Head Chef - Brand-New Luxury Elderly Care Home - Leighton Buzzard Leighton Buzzard | £44,000 per annum | 48 hours per week (5 x 10-hour shifts) Opening: July 2025 We are delighted to be opening a brand-new, purpose-built residential care home in Leighton Buzzard this July. As part of this exciting launch, we are recruiting a talented, compassionate, and highly experienced Head Chef to lead our kitchen and deliver a first-class dining experience tailored to the needs of our elderly residents. This is a rare opportunity to join a forward-thinking care provider and make your mark from day one-shaping the kitchen, menus, and culinary culture in a premium care setting. The Role: As Head Chef, you will be responsible for the full operation of the kitchen, overseeing the preparation of nutritious, flavoursome, and beautifully presented meals that enhance the health and wellbeing of our residents. Working closely with the Home Manager and care team, you will design menus that respect individual dietary needs and provide an enjoyable mealtime experience. You'll lead a small kitchen team, champion best practices in food hygiene, and ensure high standards in every dish served. Key Responsibilities: Design and deliver seasonal, balanced menus tailored to the nutritional needs of elderly residents Oversee all aspects of kitchen operations including staff management, food preparation, inventory control, and compliance Cater for diverse dietary requirements including texture-modified diets, diabetes, low-salt, vegetarian, and allergen-aware meals Ensure full compliance with food safety regulations (HACCP), environmental health standards, and company policies Maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming kitchen environment Essential Skills: Proven experience as a Head Chef, ideally within a care home, hospital, or contract catering setting Knowledge of specialist diets including IDDSI, dysphagia, and diabetic meal planning Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene certification (minimum) Apply Today- This is more than just a job - it's an opportunity to set the standard for culinary excellence in elderly care.