Head Chef

Chester Zoo; Chester; On-site; CAD 76,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent contract

Staff pass and guest tickets

Cycle to work scheme

Healthcare plan

Pension scheme

Job summary

Chester Zoo is seeking a Head Chef to lead our Food & Beverage team and deliver quality catering across the site. You will shape menus, drive new ideas, and manage a talented team to exceed customer expectations while maintaining margins.

The role focuses on concept development for venues and events, with responsibilities spanning procurement, training, and safety compliance. A senior leadership presence is essential.

Qualifications

• Significant chef experience at a senior level in quality food environments.
• Proven ability to develop new products aligned with market trends.
• Ability to communicate clearly at different levels and gain buy-in.

Responsibilities

• Source, select, develop and procure food products within ethical and sustainable guidelines.
• Collaborate with Executive Head Chef and Procurement Manager on new projects and training.
• Manage internal and external stakeholders to maximise value and KPI targets.
• Lead the chef team to achieve high performance and strong customer focus.
• Manage stock and yield to ensure margins and sales return.
• Build networks to track catering trends and stay industry-leading.
• Support day-to-day catering operations, including food safety and HACCP.

Skills

Senior Chef

Menu Development

Team Leadership

Budgeting

Education

Intermediate health and hygiene certificate

Job description

How would you like to create, cultivate and curate some of the best menus at any visitor attraction in the UK. We’re moving towards our next step in our transformation by using fresh picked ingredients, connecting our food to our mission and showing our conservation principles in the story we tell our visitors on their plates. This is a highly creative, but disciplined role. You will need to deliver consistency, compliance led as well as having the ability to spot talent and inspire them to be the best they can be.

We have an exciting vacancy for a Head Chef to join our Food & Beverage team reporting directly to the Executive Head Chef. As part of the Food & Beverage management team you will deliver quality catering across the business at all levels. Specifically delivering at concept stage of menu creation, primarily focusing on the award winning venues The Square and The Oakfield, as well as events across our whole site.

We’re passionate about the hospitality industry – and we expect you to be the same. As other business’ in the UK have struggled, we have thrived, and will continue to do so. It is important that you are a people person, understand the difference between leadership and management, and how to get the best results whilst getting the very best from your people.

The Role

• To source, select, develop and procure suitable food products ensuring all transactions fall within company ethical business and sustainable purchasing guidelines whilst exceeding the needs of the business and our visitors.
• To work with the Executive Head Chef and Procurement Manager, on new projects to ensure quality of products and offers across the department exceed customer expectations and departmental revenue and margin KPI’s are achieved. To deliver training of new offers and manage the new implementation process.
• To manage internal and external stakeholders, working closely with existing suppliers to ensure that best value is achieved for the organisation with the aim of meeting agreed departmental target KPIs.
• To support the Executive Head Chef in leading the Chef team to ensure optimal people performance, making customers a priority every day for you and your team.
• Manage stock efficiently to guarantee effective yield management of produce to ensure a comprehensive sales return, and successful delivery of margins.
• To build your network both internally and externally to maintain a good understanding of current catering trends, monitor market changes and competitor activity to ensure you are able to generate new ideas and ensure the Zoo are leaders within the industry.
• Responsible for supporting the management of the correct day to day operation of catering systems, including Food safety, HACCP, health and safety, stock management systems (FIFO).

The Package

You’ll be working a variety of shifts, across our core zoo opening hours as well as early mornings and evenings for events as required. Contract hours are 40 per week, worked 5 days out of 7.

• Permanent contract
• £40,430 per annum based on 40 hours per week
• 33 days annual leave
• Annual holiday buy/sell scheme
• Staff pass so you can visit the zoo during your time off plus multiple complimentary tickets for your friends and family
• Cycle to work scheme
• Healthcare cash plan and employee assistance programme
• Discounted gym membership
• Discounts on cinema tickets, restaurants, high street shops and more via Perks
• Pension scheme with generous employer contributions up to 9%
• Excellent training and development opportunities

Our Requirements

• Have significant Chef experience operating at a senior level within a quality food environment, menu development and a broad knowledge of global food trends.
• Have proven ability to develop new products in line with current market trends.
• Be able to clearly communicate at different levels and gain buy in.
• Have experience of training and developing teams in a multi-unit environment.
• Have a minimum intermediate health and hygiene certificate, advanced certificate would be preferable.
• Have good practical knowledge of budgeting, forecasting and setting targets.
• Have practical experience of managing chef teams and managing health and hygiene practices in a multi-unit environment.
• Have excellent communication skills at all levels.
• Have strong analytical and data analysis skills with specific F&B experience.
• Be a natural trader with the ability to spot a commercial opportunity.
• Have the ability to understand and work with colleagues whose priorities may differ from those in F&B.

What makes Chester Zoo a great place to work?

As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of over 600 permanent and up to 500 temporary team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term.