Head Chef - Lead with Passion, Cook with Purpose!
Location: Chetham's school of Music, Long Millgate, Manchester, M3 1SB
Salary: £40000 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week
Working Pattern: 5 out of 7 days [6.30am - 2.30pm or/and 11am - 7pm (FLEXIBLE)]
Every 3rd weekend off, No late finishes
Free onsite Parking
Staff workplace meals provided, Flexible working arrangements with Potential progression within Sodexo
Exceptional Sodexo benefits with Great discounts & Recognition and Potential progression within Sodexo
Are you ready to take the lead in a fast-paced kitchen where high-quality food delivery meets large-scale event catering?
As Head Chef with Sodexo, you will oversee a dynamic, high-volume catering operation at Chethams School of Music, preparing and delivering meals for up to 400 people across multiple service areas. This role goes beyond day-to-day cooking, youll play a key part in coordinating large-scale service, supporting events, and ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality at every sitting.
Your leadership will be central to maintaining smooth operations in a busy environment, inspiring your team to perform at their best while delivering exceptional food and service standards.
Best of all? Enjoy a great work-life balance with all bank holidays and public holidays off, including Christmas.
Join Sodexo and be part of something greater. You belong in a team where you can act with purpose and thrive in your own way.
What Youll Do:
Our ethos is Fresh Food from Scratch so it is imperative to prepare and present food to the notified standard, ensuring the standard of fresh food from Scratch is followed.
Oversee and coordinate all core culinary activities across catering locations to ensure consistency and quality.
Manage and control service delivery to meet specified performance, quality, and financial targets while maintaining high standards.
Ensure value for money through effective supply chain management and purchasing practices.
Build and nurture long-term client relationships to foster stability and growth.
Recruit, induct and develop talented employees within the kitchen and, if necessary, firmly and fairly manage poor performance.
Identify opportunities for organic growth and new business development within the catering operation.
Ensure compliance with food hygiene, health, safety, and environmental legislation using Sodexos safety systems.
Drive continuous improvement and innovation to meet the expectations of school and catering management.
Provide strategic and technical support, offering professional advice to clients, colleagues, and the team.
Plan, cost, and implement menus using the DRIVe planning tool, ensuring variety, seasonality, innovation, and financial robustness.
Champion the Fresh Food Standards ensuring Chethams is the unrivalled site for schools to see and shows off the very best to prospect accounts and visitors alike
Be an active (site based) member of the Chef Development team for Independents by Sodexo by contributing dishes and recipes, attending meetings, assisting with projects
Engage with key client groups - Walk the Floor during service periods and engage and interact with clients, colleagues, and any visitors. Attend pupil food committee meetings each half term
Represent Sodexo at industry events.
What You Bring:
Essential:
Experienced Chef who has operated in a busy high volume contract catering, client facing environment
Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to be an effective team player
Flexible, with the ability to work under pressure and across a range of shifts and service times
Direct management experience of chefs / kitchen brigade
Clear, strong and effective leadership style
Strong ability to increase individuals effectiveness through leadership, motivation, communication, coaching and training
Excellent time management and organisational skills
Ability to set and maintain standards
NVQ level 2 Food Production certificate or equivalent
Intermediate Food Hygiene certificate
Strong level of literacy and numeracy
Desirable
Ability to review problems analytically, develop opportunities and implement innovative solutions / approaches
PC literate
Advanced Food Safety or Health and Safety qualification
What We Offer:
A dynamic and supportive work environment
Competitive salary and benefits
Full training and protective uniform provided
No unsociable hours
and public holidays offincluding Christmas!
Unlimited access to mental health and wellbeing support
Employee Assistance Programme for legal, financial, and personal support
Discounts, cashback schemes, and financial benefits
Career progression, learning opportunities, and apprenticeships
Cycle to Work Scheme and volunteering opportunities
At Sodexo, we believe everyone deserves a place to belong. This isnt just a jobits a chance to be part of something bigger. If youre ready to lead with passion and cook with purpose, we want to hear from you!
Apply today and help us create a brighter future!
Note:
Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding children. All roles require pre-employment screening, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and past employer checks.
Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications.
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