Chef Manager - Bristol

Compass Group UK; West of England; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

DBS check required

Job summary

Eurest, working at Royal Mail in Bristol, is seeking a hands-on Chef Manager to lead the catering operation and a small team. You will oversee day-to-day service, ensure high standards and manage kitchen activity during daytime hours.

The role emphasises strong leadership, frontline cooking and close client collaboration to deliver excellent customer experiences while maintaining operations in a contracted environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a catering operation or similar role.
• Hands-on kitchen leadership and food preparation involvement.
• Experience managing labour and food costs, stock, and budgets.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to build client relationships.
• Excellent communication and team development abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day catering operation and motivate the team to deliver great food and service.
• Support food preparation, cooking and service when needed.
• Manage labour costs, stock control, ordering and budgets to support financial performance.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation, hygiene and cleanliness.
• Complete audits, compliance checks and site paperwork.
• Build strong client relationships and ensure contract requirements are met.
• Lead, develop and support the team to create a positive work environment.
• Monitor feedback and look for ways to improve the catering offer.

Skills

Leadership

Team mgmt

Budget mgmt

Food safety

Customer service

Job description

Chef Manager

Location: Bristol
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:00am – 2:00pm
DBS Check: Required for this role

About the Role

Are you a passionate chef who loves creating great food, leading a team and delivering an excellent customer experience? Eurest is looking for a hands‑on Chef Manager to lead our catering operation at Royal Mail in Bristol.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced chef or catering professional who enjoys combining great food with strong operational management. You’ll take ownership of the day‑to‑day catering service, ensuring high standards, keeping the kitchen running smoothly and creating a welcoming experience for every customer.

With a Monday‑to‑Friday schedule and daytime hours, this role offers a great opportunity to put your culinary and leadership skills to work while maintaining a good work‑life balance.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and manage the day‑to‑day catering operation, motivating your team to deliver great food and service.

• Get hands‑on in the kitchen, supporting food preparation, cooking and service when needed.

• Manage labour costs, food costs, stock control, ordering and budgets to support strong financial performance.

• Maintain excellent standards of food quality, presentation, hygiene and cleanliness.

• Complete audits, compliance checks, reports and all required site paperwork.

• Build strong relationships with the client, ensuring expectations and contract requirements are consistently met.

• Lead, develop and support your team, creating a positive and productive working environment.

• Monitor customer feedback and look for opportunities to improve the catering offer and overall experience.

• Ensure full compliance with Food Safety, Health & Safety and allergen procedures.

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience as a Chef Manager, Catering Manager, Head Chef or in a similar leadership role.

• A strong culinary background and the confidence to support kitchen operations hands‑on.

• Experience managing budgets, food costs, stock and overall financial performance.

• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a team.

• Knowledge of contract catering, food safety and health and safety standards.

• Excellent organisational skills, with a proactive and commercially aware approach.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to build positive client relationships.

• Reliable transport or the ability to travel to the site consistently.

A DBS check will be required as part of the recruitment process

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re a talented chef and confident leader who enjoys taking ownership, developing people and delivering great food every day, we’d love to hear from you.

Join Eurest at Royal Mail in Bristol and bring your passion for food and people to the team!