Catering Manager — Care Home Kitchen Lead (On-site)

Ad Talent Recruitment Ltd; Romford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Parkside Residential Home in Romford is seeking a hands-on Catering Manager to lead our Hospitality team and deliver freshly cooked, nutritious meals for residents. The role requires overseeing the seven-day catering service, planning menus to meet dietary needs, and maintaining high hygiene standards on-site.

You will manage the kitchen rota, supervise staff, handle orders, stock, and budgets, and provide cover as main cook twice weekly, including alternate weekends.

Qualifications

• Experience cooking for residents in a residential or nursing care home.
• Minimum two years' experience cooking for 30+ people in a professional kitchen.
• Catering or food-service management experience, including supervising or managing a kitchen team.
• A Catering Diploma, City & Guilds, BTEC or equivalent qualification, plus NVQ Level 3 in Practical Cookery.
• Level 2 or higher Food Hygiene Certificate with HACCP knowledge.
• Experience managing kitchen stock, suppliers and budgets.
• Good organisation and communication skills; comfortable with Microsoft Office and shared digital systems.

Responsibilities

• You'll oversee our seven-day catering service and take the lead in the kitchen as the main cook twice a week. You'll also provide cooking cover when other cooks are on annual leave.
• Lead and support the Hospitality team, manage the rota and train staff in safe kitchen practices.
• Plan varied seasonal menus that reflect residents' tastes, cultural preferences and dietary needs.
• Cook fresh, homemade meals and work with care colleagues to make sure residents receive meals suited to their individual needs, including allergies and intolerances.
• Manage food orders, stock, suppliers and the catering budget, and monitor food waste.
• Maintain our five-star food hygiene rating by keeping food safety records, temperature checks, cleaning schedules and labelling up to date.
• Carry out catering audits, prepare for CQC and Environmental Health inspections and arrange kitchen equipment maintenance when needed.
• Plan catering for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions.

Skills

Team leadership

Communication

Microsoft Office

Education

Catering Diploma/City & Guilds/BTEC or equivalent

NVQ Level 3 in Practical Cookery

Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate (HACCP)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Parkside Residential Home in Romford is seeking a hands-on Catering Manager to lead our Hospitality team and deliver freshly cooked, nutritious meals for residents. The role requires overseeing the seven-day catering service, planning menus to meet dietary needs, and maintaining high hygiene standards on-site.

You will manage the kitchen rota, supervise staff, handle orders, stock, and budgets, and provide cover as main cook twice weekly, including alternate weekends.