Chef Manager - Chippenham

Compass Group UK; Chippenham; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Compass Group UK in Chippenham (Siemens Eurest site) is seeking an experienced Chef Manager to lead a busy catering operation. You will combine culinary expertise with people leadership, client management and strong commercial awareness to drive a high-performing site.

You will oversee the full operation, motivate your team, manage costs and build excellent client relationships while delivering outstanding service and quality food.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Chef Manager, Head Chef or Senior Chef within a busy catering environment.
• Strong operational experience and the ability to take ownership of a complete operation.
• Passion for fresh food, seasonal ingredients and high-quality service.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire and develop a team.
• Confident communication style to engage clients, customers and colleagues.
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability and commercial awareness.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full catering operation, from food and kitchen delivery through to finance and front of house.
• Lead, develop and motivate the team to deliver their best.
• Manage food costs, margins, waste and labour with a strong commercial focus.
• Build strong relationships with clients and guests and exceed expectations.
• Drive high standards of food quality, presentation and customer service.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, health & safety and company standards.
• Maintain consistency across the kitchen and catering operation.
• Take ownership of day-to-day contract operations and seek improvements.

Skills

Chef Manager experience

People leadership

Food cost management

Client relationship

Food quality & presentation

Job description

Chef Manager - Chippenham

£33,500 per annum | 37.5 hours per week | Monday–Friday

Are you an experienced Chef Manager or Head Chef looking for your next opportunity?

Do you have a passion for fresh, quality food, great service and developing a team? We’re looking for a confident and commercially minded Chef Manager to lead the catering operation at our Eurest site at Siemens in Chippenham.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take ownership of a busy catering operation, combining your culinary expertise with strong people leadership, client management and commercial awareness.

What you’ll be doing

• Oversee the full catering operation, from food and kitchen delivery through to finance and front of house.
• Lead, develop and motivate your team, creating a positive environment where everyone can deliver their best.
• Manage food costs, margins, waste and labour with strong commercial focus.
• Build excellent relationships with clients and guests, understanding their needs and delivering a service that exceeds expectations.
• Drive high standards of food quality, presentation and customer service across the operation.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, health & safety and company standards.
• Maintain consistency across the kitchen and wider catering operation.
• Take ownership of the day-to-day running of the contract, identifying opportunities to improve both the customer experience and commercial performance.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for someone who can combine strong culinary skills with confident operational and people leadership.

You’ll ideally have:

• Proven experience as a Chef Manager, Head Chef or Senior Chef within a busy catering environment.
• Strong operational experience and the ability to take ownership of a complete catering operation.
• A genuine passion for fresh food, seasonal ingredients and high-quality service.
• Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, develop and motivate a team.
• A confident and engaging communication style, allowing you to build strong relationships with clients, customers and colleagues.
• A strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Good commercial awareness, with an understanding of P&L, food costs, labour, margins and business KPIs.
• Strong people-management skills and the ability to lead by example.
• A proactive approach, with the confidence to identify opportunities and make improvements.

The opportunity

This is a great role for a Chef Manager who wants to make their mark on a catering operation while working Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week.

You’ll have the opportunity to lead a talented team, build strong client relationships and bring your own ideas and culinary creativity to the operation.

A trade test will be required as part of the recruitment process.