We have an exciting opportunity to become our new Chef Manager at one of our workplace restaurants in Thames Ditton, KT7.
Do you love creating stunning restaurant food and are looking for work hours that give you a work-life balance like no other sector in the hospitality industry?
Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community. We work in office restaurants, independent schools and at conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.
This is a permanent position working 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 7am to 3:30pm. Some flexibilty may be required to cater for occasional events.
We are a fresh food-led operation, giving you full autonomy over menu creation to deliver a high-quality breakfast and lunch service using local, seasonal ingredients. Catering for around 100 staff daily, the offering includes hot mains, a daily salad bar, baked desserts, and hospitality catering.
We place a strong emphasis on customer interaction, so you’ll need to be personable, professional, and confident during service. You’ll also oversee two General Assistants, so strong leadership and organisational skills are essential to successfully manage this busy operation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Oversee the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, including the preparation and cooking of all food offerings
2. Cater to the needs and expectations of all customers
3. Lead, support, and motivate the team to ensure smooth daily operations
4. Deliver consistently high food standards in line with Wilson Vale brand standards
5. Create fresh, seasonal, and innovative dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world
6. Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and Health & Safety, including accurate record keeping
7. Manage allergen reporting and ensure clear signposting for customers
8. Take responsibility for budgeting, ordering, and stock control
9. Support the training and development of team members
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
10. LOVE food, and love working in a team.
11. Positive attitude
12. Have good customer service skills and strong communication skills.
13. Be able to work in a high-pressured environment.
14. Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
15. Local knowledge and experience working in the area
16. A passion for exceptional service is essential
17. Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
18. Innovation and creativity
19. A passion for training and development
20. Exceptional presentation skills
21. Articulate and very well organised
22. Proactive and reliable
OUR CULTURE:
23. Craft at our core – we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
24. It’s all about the food – the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
25. Quality, seasonal ingredients – 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
26. Freedom to create – our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
27. Support like no other – our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
28. Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethos and are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
29. We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.
WILSON VALE PERKS:
30. Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
31. Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
32. Craft Works – Free craft-focused career development training programme
33. Paid training bespoke to you
34. Access to our Employee Assistance Programme- your wellbeing is very important to us
35. Online employee benefits scheme - monetary savings on everyday items!
36. Your Birthday off every year after 1 years’ service.
37. Enhanced Maternity Pay