If you would like to apply for this position, please visit https://wells.cathedral.school/2026/07/20/head-chef-3/ where you are required to download an application pack and complete and submit an application form.
Job Title: Head Chef
Hours: 40 hours per week, all year round
with flexibility to accommodate evening/weekend event management
Salary: Band F point 33 to point 37 (£36,600 to £40,550) per annum
Responsible to: Head of Catering & Hospitality and theHead of Finance
Main Purpose of Job:
The post holder has responsibility for managing a smooth and efficient kitchen within the Catering & Hospitality Department, working effectively with the Catering & Hospitality staff to ensure the School’s reputation for food quality is maintained at all times and that there are sufficient and suitable resources to meet the needs of the School.
The post holder is accountable to the Head of Catering & Hospitality and ultimately the Head of Finance, and works with other key stakeholders according to events and functions.
Key Responsibilities:
General Management:
To manage and lead the Chefs and Porter kitchen team:
- To ensure all school and statutory regulations relating to health and safety, hygiene and fire are adhered to at all times;
- To ensure all Chefs meet the standard of personal and general cleanliness and hygiene to comply with School and statutory regulations. To ensure all Chefs wear the correct uniform and PPE as appropriate;
- To set objectives and be responsible for the day to day running of the kitchen, including supervising and maintaining a productive team;
- To develop the team by empowering them, supporting them, encouraging them and maintain an ‘open door policy’;
- To motivate and lead by example, ensuring you and your team enjoy their work and are proud of the team’s efforts;
- To hold daily kitchen team shift briefings to communicate the day’s events and any special requirements;
- To report any complaints and incidents to a member of the management team, in relation to accident, fire, theft, loss, damage, or other irregularities and take action is practicable;
- To work a shift pattern according to the needs of the functions and events.
Kitchen Management / Catering :
To ensure that food is prepared and served to the required standards:
- To ensure that pupils, visitors and staff are given a prompt and efficient service at all times;
- To ensure all food is cooked, presented and served in line with the School’s standards;
- To deal with complaints about food in accordance with the School’s procedures;
- To allocate tasks to team members and provide training, guidance and coaching to ensure staff are able to perform their duties to the required standard;
- To work collaboratively with the Head of Catering & Hospitality to ensure that all service areas are fully staffed and well presented, and that the environment is well maintained and attractively displayed;
- To prepare a fully costed nutritional three week menu plan covering breakfast, lunch and supper, incorporating current food trends relating to our School pupil body;
- To create and implement new new items for the menu and ensure menus are displayed showing choices;
- Find and use seasonal produce;
- Ensure compliance with dietary and religious requirements required for a diverse pool of pupils, both day and boarding;
- Provide guidance to catering staff on service and portion control, ensuring that all food is safe and served at an appropriate temperature:
- Produce menus and meals with a bias towards healthy eating, using fresh ingredients;
- To provide costed menus for Events and Functions to meet the clients’ budget and allergy requirements;
- To control and monitor food waste from preparation to production, with an emphasis on food waste reduction;
- To support the Head of Catering & Hospitality by being visible throughout key service periods and ensuring a staffing structure is applied to reflect the service.
Financial Control:
To agree and achieve realistic, financial targets, which incorporate improved unit efficiencies, resulting in increased profitability:
- To ensure that all standards of food preparation and service are established and achieved in line with the School budget;
- To consistently look at ways of ensuring best value through effective purchasing via suppliers and creative merchandising;
- To maintain budgetary records and ensure that appropriate controls are in place through Pelican systems;
- Assisting the Head of Catering & Hospitality in producing an annual quality budget to be followed by ongoing monitoring of departmental performance against the budget through production of monthly variance reports;
- To undertake stock checks on a termly basis and supply other information as requested, to the Head of Finance.
Health and Safety, Food Safety and Compliance:
- To ensure that the kitchen meets both statutory and the School’s requirements of Health and Safety, Food Safety and environment legislations and procedures;
- To conduct Food and Health Safety risk assessments;
- To ensure the Chef team are responsible for allergen management and compliance;
- To conduct monthly Food Safety and Health and Safety Audits and ensure that all standards and procedures with regard to Hygiene and Safety are established and maintained in line with the School policies;
- To ensure all kitchen staff are trained in their appropriate areas with regular refresher training carried out where necessary, including maintaining departmental training records;
- To ensure all equipment is well maintained and is in good working order, and also make recommendations of renewal and replacement of equipment when required;
- To maintain location, cleaning schedules and ensure duties are completed and recorded;
- To review and update, where necessary, statutory notices in relation to hygiene, health and safety.
Good practice:
- To consistently demonstrate the School’s commitment to provide a quality service and to develop initiatives that strive to improve performance through compliance with minimum standards in good housekeeping and being aware of new opportunities.
This Job Description outlines the duties for the time being of this post to indicate the level of responsibilities. It is not a comprehensive or exclusive list and duties may vary from time to time, which does not change the general character of the job or the level of responsibility.
Promoting Safeguarding and welfare of children and young persons
- Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people for whom you are responsible, and with whom you come into contact
- Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
- Be aware of support and ensure equal opportunities for all
- Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school
- Appreciate and support the role of other professionals
- Attend and participate in relevant meetings as required
- Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required
- Assist with pupil needs as appropriate during the school day
Pay: £36,600.00-£40,550.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
Work Location: In person
