Head chef in Work, Jobs in Reading, Eng (with Salaries)

Head Chef
Sodexo —Crowthorne
- £55,000 a year
- Weekend availability
- Hospitality
- Inventory control
- Computer literacy
- Free parking
- Employee assistance programme
Quick apply
7d
Head Chef - Live In Available
Stag and Huntsman Hambleden Ltd. —Henley on Thames
- Up to £50,000 a year
- Full-time
- Cooking
- In-person
- Leadership
- Employee discount
Quick apply
11d
Executive Chef Manager
Thomas Franks Ltd —Reading
- £60,000 a year
- Full-time
- Customer service
- English
- Cleaning
- Employee assistance programme
- Employee discount
Quick apply
Head Chef In Training
Cunning Man —Burghfield
- Up to £39,100 a year
- Full-time
- Inventory control
- Sales
- Team management
- Annual leave
- Employee discount
Quick apply
12d
Head Chef
Best Western Reading, Calcot —Reading
- £35,000 - £40,000 a year
- Full-time
- Cooking
- Hotel
- Team management
- Free parking
- Employee discount
Quick apply
7d
Head Chef
Goose + Berry —Maidenhead
- Up to £63,000 a year
- Weekend availability
- Management
- Travel
- Recruiting
Quick apply
4d
Area Chef Manager
impact Food Group —Reading
- £40,000 a year
- Weekend availability
- Organisational skills
- Budgeting
- Training & development
- Annual leave
- Employee discount
Quick apply
Head Chef
MUSICA —Bracknell
- £50,000 a year
- Full-time
- Inventory control
- Cooking
- In-person
- Annual leave
- Employee discount
Quick apply
7d
Head Chef (live in available)
The extraordinary hare —Wantage
- Part-time
- Culinary experience
- Cooking
- Team management
Quick apply
11d
Head Chef
Highclere Inns Limited —Newbury
- £50,000 a year
- Full-time
- Inventory control
- Culinary experience
- Cooking
Quick apply
HEAD CHEF / COMMIE CHEF (live in available)
The Crooked Billet, Hook —Hook
- £28,000 - £40,000 a year
- Full-time
- Employee discount
Quick apply
5h
Executive Head Chef - Stadia
Thomas Franks Ltd —High Wycombe
- Up to £55,000 a year
- Full-time
- Customer service
- English
- Cleaning
- Employee assistance programme
- Employee discount
Quick apply
Chef Trainer
The Opportunity Provider —Reading
- From £29,000 a year
- Full-time
- Hybrid work
- Maths
- Mentoring
- Organisational skills
- Employee assistance programme
- Life insurance
Quick apply
7d
Head Chef
The Peacock Country Inn —Chinnor
- Up to £50,000 a year
- Full-time
- Hospitality
- Supervising experience
- Organisational skills
- Free parking
- Employee discount
Quick apply
3d
Head Chef - Howbery Park Estates
HR Wallingford —Oxford
- £1,000 a day
- Full-time
- Hospitality
- Management
- Inventory control
Quick apply
Executive Head Chef
Cliveden House —Maidenhead
- Full-time
- Hotel
- Leadership
- Hotel experience
- Employee discount
Quick apply
10d
Head Chef
Inspired Villages —Reading
- Team management
- Mentoring
- Cleaning
- Annual leave
- Employee assistance programme
Head Chef
Searcys —High Wycombe
- £55,000 a year
- Full-time
- Management
- Communication skills
- School
- Annual leave
- Employee assistance programme
Quick apply
Head Chef
The Wellington Arms —Hook
- Up to £48,000 a year
- Full-time
- Management
- Employee discount
Quick apply
Head Chef/Kitchen Manager
The Waterside Woodley. —Reading
- £26,302 - £36,000 a year
- Full-time
- Management
- Recruiting
- In-person
- Employee discount
Quick apply
14d

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Head Chef

Sodexo -
Crowthorne

Quick apply

Job details

Full-time
£55,000 a year
7 days ago

Benefits

Free parking
Cycle to work scheme
Company pension
Employee assistance programme
On-site parking

Qualifications

Nutrition
Cost management
Level 2 in Professional Cookery
Hospitality
Stakeholder engagement
Catering management
Kitchen staff training and mentoring
Inventory control
Preventive maintenance
Food service team management
Stock ordering
Computer literacy
Stakeholder liaison
Food hygiene
Cooking
Sustainable sourcing
Catering
Cost control
Performance management
Food safety and hygiene regulations
Numeracy
Budget planning
Continuous improvement
Kitchen team management
Fine dining restaurant chef experience
Recruiting
Organisational skills
NVQ
Level 3 in Professional Cookery
Food Hygiene Certificate
Kitchen inventory control
Training & development
Chef experience
Kitchen stock ordering
Leadership
Financial acumen
Delegation
Team motivation leadership
Communication skills
Professional kitchen experience
Planned maintenance
Food service management
Rota coordination

Full job description

Job Introduction

Lead Culinary Excellence as Head Chef at Wellington College

Location: Wellington College, Duke's Ride, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 7PU
Days/Shift Pattern: 5 out of 7 days, including evenings and weekends as required
Total Hours Per Week: 40 Hours
Salary: £55,000 per annum + excellent benefits

At Sodexo, we believe in delivering exceptional dining experiences, fostering meaningful relationships, and empowering our teams to thrive. We are seeking a passionate and inspirational Head Chef to lead our Core Feeding operation at the prestigious Wellington College.

