and a desktop computer nearby.

    March 1993 – Onwards and upwards

    We moved out of Richard’s back bedroom and into the Gatehouse at GEC off the M65.

  • Two people standing outside a stone building with a signboard and open wooden door.

    October 1993 – A family affair

    Richard welcomed his wife Michelle and hospitality expert June Crossley to the business.

  • Silhouette of diverse group in front of text 'Cummins Mellor Search'

    August 1995 – Cummins Mellor Search

    Friend of Richard and Michelle, Nick Cummins joined the business and ‘Cummins Mellor Search’ was born, recruiting in the commercial and industrial arena.

  • Two people in formal attire standing in front of a building entrance with a wooden door and a plaque that reads "Menasha Business Centre, Pierce Chartered Accountants."

    May 1996 – Move to Milnshaw

    The small team moved out of the Gatehouse and into Milnshaw House on Whalley Road in Accrington. It was built in the mid 1800’s and was the home of Cotton Manufacturer and Mayor of Accrington, William Entwistle.

  • Businessman in a suit talking on a corded phone at a desk with a laptop, calculator, and papers.

    October 1998 – Cummins Mellor Recruitment

    Due to the continued growth of ‘Cummins Mellor Search’ Richard decided to merge with ‘Cooke & Mellor Recruitment’ to form ‘Cummins Mellor Recruitment’.

  • Personnel Checks logo with text and check mark

    September 2004 – Personnel Checks

    Due to demand from recruitment clients, Richard began conducting criminal record checks on candidates as an added service. This later lead to the inception of ‘Personnel Checks’.

  • Two men standing in front of a brick house with plants and a wooden trellis, one drinking from a glass.

    November 2005 – Going it alone

    Nick Cummins left Cummins Mellor Recruitment and was bought out by Richard & Michelle, later setting up his own lawn improvement business. The pair still play golf together today!

  • White text 'CJUK' on a teal background.

    September 2013 – CJUK

    Due to such growth within both the commercial and hospitality recruitment market, the decision was made to split them in two, creating the third division within the Cummins Mellor Group – CJUK.

  • A woman in a business suit sitting at a desk, writing on a notepad. Behind her are several framed black and white portraits on the wall.

    October 2015 – A new MD

    After 26 years, Richard stepped up into the role of Chairman, enabling Michelle to take over the day to day runnings of the Cummins Mellor Group as Managing Director.

  • Modern glass office building with interior lights on and people inside, seen during early evening, surrounded by a plaza and adjacent structures.

    September 2017 – Blackburn Calls

    Our incredible workforce means everything to us, so we moved them to a setting to be proud of and where they want to do a great job servicing our customers. Cathedral Quarter in Blackburn.

  • A group of people joyfully celebrating at an awards event, standing in front of a "BIBAs" backdrop, with one person holding a bouquet.

    September 2019 – BIBA's Family Business of the Year!

    Our family of businesses were recognised as BIBA’s family business of the year! Colleagues from all three companies (CJUK, Cummins Mellor and Personnel Checks) were presented with the award alongside nineteen other fantastic Lancashire businesses at Blackpool Tower on the 13th September.

  • Two women having a conversation in an office with framed artwork on the wall and a laptop on the table.

    July 2020 – Katie takes over as MD

    After 10 years working in the business, Katie takes over as MD making Cummins Mellor a second generation family business.

Working for our family of businesses

CJUK is part of the Cummins Mellor Family of Businesses, a collection of like minded organisations based at our head office in Blackburn. Established in 1990, we’re an award winning family business who pride ourselves on ensuring our colleagues can be the very best version of themselves. If you like what you see and want to work for us, we want to hear from you!