Chef

Sodexo Ltd; Newtownards; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food service company is seeking a dedicated Chef in Newtownards to prepare and cook high-quality meals. Responsibilities include leading the kitchen team, ensuring food safety, and providing excellent service. Ideal candidates will have NVQ Level 2/3 in Catering and relevant experience. This position offers full-time hours, a competitive wage, and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

Unlimited access to an online wellbeing support platform

Employee Assistance Programme

24hr virtual GP Service

Sodexo Discounts Scheme

Pension Plan membership

Learning and development tools

Bike to Work Scheme

Enhanced benefits and leave policies

Qualifications

• 2–3 years' experience in a catering or kitchen environment is essential.
• Good understanding of food safety regulations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and cook high-quality meals following guidelines.
• Deliver excellent service in an open-kitchen environment.
• Lead and support the kitchen team.

Skills

Strong baking and general cooking skills

Strong communication skills

Reliability and professionalism

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Catering (or equivalent)

Supervisory Level 3 Food Safety and Health & Safety qualification

Tools

Stock management software

Job description

• Full time | Permanent
• 35 - 37.5 hours per week
• Monday - Friday
• £14.50 per hour
• Opportunities for career development
• Plus our Sodexo employee benefits package

Chef

Belfast Road, Newtownards, Co. Down - Full time - Permanent

A recipe for success; Serve incredible food, enjoy incredible perks.

At Sodexo, you'll belong in a team and thrive in service. We know that our talented chefs are the key to delivering exceptional service and tasteful experiences for our clients, customers, and employees.

Build a name with big‑brand businesses and corporate clients, delivering high‑quality nutritious meals for boardroom lunches, executive events, and daily workplace dining. This role calls for a chef who can blend maintaining excellent standards while working efficiently in a fast‑paced, trend‑setting, client‑focused environment.

What you'll do:

• Prepare and cook high‑quality breakfast, lunch, hospitality, and bakery items following menus, recipes, and portion guidelines
• Deliver excellent service in an open‑kitchen environment, engaging with customers professionally and politely
• Maintain full compliance with food safety, allergen, COSHH, HACCP, and health & safety regulations
• Lead, motivate, and support the kitchen team, supervising daily operations and managing the unit in the Business Manager’s absence
• Ensure all cleaning schedules, hygiene standards, and statutory procedures are consistently followed
• Manage stock control, ordering, deliveries, and storage, minimising waste and supporting sustainability targets
• Assist with menu planning, recipe development, and continuous improvement of food quality
• Carry out cash‑handling duties, including closing down tills and safe responsibility, ensuring accuracy and compliance

What you'll bring:

• NVQ Level 2/3 in Catering (or equivalent) and 2–3 years’ experience in a catering or kitchen environment (essential)
• Supervisory Level 3 Food Safety and Health & Safety qualification (desirable)
• Strong baking and general cooking skills with a genuine passion for food and quality service
• Experience supervising staff and maintaining high operational standards
• Excellent understanding of allergen control, HACCP, COSHH and safe food‑handling practices
• Good IT skills for stock management, temperature recording, and site documentation
• Strong communication skills with a customer‑focused approach
• Reliability, professionalism, and the ability to work calmly and effectively in a fast‑paced environment

Why Sodexo?

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong in a company and team that values you for you.

Act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life’s larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing
• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service
• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular big‑brand retailers
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools
• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit
• Sodexo UK and Ireland’s enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more about Sodexo:

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100 million consumers each day through our unique combination of On‑Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, SoTogether, Generations and Origins.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

Ready to be part of something greater?

Feed our customers and we’ll fuel your career.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications.