Head Chef

Head Chef - Lead with Passion, Cook with Purpose!

Location: Chetham's school of Music, Long Millgate, Manchester, M3 1SB

Salary: £40000 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week
Working Pattern: 5 out of 7 days 6.30am - 2.30pm or/and 11am - 7pm (FLEXIBLE)

Every 3rd weekend off, No late finishes

Free onsite Parking

Staff workplace meals provided, Flexible working arrangements with Potential progression within Sodexo

Exceptional Sodexo benefits with Great discounts & Recognition and Potential progression within Sodexo

Are you ready to take the lead in a fast-paced kitchen where high-quality food delivery meets large-scale event catering?

As Head Chef with Sodexo, you will oversee a dynamic, high-volume catering operation at Chetham's School of Music, preparing and delivering meals for up to 400 people across multiple service areas. This role goes beyond day-to-day cooking, you'll play a key part in coordinating large-scale service, supporting events, and ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality at every sitting.

Your leadership will be central to maintaining smooth operations in a busy environment, inspiring your team to perform at their best while delivering exceptional food and service standards.

Best of all? Enjoy a great work-life balance with all bank holidays and public holidays off, including Christmas.

Join Sodexo and be part of something greater. You belong in a team where you can act with purpose and thrive in your own way.

What You'll Do:

• Our ethos is "Fresh Food from Scratch" so it is imperative to prepare and present food to the notified standard, ensuring the standard of "fresh food from Scratch" is followed.

• Oversee and coordinate all core culinary activities across catering locations to ensure consistency and quality.

• Manage and control service delivery to meet specified performance, quality, and financial targets while maintaining high standards.

• Ensure value for money through effective supply chain management and purchasing practices.

• Build and nurture long-term client relationships to foster stability and growth.

• Recruit, induct and develop talented employees within the kitchen and, if necessary, firmly and fairly manage poor performance.

• Identify opportunities for organic growth and new business development within the catering operation.

• Ensure compliance with food hygiene, health, safety, and environmental legislation using Sodexo's safety systems.

• Drive continuous improvement and innovation to meet the expectations of school and catering management.

• Provide strategic and technical support, offering professional advice to clients, colleagues, and the team.

• Plan, cost, and implement menus using the DRIVe planning tool, ensuring variety, seasonality, innovation, and financial robustness.

• Champion the Fresh Food Standards ensuring Chetham's is the unrivalled site for schools to see and shows off the very best to prospect accounts and visitors alike.

• Be an active (site based) member of the Chef Development team for Independents by Sodexo by contributing dishes and recipes, attending meetings, assisting with projects.

• Engage with key client groups - "Walk the Floor" during service periods and engage and interact with clients, colleagues, and any visitors. Attend pupil food committee meetings each half term.

• Represent Sodexo at industry events.

What You Bring:

Essential:

• Experienced Chef who has operated in a busy high volume contract catering, client facing environment

• Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to be an effective team player

• Flexible, with the ability to work under pressure and across a range of shifts and service times

• Direct management experience of chefs / kitchen brigade

• Clear, strong and effective leadership style

• Strong ability to increase individuals' effectiveness through leadership, motivation, communication, coaching and training

• Excellent time management and organisational skills

• Ability to set and maintain standards

• NVQ level 2 Food Production certificate or equivalent

• Intermediate Food Hygiene certificate

• Strong level of literacy and numeracy

Desirable

• Ability to review problems analytically, develop opportunities and implement innovative solutions / approaches
• PC literate
• Advanced Food Safety or Health and Safety qualification

What We Offer:

• A dynamic and supportive work environment

• Competitive salary and benefits

• Full training and protective uniform provided

• No unsociable hours and public holidays off-including Christmas!

• Unlimited access to mental health and wellbeing support

• Employee Assistance Programme for legal, financial, and personal support

• Discounts, cashback schemes, and financial benefits

• Career progression, learning opportunities, and apprenticeships

• Cycle to Work Scheme and volunteering opportunities

At Sodexo, we believe everyone deserves a place to belong. This isn't just a job-it's a chance to be part of something bigger. If you're ready to lead with passion and cook with purpose, we want to hear from you!

Apply today and help us create a brighter future!

Note: Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding children. All roles require pre-employment screening, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and past employer checks.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications.