Head Chef – Cawdor Barracks
Salary: £33909 per annum
Full-time | 5 days out of 7 - Shifts between and 8pm
We’re recruiting a Head Chef for a new role at Cawdor Barracks, leading a catering operation serving up to 60 Service Personnel. This position is ideal for an experienced contract catering chef who enjoys being hands-on, developing their team, and managing a well-structured kitchen in a military environment.
You’ll take full responsibility for the kitchen operation, leading a team of six and ensuring high standards of food quality, safety, and service delivery.
What you’ll be doing
1. Preparing and delivering high-quality, nutritious meals for Service Personnel
2. Leading a hands-on kitchen operation, setting the standard from the front
3. Managing daily feeding activities in line with contract requirements
4. Line managing and developing a team of 6
5. Training, coaching, and supporting team members to build capability and confidence
6. Managing food ordering, stock control, audits, and minimising waste
7. Ensuring excellent food presentation, consistency, and service standards
8. Maintaining full compliance with Food Safety and Health & Safety regulations
9. Taking ownership of kitchen audits, paperwork, and compliance checks
What we’re looking for
10. Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Chef, ideally within contract catering
11. Experience managing and developing kitchen teams
12. Strong knowledge of stock management, ordering, and auditing processes
13. Confident trainer with experience developing others
14. Calm, organised, and comfortable working in a structured catering environment
15. Reliable, flexible, and able to adapt to changing business needs
16. Able to travel to site reliably
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:
17. Free meals
18. Free on-site gym
19. Onsite free car parking
20. Contributory pension scheme
21. Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
22. Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
23. Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, and many more
24. Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
25. Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
26. Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
27. Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
28. You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
About Us
Part of Compass Group UK&I, ESS is the Defence, Government, and Energy services sector of Compass Group UK & Ireland. We support 250+ UK military establishments, high profile police, secure environments and government sites, along with a range of onshore and offshore facilities including platforms, drilling rigs, floatels and offices for the energy sector. We know that a friendly face makes all the difference, so we look for people who are passionate about delivering excellent customer service, at all levels, to join our teams.
Job Reference: com/2703/94418001/52799603/SU #Defence
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!