Head Chef

• £35,000 per annum
• Live in availble
• 42 hours per week 5 days in 7

Head Chef - Live-In Available

Salary: £35,000 per annum

Hours: 42 hours per week, 5 days out of 7

Accommodation: Self-catering live-in available

Location: High-volume residential site

Requirement: Must be willing to undergo an Enhanced DBS check

Overview

Off to Work are recruiting for an experienced and driven Head Chef to lead a busy catering operation within a residential environment. This is an excellent opportunity for a confident kitchen leader to take ownership of a high-volume site, delivering consistently high-quality meals while maintaining exceptional standards of food safety, hygiene, and team performance. You will oversee the entire kitchen operation, ensuring the delivery of nutritious, appetising meals, while managing and developing a team to achieve excellence in service and efficiency.

The Role

Leading a team of 5-6 chefs, you will be responsible for delivering catering for students and adults at a large activity centre. The kitchen produces in excess of 1,200 meals per day, requiring strong leadership, organisation, and the ability to perform consistently in a fast-paced environment.

• Leading, motivating, and developing the kitchen team to maintain high performance
• Overseeing the preparation and delivery of high-quality meals at scale
• Ensuring compliance with all food safety, allergen, and hygiene standards
• Managing stock control, ordering, and kitchen budgets effectively
• Maintaining organised, well stocked kitchen stores
• Completing and overseeing all due diligence and compliance documentation
• Driving a positive kitchen culture and maintaining high operational standards

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience in a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef role
• Strong background in high-volume environments such as schools, hospitals, or contract catering
• Level 2 Food Safety qualification (Level 3 desirable)
• Excellent understanding of allergen management and food compliance
• Demonstrable experience in leading and developing kitchen teams
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Confident communicator with a hands on leadership style
• Competent IT skills (e.g. email, spreadsheets, kitchen systems)

Desirable Experience

• Experience within a residential or education-based catering setting
• Experience working with children or young people
• Previous responsibility for menu planning and cost control

Personal Qualities

• Strong leader with a proactive and solution focused approach
• Highly organised with the ability to prioritise effectively under pressure
• Passionate about food quality and customer satisfaction
• Positive, adaptable, and resilient in a fast paced environment
• Supportive and collaborative team player
• Committed to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and professional workplace

Additional Information

• An Enhanced DBS check is required (provided)
• Flexibility is essential to meet the demands of a residential setting
• Responsibilities may evolve in line with operational requirements