Catering Lead

Quinton House & Gardens; Stratford-upon-Avon; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£16.50 per hour

Job summary

Holmwood Care Group is seeking an experienced kitchen manager for Quinton House & Gardens, a CQC-registered care home near Stratford-upon-Avon. You will plan nutritious menus for older residents, lead a dedicated kitchen team, and ensure high standards of cooking, service and compliance.

You will oversee budgets, stock, and hygiene protocols, while collaborating with care staff to meet dietary needs and cultural preferences.

Qualifications

• Experience in a similar catering or cook role, ideally in a care or nursing home.
• Knowledge of textured and modified diets, and catering for people with additional needs.
• Budget experience, with confidence managing costs, stock control and minimising waste.
• Proven or emerging leadership skills - planning rotas and inducting new starters.
• Good written skills with clear, accurate records.
• Person-centred approach with compassion and commitment to quality care.
• Excellent communication and collaboration with residents, families and staff.

Responsibilities

• Plan menus reflecting nutritional guidance for older people and residents' preferences.
• Lead, motivate and manage the kitchen team, rotas and inductions.
• Oversee preparation, cooking and serving of meals to a high standard.
• Determine portions, ensuring genuine choice at every meal.
• Liaise with care staff for specialised diets and cultural needs.
• Maintain stock records, order within budget and check deliveries.
• Ensure HACCP and food hygiene; proper storage and temperature control.
• Oversee cleaning and hygiene in kitchen and dining areas.
• Manage catering budget with Home Manager and administrator.
• Ensure uniforms and training stay up to date; support inspections.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Stock control

HACCP

Food hygiene

Team management

Communication skills

Record keeping

Job description

Job Description

null

The role

• Plan menus in consultation with residents and the Home Manager, reflecting current nutritional guidance for older people, personal preferences and special diets.
• Lead, motivate and manage the kitchen team - staff rotas, induction, supervision, appraisals and day-to-day direction.
• Oversee and take part in preparing, cooking and serving all meals, snacks and refreshments to a high standard and in a timely manner.
• Determine quantities and portion sizes, taking into account residents' choices, and ensure genuine choice is available at every meal.
• Liaise with nursing and care staff so residents on special diets or with specific cultural needs are properly catered for.
• Maintain accurate stock records, order supplies within budget, and check deliveries for quality and quantity.
• Ensure HACCP processes, food hygiene, safe storage and temperature control are followed and accurately recorded.
• Oversee cleaning and hygiene standards across the kitchen and dining areas, in line with health and safety requirements.
• Manage the catering budget responsibly, working with the Home Manager and administrator to keep spend on track.
• Ensure appropriate uniform and food hygiene standards are maintained at all times, and that mandatory training stays up to date.
• Co-operate fully with statutory inspections and put any recommendations into practice.

What we are looking for

• Previous experience in a similar catering or cook role, ideally within a care or nursing home.
• Knowledge of textured and modified diets, and experience catering for people with additional support needs.
• Budgetary experience, with confidence managing costs, stock control and minimising waste.
• Proven or emerging leadership skills - comfortable planning rotas, inducting new starters and supporting a team's development.
• Good written skills, with the ability to keep clear, accurate records.
• A person-centred approach with genuine compassion and commitment to quality care. This is not a box to tick.
• Excellent communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with residents, families, care staff and external agencies.

Why join us

• A respected, family-run care group where integrity, compassion and teamwork are the working culture, not a poster in the corridor.
• A supportive Home Manager and central team, plus an established catering operation you can build on rather than start from scratch.
• Genuine opportunities for professional growth, training and development within Holmwood Care Group.
• Pay of £16.50 per hour, and recognition for your contribution.
• A rewarding role at the heart of home life, where good food genuinely makes a difference to people's days.

The home

Quinton House & Gardens is a CQC-registered residential and nursing home with specialist dementia units, set in stunning gardens in the beautiful surroundings of Lower Quinton, a short drive from Stratford-upon-Avon. It is a home with real character: large, light, well-established and genuinely part of village life.

We are more than just a care home - we are a family. Every member of the team plays a part in creating a warm, welcoming and homely environment for our residents.

You won't be doing it alone

This is a kitchen with a team already in it, not one you have to build from nothing.

An established kitchen team. You will lead a team who already know the home, the residents and their preferences, so you can focus on raising standards rather than starting from scratch.

A Home Manager and central team behind you. Menus, budgets, staffing and supplies are backed up by administrators, facilities and a central support team who can help when you need it.