Head Chef – School Catering

About the role

We are partnering with a well‑established educational institution to find an experienced Head Chef to lead its catering operation. This full‑time, term‑time only position offers the chance to manage a busy kitchen serving around 500 students daily, while enjoying a balanced work schedule across 38 weeks of the academic year.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and support a team of five kitchen staff members.
• Plan, prepare and serve nutritious meals for approximately 500 students each day.
• Develop varied menus that meet allergen, dietary and Halal requirements.
• Maintain high standards of food hygiene, health and safety, and kitchen compliance.
• Ensure a consistently high‑quality dining experience for students and staff.

Required profile

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Senior Chef or Kitchen Manager.
• Background in large‑scale catering environments such as schools, hospitals or similar institutions is advantageous.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop a small team.
• Passion for delivering nutritious, high‑quality meals.

Required skills

• Allergen management
• Food safety compliance
• Menu planning

What we offer

• Term‑time only contract (38 weeks per year) providing genuine work‑life balance.
• Opportunity to make a daily impact on the health and wellbeing of hundreds of students.
• Supportive school environment with a focus on quality and nutrition.