Job overview
We are looking for a Head chef to work predominantly based on our Sutton site in Surrey, primarily to lead on improvements and efficiencies in our friendly hard-working team. A passion for cooking tasty, fresh, healthy food is a must! The areas of work will include supporting the catering team by helping with service and preparing/serving/cooking items for our patients, staff, and visitors. Ensuring that our high standards are maintained and improved. Assisting in ensuring the smooth operation in all areas of catering services including wards, functions, and retail areas.
Safeguarding our HACCP processes and procedures and monitoring for consistent and continued effectiveness. It would be beneficial if you have worked in a hospital catering environment (or similar) previously (but this is not essential), have great customer care, you have good IT skills, are self-motivated, possess excellent organisational skills and have plenty of experience of working as part of a team, across two sites. It would be ideal if you have worked in a similar role, bringing experience, knowledge, and proven leadership.
Main duties of the job
To provide and maintain the highest level of catering service possible. Retain the safe production and monitoring of meals and catering services. Ensure that our high standards are maintained and improved. Safeguarding hygienic and safe working practices are carried out by all staff, and to monitor the standards set within the department on a day-to-day basis. Ensure that food for staff, patients, visitors and functions is of the highest possible standard on the NHS Wards, Private care areas, Crèche (Sutton Only) and all Retail areas commensurate with financial constraints.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• The Responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient catering service in the absence of management.
• Manage all operational aspects of the catering service in the kitchen on a day-to-day basis including the distribution of all foodstuffs produced and provided.
• Implement and review with the management all control systems for the service, using appropriate recognised techniques, to ensure that good practices prevail and exercises sufficient monitoring and controls to ensure that the HACCP plan and all others are adhered to.
• Ensure appropriate recruitment and selection of staff and the compilation of cost-effective staff rotas.
• Formulate and implements appropriate monitoring packages for the business of the service. Highlights any cost improvement, income generation and change of practice ideas. Maintain good security practices with reference to cash handling and stock controls.
Person specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
1. Knowledge of fresh food production
2. Ability to write/speak clearly
3. Evidence of intermediate IT skills and data entry accuracy
4. Ability to oversee and manage all operations, prioritising workloads and job tasks
Desirable criteria
5. Knowledge of fresh production
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
6. Ability to undertake a support role
7. Able to follow written instructions
8. Attention to detail & accuracy
9. Good communication skills and be able to use initiative
Specific Experience
Essential criteria
10. Recognised qualifications in Maths & English, good education.
11. Certified Knowledge of Advanced Food Safety
12. Certified Knowledge of HACCP (Level 3 or 4)
13. Certified Cookery Qualifications (L1, 2 & 3)
14. Good working knowledge of catering operations
15. Able to understand and follow Operating Procedures
16. Awareness and ability to follow food safety, hygiene, allergen awareness, risk management and H&S practices for handling or a willingness to undergo training in these areas
17. Good understanding of task prioritisation & demonstration of practice
18. Understanding of quality management & record of delivering good quality service
19. Knowledge of managing a team of catering staff
Desirable criteria
20. Dietary, Nutritional & Allergen Training
21. Understanding & knowledge of duties required to support senior staff
The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.
Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.
Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff
At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.
The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.