Head Chef - Croydon

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Free meals on Duty
• Free Parking
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

Chartwells Independents is the leading provider of catering and support services to Independent Schools in the UK. We provide innovative catering, hospitality and food service by creating imaginative menus delivered with an exceptional service. We know as a company that great food comes from great ingredients. Our Chefs use seasonal produce, adding their own individual creativity to let the food speak for itself. We pride ourselves on being able to provide a diverse range of cuisines that keep up to date with today's trends ensuring we offer a great dining experience. We nurture and develop our teams to enrich their skills which allows them to show their passion and inspiration that as a company we are proud to encourage. You will be part of a team that supports high quality education at this school by providing outstanding food and service to the pupils and staff. You will be leading a team who share the same passion for preparing exciting fresh and nutritious food on a daily basis. This is a complex, busy and multi-facetted environment that also offers a great work life balance. We are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and experienced Head Chef to lead our dedicated catering team, who produce outstanding food using the finest and freshest ingredients in this highly prestigious unit. This is a fantastic opportunity for an inspirational and enthusiastic Head Chef to make a name for themselves within the contract catering industry. In return we offer support and development to grow within our business alongside a competitive salary

More about the role:

• Delivery of a range of food and catering services across a number of outlets in a complex, busy and multi-facetted environment
• The Head Chef will plan, organise and direct the preparation and cooking of food ensuring that the company’s reputation for quality is enhanced with customers and clients at all times
• Taking responsibility for the food production with a hands-on approach
• Driving sales through centrally driven menu planning and promotions and preferred suppliers
• Responsible for all aspects of food safety, HSE and COSHH
• The Head Chef will also be required to implement and maintain food monitoring procedures to facilitate budgetary control and to monitor all costs involved in the kitchen against agreed budgets.

Who you are:

• Excellent and Innovative culinary and presentation skills
• Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills
• Energetic with a passion to do a great job
• Able to manage staff in a calm, inspirational manner
• A forward-thinker who can prevent wastage
• Demonstrates a passion for food
• Team Player
• Excellent organisation skills
• Numerate and computer literate with an understanding of financial drivers
• A clear understanding of profit margins, purchasing policy, budgeting and food costing, including control

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Chartwells is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Chartwells has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Chartwells serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK. Chartwells is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children's Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/2611/48981001/52694313/R/SU

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive?because diversity is our strength!