Chef Manager

Impact Food Group; Cottenham; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Daytime hours

All school holidays off

Free meals on shift

Uniform provided

Ongoing training and development

Career progression opportunities

Staff discount scheme

Job summary

Impact Food Group is seeking a Chef Manager at Cottenham Village College to lead a high-volume kitchen serving hundreds of students with fresh, seasonal meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll manage your catering team, plan menus, control stock and budgets, ensure food hygiene and compliance, and maintain service quality from prep to finish while building strong relationships with onsite clients and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Experience in kitchen leadership, ideally in school or large-volume catering.
• Ability to cook fresh, seasonal meals at high volumes.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead catering team and drive high service standards.
• Plan menus, manage stock and budgets.
• Ensure food hygiene, safety and compliance.Build relationships with onsite clients and stakeholders.
• Oversee service from prep to finish.

Skills

High-volume catering

Team leadership

Staff development

Stock management

Food hygiene

Job description

Impact Food Group (IFG)is one of England’s fastest-growing school food providers,serving aroundone million students every dayacross more than1,500 schools.We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.

Our brands includeInnovate, Cucina, Chapter One (Independent Schools), Hutchison, and Dolce, reflecting our breadth of experience and reach across the school catering sector.

The role…

Job Title: ChefManager

School Location: Cottenham Village College, CB24

Working Days: Monday to Friday

Shifts & Working hours: 6.30am-4pm (45hours per week)

Working Weeks: 42weeks per year (term time, inset days and 3 additional weeks)

Pay Details: £32,500 Annum

What will I be doing?

As a Chef Manager, you’ll take full responsibility for running a high-volume kitchen, serving fresh, seasonal meals to hundreds of students every day. This is a hands-on, leadership role where you’ll manage your team, maintain high standards, and ensure smooth, efficient service.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading, motivating, and developing your catering team
• Preparing and serving fresh, seasonal meals at high volume
• Planning menus, managing stock, and controlling budgets
• Ensuring all food hygiene, safety, and compliance standards are met
• Building strong relationships with onsite clients and stakeholders
• Overseeing the smooth running of service, from prep to finish

We’re not in the business of making school food—we’re here to make great food, and that’s why our customers love us.

What are we looking for?

We’re looking for an experienced Chef Manager with a passion for high-volume catering and strong leadership skills.

• Previous experience managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or high-volume catering environments
• Proven ability to cook fresh, seasonal food at high volumes
• Strong people management and team leadership skills
• Experience managing kitchen operations, stock, and compliance
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• A proactive, hands-on approach and pride in maintaining high standards

If you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy leading teams to deliver great food, this could be the role for you.

What’s in it for you?

We offer a fantastic work-life balance:

• Daytime hours, no evenings or weekends
• All school holidays off
• Free meals on shift and uniform provided

Plus, you’ll benefit from:

• Ongoing training, development, and career progression opportunities
• Access to free qualifications
• Staff discount scheme across 850+ retailers
• Monthly team incentives with the chance to win shopping vouchers

This is your opportunity to lead a high-volume kitchen, develop your career, and make a real difference in students’ lives.

Next steps

If you think you’ve got what it takes, we’d love to hear from you!

Please note: An interview, trade test and kitchen visit will be required as part of the recruitment process.

IFG are committed to the safeguarding of children, and our employees share this commitment. Successful candidates are requiredtoundergo an enhancedDBS disclosure and children’s barred list check, which IFG will pay for.

We area committed equal opportunities employer - if you require any assistance for the interview process, please detail withinyourapplication. Allinformation is kept confidential and in compliance with GDPR requirements.