Area Cook Manager

Impact Food Group; Tipner; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meal on shift

Uniform provided

Training & development

Free qualifications

Staff discount scheme

Job summary

Impact Food Group manages school catering across the Portsmouth area, overseeing 4 local primary schools. The Area support Cook Manager role supports onsite Cook/Chef managers, trains staff, conducts audits and HR duties, covers sickness, and ensures smooth service.

You will lead a kitchen team to deliver fresh, seasonal meals daily. The role is hands‑on, requiring strong people management, planning, and compliance with food hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or high‑volume catering environments.
• Strong understanding of food safety and hygiene regulations.
• Ability to plan menus, manage stock, and liaise with onsite clients.

Responsibilities

• Manage day‑to‑day running of the kitchen.
• Lead, motivate and develop the catering team.
• Prepare and serve fresh, seasonal meals for students.
• Plan menus, manage stock, ensure food hygiene compliance.
• Liaise with onsite clients and stakeholders.
• Ensure service runs smoothly and efficiently.

Skills

Kitchen management

Team leadership

Menu planning

Stock control

Food safety

Food hygiene

Communication

People management

Education

Food hygiene certificate

Catering qualification

Job description

This is an area support role, overseeing 4 local primary schools in the Portsmouth area. You will support the onsite Cook / Chef managers, assist with training, audits, orders, HR and management duties. Covering any sickness and making sure all services run smoothly, As a Area support Cook Manager, you'll lead a friendly kitchen team to deliver fresh, seasonal meals to students each day. This is a hands‑on management role, where you'll oversee the kitchen, support your team, and ensure smooth service.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the day‑to‑day running of the kitchen
• Leading, motivating, and developing your catering team
• Preparing and serving fresh, seasonal meals for the school
• Planning menus, managing stock, and ensuring compliance with food hygiene and safety standards
• Liaising directly with onsite clients and stakeholders
• Ensuring service runs smoothly and efficiently
• Previous experience managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or high‑volume catering environments
• Skilled in preparing fresh, seasonal food
• Strong people management and team leadership skills
• Good organisational and communication skills
• A proactive, hands‑on approach with pride in maintaining high standards
• Good understanding of food hygiene and safety regulations

Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England's fastest‑growing school food providers, serving around one million students every day across more than 1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high‑quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.

This role offers an excellent work‑life balance:

• Daytime hours, no evenings or weekends
• All school holidays off
• Free meal on shift and provided uniform
• Plus:
• Opportunities for training, development, and career progression
• Access to free qualifications
• Staff discount scheme across 850+ retailers
• Monthly team incentives, including chances to win shopping vouchers

You’ll also have the chance to help children explore healthy eating and build positive food habits that last a lifetime.