Chef Manager

Holroyd Howe; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Holroyd Howe seeks a passionate Head Chef to lead culinary operations at Kent College. Managing the full catering operation, this role is ideal for a creative leader dedicated to delivering high-quality meals in a vibrant educational setting. Join a team that values sustainability, nutrition, and innovation in culinary excellence.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Balanced work schedule

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef/Manager or similar role in educational settings.
• Excellent knowledge of food safety standards.
• Flexibility to adapt to a busy kitchen schedule.

Responsibilities

• Oversee kitchen management, menu planning, and staff training.
• Deliver nutritious meals tailored to diverse dietary needs.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.

Skills

Leadership

Creativity

Organizational skills

Education

Culinary qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 3)

Job description

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Title:Head Chef
Location: Kent, UK
Salary: £45,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Schedule: 5 over 7

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary reflecting your experience
• A balanced work schedule with 5 over 7 days
• Opportunity to lead culinary operations at the prestigious Kent College, Senior School
• Located on the outskirts of the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury, Kent College is proud of its 130 years of history and tradition

We are looking for a passionate and dynamic Chef Manager to lead the catering provision at a prestigious independent senior school in Kent. This is an exciting opportunity for a creative culinary professional with strong leadership skills and a drive to deliver outstanding food and service.

In this role, you’ll oversee the full catering operation — from daily service for students and staff to special events and a vibrant boarding community, ensuring meals are nutritious, engaging, and freshly prepared using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

You will manage and motivate a dedicated kitchen team, promoting excellence, innovation, and sustainability at every level. This is a chance to shape a high-quality food offer in a school that values tradition, community, and culinary excellence.

At Holroyd Howe, we’re proud to be one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, specialising in independent schools. We place people and food at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to creating supportive environments where teams can thrive.

If you’re an experienced chef with a flair for creativity and the confidence to lead a team, we’d love to hear from you.

Company Description

Title:Head Chef
Location: Kent, UK
Salary: £45,000 per annum (dependent on experience)
Schedule: 5 over 7

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary reflecting your experience
• A balanced work schedule with 5 over 7 days
• Opportunity to lead culinary operations at the prestigious Kent College, Senior School
• Located on the outskirts of the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury, Kent College is proud of its 130 years of history and tradition

We are looking for a passionate and dynamic Chef Manager to lead the catering provision at a prestigious independent senior school in Kent. This is an exciting opportunity for a creative culinary professional with strong leadership skills and a drive to deliver outstanding food and service.

In this role, you’ll oversee the full catering operation — from daily service for students and staff to special events and a vibrant boarding community, ensuring meals are nutritious, engaging, and freshly prepared using seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

You will manage and motivate a dedicated kitchen team, promoting excellence, innovation, and sustainability at every level. This is a chance to shape a high-quality food offer in a school that values tradition, community, and culinary excellence.

At Holroyd Howe, we’re proud to be one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, specialising in independent schools. We place people and food at the heart of everything we do, and we’re committed to creating supportive environments where teams can thrive.

If you’re an experienced chef with a flair for creativity and the confidence to lead a team, we’d love to hear from you.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee all aspects of kitchen management, from menu planning to food preparation and staff training.
• Deliver high-quality, nutritious, and creative meals tailored to students' diverse dietary needs.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations while maintaining an organized and efficient kitchen.
• Collaborate with school leadership to create bespoke hospitality offerings for events.
• Inspire and lead a dedicated team to achieve excellence in every service.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef/Manager or in a similar senior role, ideally in a high-volume or educational setting.
• Culinary qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 3) and excellent knowledge of food safety standards.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills to manage a team effectively.
• Creativity and passion for delivering high-quality, nutritious meals.
• Flexibility to adapt to the needs of a busy kitchen, including occasional evening or weekend work.

This is your chance to combine your culinary expertise with a meaningful role in a supportive community. Ready to inspire the next generation? Apply today!

Additional Information

Holroyd Howe is one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

We pride ourselves on:

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

Nutrition

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

Food Innovation

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

“Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe are regarded as regulated activity, it is an offence to apply for a role in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children, therefore we will require an Enhanced DBS which includes a Barred List check for all successful applicants. We will also require shortlisted applicants to provide appropriate information regarding any criminal offences and shortlisted applicants will be subject to an online search of public available information on suitability to work with children.“

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.

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