Section Chef

About the role

The University of Cambridge Catering Service is looking for a Section Chef based in the West Hub Canteen and Occidente Restaurant. The role delivers high-quality food for students, staff, visitors and guests, and supports conferences, receptions and events across the University estate. It is a hands-on leadership position supervising kitchen operations during assigned shifts, ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations, Food Safety legislation and the University's Food Safety Policy. The post-holder also procures consumable and non-consumable items within budget, trains new staff and contributes to sustainability initiatives. The contract is permanent, full-time, Monday to Friday, with a salary of £31,861-£36,320 per year plus a 2.5% supplement.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee food preparation, including cleaning, cutting, marinating, seasoning and cooking, to the standard set by the Head Chef, with full compliance with food hygiene and allergen regulations.
• Collaborate with the Head Chef and Catering Manager to develop menus and recipes, and help plan weekly café menus and seasonal hospitality offerings.
• Manage food costs through production planning, portion control and waste minimisation, and order consumable stock within budget.
• Match purchase orders with delivery notes and verify invoices before submission to the Catering Manager.
• Motivate and support kitchen staff, run team briefings, prepare weekly rosters, check timesheets and ensure overtime is pre-approved.
• Deliver induction and refresher training for food production staff.
• Maintain food safety and health and safety documentation, promote safe food handling, and report accidents, near misses and defective equipment.
• Support the movement of food and equipment between sites when required.

Required profile

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Hospitality Supervision and Leadership.
• Food Hygiene certificate at level 3 / intermediate level.
• Health and Safety qualification such as IOSH Managing Safety.
• Full UK driving licence (EU licence acceptable on appointment, must transfer to a UK licence before starting).
• Substantial experience in a similar environment or busy large-scale operations such as contract catering or hotels, and substantial experience of purchasing, recipe and menu planning, staff management and training.

Required skills

• Excellent cooking skills.
• Substantial knowledge of HACCP procedures and quality control and hygiene systems.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Word, Excel and Outlook.

What we offer

• Predominantly Monday to Friday working, with a competitive salary and benefits package including generous annual leave and pension provision.
• A diverse range of catering operations, from café service to University events, in a supportive team environment.
• Opportunities to develop skills and contribute to menu innovation.