Chef Manager Monday-Friday

Compass Group UK; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal development

Life assurance

Pension

Holiday allowance

Wellbeing program

Healthcare app access

Family support

Holiday purchase

Social events

Volunteering days

Recognition awards

Long service awards

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Compass Group UK is seeking a Chef Manager for a role based in Darlington. You will lead the catering operation, delivering breakfast and lunch for around 50 covers daily, while managing a General Assistant and maintaining high standards of food safety and service.

The ideal candidate has proven Chef Manager experience in contract catering or workplace dining, with strong back-of-house skills and a hands-on, customer-focused approach.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Chef Manager in contract catering or workplace dining.
• Strong knowledge of back-of-house systems, including stock control, ordering, food safety and compliance.
• Proven ability to manage both the food offer and the commercial performance of a catering operation.
• Experience creating menus balancing traditional dishes with modern food trends.
• Strong organisational skills with ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Hands-on, customer-focused approach with a passion for delivering great food and service.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day catering operation in a busy B&I restaurant environment.
• Deliver a high-quality breakfast and lunch offer, serving approximately 50 covers per day.
• Manage and support the General Assistant, creating a positive and efficient working environment.
• Plan and deliver a food offer that combines traditional favourites with on-trend dishes to meet customer expectations.
• Take ownership of ordering, stock control, food costs and waste management to ensure budget targets are achieved.
• Ensure all food safety, health & safety, hygiene and company standards are consistently maintained.
• Build strong relationships with clients and customers, focusing on service excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee the smooth running of the kitchen and front-of-house service, ensuring a high-quality dining experience.

Skills

Kitchen management

People management

Food safety

Menu planning

Stock control

Budget awareness

Communication

Customer service

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 atArla Foods Settle Creamery.

Salary:£35,000 per annum

Working Pattern: Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

Location: Darlington, DL1 4FU

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day catering operation within a busy B&I restaurant environment.
• Deliver a high-quality breakfast and lunch offer, serving approximately 50 covers per day.
• Manage and support the General Assistant, creating a positive and efficient working environment.
• Plan and deliver a food offer that combines traditional favourites with on-trend dishes to meet customer expectations.
• Take ownership of ordering, stock control, food costs and waste management to ensure budget targets are achieved.
• Ensure all food safety, health & safety, hygiene and company standards are consistently maintained.
• Build strong relationships with clients and customers, focusing on service excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee the smooth running of the kitchen and front-of-house service, ensuring a high-quality dining experience.

Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience as a Chef Managerwithin contract catering, workplace dining, or a similar environment.
• Strong knowledge of back-of-house systems, including stock control, ordering, food safety and compliance.
• Proven ability to manage both the food offer and the commercial performance of a catering operation.
• Experience creating attractive menus that balance traditional dishes with modern food trends.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• A hands-on, customer-focused approach with a passion for delivering great food and service.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high standards.

What's in it for you?

Working with Gather &Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

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

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!