Chef Manager

Gather + Gather; Haydock; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development

Life assurance

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Healthcare support app

Eye care

Wellbeing strategy

Family support

Social events

Holiday purchase

Volunteering days

Professional subscriptions

Recognition schemes

Long service awards

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Gather + Gather in Haydock is hiring a Chef Manager to lead a high‑volume workplace catering operation serving around 400 covers daily. You will manage a 10‑strong team, control menus, food costs and service quality in a fast‑paced environment.

The role emphasizes hands‑on leadership, strong people management and delivering tasty, practical menus while maintaining safety and profitability. The position is on‑site in Booker, Haydock.

Qualifications

• Experience in high-volume catering managing a large team.
• Strong understanding of food costs, budgets and profitability.
• Hands-on, organised leader with a fast-paced operation.
• Able to balance great food with strong finances and people management.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building with clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a team of 10, creating a positive, hands-on working environment.
• Oversee a busy catering operation serving approximately 400 covers per day, ensuring consistently high standards of food and service.
• Manage the day-to-day kitchen operation, including food preparation, service delivery, stock control and ordering.
• Plan and develop menus that are appealing, practical and suited to a high-volume workplace catering environment.
• Take ownership of the financial performance of the operation, including food costs, budgets, wastage and overall profitability.
• Manage rotas and staffing levels effectively to ensure the operation runs smoothly during busy service periods.
• Maintain excellent standards of food safety, hygiene, health & safety and compliance.
• Build strong relationships with the client and customers, responding to feedback and continually improving the food offer.
• Coach, develop and support the team, leading from the front and creating an engaged and motivated workforce.

Skills

Team leadership

Budgeting

Food costs

High-volume catering

Staff management

Job description

Great food in the workplace isn’t simply about fuel.It’s about increasing productivity and improving performance; it’s about happy, motivated people and inspiring environments. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – we live to bring food and people together.

We are brave, bold and curious adventurers in food and drink. Never shy of being different, always challenging the conventional.

Our passionate team of chefs, baristas, servers, nutritionists and much more, love nothing more than creating memorable moments that enrich the everyday.

Come and join our award-winning teams – we are currently recruiting for a Chef Manager to join our team.

Location: Booker, Haydock, WA119WD

Salary: £40,126 per annum

Shift Pattern: Predominantly Monday-Friday with occasional weekends

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate a team of 10, creating a positive, hands‑on working environment.
• Oversee a busy catering operation serving approximately 400 covers per day, ensuring consistently high standards of food and service.
• Manage the day‑to‑day kitchen operation, including food preparation, service delivery, stock control and ordering.
• Plan and develop menus that are appealing, practical and suited to a high‑volume workplace catering environment.
• Take ownership of the financial performance of the operation, including food costs, budgets, wastage and overall profitability.
• Manage rotas and staffing levels effectively to ensure the operation runs smoothly during busy service periods.
• Maintain excellent standards of food safety, hygiene, health & safety and compliance.
• Build strong relationships with the client and customers, responding to feedback and continually improving the food offer.
• Coach, develop and support the team, leading from the front and creating an engaged and motivated workforce.

Ideal Candidate

• Must have experience within high‑volume catering, ideally within a busy blue‑collar or similar workplace environment.
• A strong people person who enjoys leading, motivating and developing a team.
• Commercially and financially strong, with a good understanding of food costs, budgets, labour and profitability.
• Hands‑on, organised and comfortable managing a fast‑paced operation serving around 400 covers per day.
• A confident Chef Manager who can balance great food, strong finances and excellent people management.

What’s in it for you?

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Family friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Volunteering days
• Professional subscriptions
• Recognition schemes and people awards
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

About Us

As part of Compass you’ll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK’s biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2310/48255001/52703236/SU #Gather and Gather

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!