Chef Manager

NHS; Ashford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Catering Manager to lead high-quality patient and retail catering services. The role involves managing preparation and serving of nutritious food, ensuring compliance with food safety legislation, and overseeing a team. The ideal candidate will have significant supervisory experience in catering, relevant food safety qualifications, and effective communication skills. A full-time position offering competitive salary and NHS benefits is available.

Benefits

Excellent pension scheme

On-site nurseries

On-site staff cafes

On-site parking

Support in career development

Salary sacrifice schemes

Qualifications

• Significant experience of supervising Catering staff.
• Manage a small budget of consumables or cleaning materials.
• Health safety (risk assessment, SSW, COSHH, HACCP).
• Extensive experience as a Senior Chef.

Responsibilities

• Manage patient catering and retail services.
• Ensure production of high-quality food.
• Implement Food Safety and Health and Safety legislation.
• Lead and train the catering team.

Skills

Effective communication skills

Customer Service Focus

Ability to work full time

Education

Food & Safety Hygiene Level 3

Educated to A Level or equivalent

Job description

Job Summary

To lead the delivery of a high quality patient/retail catering services. To manage the Ashford retail and patient catering teams. To assist planning, procure, produce and serve high quality, freshly made, nutritious and well-presented food and refreshments to meet the needs of our patients, staff and visitors in a safe and well‑managed environment.

The role is part of a rota providing food services from 7am – 7pm, 365 days per year. Flexibility is essential as cover may be required at short notice.

Main Duties

Responsible for day‑to‑day management of patient catering and retail services, to lead & motivate, train and work alongside the team to provide a quality service. Responsible for production of high‑quality food and drink that meets the Trust’s staff well‑being objectives.

Lead the delivery of high quality retail catering services and patient catering. Manage the production and development of all retail food items menu and costings.

Assist planning, procurement, production and service of high quality, freshly made, nutritious and well‑presented food and refreshments to meet the needs of our patients, staff and visitors in a safe, well‑managed environment.

Implement Food Safety and all Health and Safety legislation as laid out in the Trust Health and Safety Manual (COSHH, Safety Systems of Work, Risk Assessments, Procedures in the selection, use and recovery of cleaning chemicals and manual handling).

Oversee patient catering & retail payroll and address payroll queries including reviewing leave and sickness records to keep staff records up to date.

Support the supervisor with the team reporting for duty in good time, clean, tidy and wearing the correct maintained uniform as supplied by the Trust. Maintain a high standard of personal grooming throughout your shift, leading by example.

Lead the training of all special diets and allergens, support the housekeeping ward servicing staff with portion controls, food hygiene levels, food safety HACCP refreshing as and when needed.

About Us

Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North‑West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.

Our workforce includes over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites – Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey. We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

We are expanding our theatres at Ashford Hospital and are moving towards this becoming our dedicated elective centre. We want to create a state‑of‑the‑art centre for excellence for planned surgical procedures.

We can offer the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:

• Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
• On‑site nurseries
• On‑site staff cafes
• On‑site parking
• Support in career development
• Salary sacrifice schemes including wage stream, lease cars, cycle to work schemes and home electronics

Adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

For more information about a career at ASPH please visit www.asph-careers.org

Details

Date posted: 11 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for Change

Band: Band 5

Salary: £32,602 to £39,686 a year, pa inc. HCAS

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full‑time

Reference number: 323-ES0614-SK

Job locations: Ashford Hospital, London Road, Ashford, TW15 3AA

Person Specification

Attitude, Behaviour and Value (Essential)

• Customer Service Focus
• Willing and Able to take personal responsibility
• Seeks out and takes opportunities for improving the service offered
• Able to work full time with variable shifts including long days, nights and weekends

Qualifications (Essential)

• Food & safety Hygiene Level 3
• Educated to A Level or equivalent

Desirable Qualifications

• Leadership Management Level 3

Experience (Essential)

• Significant experience of supervising Catering staff
• Manage a small budget of consumables or cleaning materials
• Health safety (risk assessment, SSW, COSHH, HACCP)
• Extensive experience as a Senior Chef

Desirable Experience

• Ability to use ESR

Skills (Essential)

• Effective communication skills to ensure high standards of care, treatment, service or support as appropriate to your role
• Patient facing roles – able to understand an individual's communication, physical & emotional needs; recognise their needs and preferences

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

Employer name: Ashford & St. Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Ashford Hospital, London Road, Ashford, TW15 3AA

Employer Website

https://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/