About the Opportunity

At Sodexo, we believe in delivering exceptional dining experiences, fostering meaningful relationships, and empowering our teams to thrive.

We are seeking a confident, resilient, and inspirational Head Chef to lead our flagship core feeding operation at Wellington College, one of the UK’s most prestigious independent schools.

This is a career-defining leadership role within a high-volume, high-profile environment, responsible for shaping the daily dining experience of students, teaching staff, and the wider College community.

Working closely with the Executive Head Chef, you will act as a key operational leader and “helping hand” across a busy and fast-evolving site—driving standards, innovation, and team performance.

About Wellington College

Set within approximately 400 acres of stunning Berkshire countryside, Wellington College is one of the UK’s leading independent schools, renowned for academic excellence, sporting achievement, and a rich co-curricular programme.

The College offers a unique environment where tradition meets modern excellence. From world-class sporting facilities to outstanding academic and creative provision, Wellington provides space to breathe, think, and perform at the highest level.

School life is vibrant and distinctive, with traditions such as chapel services and Combined Cadet Force (CCF) parades featuring drums and marching routines that reflect the rhythm and heritage of the College.

As Head Chef, you will be part of this exceptional community—helping to fuel academic performance, elite sport, and creative excellence across the entire school.

The Operation

This is a large-scale, high-performing catering operation delivering:

Approximately 600 breakfasts daily
Approximately 1,900 lunches daily
Approximately 800 evening meals daily

You will hold full responsibility for student and staff dining across the College, ensuring food is nutritious, innovative, beautifully presented, and delivered consistently at scale.

Nutrition is a critical part of performance at Wellington College. From elite athletes in rugby, cricket, and football, to students excelling in music, drama, and the arts, you will understand how dietary needs vary and ensure the food offer supports physical performance, focus, and wellbeing.

What You'll be Doing

You will lead a large and structured kitchen brigade with four Shift Leaders covering:

Pastry Production
Breakfast Service
Lunch Service
Evening Dining Operations
These teams are supported by approximately 15+ culinary staff, including Chef de Parties and kitchen assistants.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading, developing, and inspiring a high-performing kitchen brigade
- Driving operational excellence across all meal services
- Delegating responsibility effectively across Shift Leaders and the wider team
- Workforce planning, rota creation, and daily operational coordination
- Ordering, stock control, supplier management, and cost control
- Maintaining strong budgetary performance while delivering high-quality food at scale
- Ensuring planned maintenance, equipment standards, and kitchen readiness
- Leading recruitment, training, development, and performance management
- Embedding strong food safety, health & safety, and compliance standards
- Acting as a visible, approachable leader across dining halls and service areas
- Building strong relationships with students, Housemasters, teaching staff, and senior stakeholders
- Engaging daily in the dining environment to gather feedback and enhance the student experience
- Driving innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement across the operation

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a strong, confident, innovative and resilient culinary leader who thrives in high-volume, high-expectation environments, and who can bring genuine professional fine dining and prestigious hospitality experience into a large-scale operation.

The ideal candidate will have a background in high volume quality catering, alongside the ability to translate that standard of excellence into a large, fast-paced school setting.

You will bring:

Experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef in a large-scale catering environment
A strong fine dining or premium hospitality background, ideally within reputable, high-standard establishments
Strong leadership skills with the ability to challenge, influence, and inspire
A creative, innovative approach to food, presentation, and service standards
The confidence to challenge both peers and senior stakeholders, with strong people management skills where required
A supportive team member who drives collective success and continuous improvement
Proven ability to deliver consistent, high-quality food at scale
Strong financial acumen including budgeting, food cost control, and labour management
Experience managing rota systems, team structures, and operational delivery
Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail
A proactive, approachable leadership style with strong communication skills
Passion for delivering elevated, restaurant-quality dining experiences within a premium institutional setting
Strong IT, literacy, and numeracy skills

Qualifications

Essential:

NVQ or City & Guilds Professional Cookery Level 2 or 3 (or equivalent)
Level 3 Food Safety Certificate
Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificate
Intermediate Managing Safely qualification
Experience within independent schools or premium education catering environments
Background in luxury hospitality, multi-outlet or high-end, large contract catering operations
Passion for sustainability, ethical sourcing, and modern food culture
Experience contributing to culinary development, innovation projects, or menu-led transformation programmes

Why Join Sodexo at Wellington College

This is more than a Head Chef role—it is an opportunity to lead culinary excellence within one of the UK’s most prestigious independent schools.

You will benefit from:

Competitive salary and excellent benefits package
Career progression within Sodexo’s premium education portfolio
Industry-leading training and development opportunities
A flagship working environment with a high-performing team culture
The ability to directly impact the daily experience of over 2,000 students and staff
A supportive and forward-thinking organisation
Access to Crowthorne train station
Free onsite parking
Meals on duty

Additional Benefits

24/7 access to mental health and wellbeing support platform
Employee Assistance Programme (legal, financial, personal support)
24/7 virtual GP access
Sodexo Discounts Scheme for you and your family
Mercer Aspire Pension Plan
Learning and development opportunities
Bike to Work Scheme
Volunteering opportunities in local communities

Ready to Be Part of Something Greater?

If you're looking for an opportunity where you can bring your passion, skills, and ambition to a company that truly values you, then this is it. Apply today and take the next step in your Sodexo journey.

Friendly customers. Vibrant communities. Exciting careers.

Please note: Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications. No agencies please

Quick apply

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head chef in jobs in reading, eng

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