Cook - Ashwood - Ware

TN United Kingdom; Ware; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in elderly care is seeking a Head Chef to join their dynamic hospitality team. This role offers the unique opportunity to create delicious and nutritious menus while ensuring high standards of food safety and hygiene. You will lead a passionate team, inspiring them to deliver exceptional dining experiences for residents. With a focus on quality and person-centered care, this position allows for full autonomy in menu creation without the stress of split shifts. If you are a motivated chef with a genuine interest in enhancing the lives of others through food, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in catering with leadership and menu planning skills.
• Knowledge of food hygiene and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manage kitchen staff and ensure food quality meets standards.
• Create and implement nutritious menus in line with budgets.

Skills

Leadership Skills

Menu Planning

Food Hygiene

Communication Skills

Team Player

Education

Intermediate/Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate

Relevant experience in a catering environment

Tools

Kitchen Equipment

Job description

Runwood Homes is one of the UK’s largest residential elderly care providers recently placed in the top 20 care home groups in the UK. The Group operates 76 homes in England and Northern Ireland under three brands, Runwood Senior Living, Sanders Senior Living and Kathryn Homes (Northern Ireland only).

Runwood Homes Group invests heavily in internal, external, and e-training programmes for our staff at every level. As we move forward, our reputation for providing innovative care for people living with dementia continues to grow.

We are currently recruiting for a Head Chef to join our Hospitality team. Working as a Head Chef at Runwood Homes, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. You will have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome, and well-balanced menus, whilst liaising with residents to ensure they are involved in the menu creations. We are looking for warm, motivated, and passionate chefs who are driven by quality and high standards to deliver person-centered hospitality to our residents. At Runwood Homes, we work with an open, honest, supportive approach, where quality of care is at the heart of everything we do.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work within the agreed company budget.
• Ensure all kitchen staff are trained on dish specification and budget control.
• Manage the stock in the kitchen.
• Inspire and motivate the team to achieve food to specification and therefore ensure satisfaction of our residents.
• Lead by example, setting the pace and standards.
• Meet monthly with the management team to ensure dietary requirements for all residents are met.
• Train and develop the team to deliver food to specification and exceed residents’ expectations.
• Ensure all food is cooked to a safe temperature and is taste tested before serving.
• Ensure that the storage of food meets company and statutory health and safety requirements.
• Deliver the company kitchen standards as identified on the kitchen audit.
• Implement and ensure the company Health and Safety policy is met at all times – this includes the training of all kitchen staff.

Experience & Qualifications:

• Relevant experience in a catering environment.
• Intermediate/Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate.
• Advanced knowledge of handling and operation of equipment including knives.
• Good leadership skills.
• Experience in achieving food margins.
• To have full understanding of H.A.C.C.P, to ensure all staff adhere to H.A.C.C.P and all documentation is completed.
• Menu writing/planning/costing.
• Experience in systems compliance and delivering company standards.
• Team Player.
• Understanding of special dietary and nutritional requirements, and appropriate methods of ensuring that these are met.
• Genuine interest in working within a caring environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Satisfactory police check and check against the ISA list (where applicable).
• Basic Understanding of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Previous Experience of working with nutritional information would be desirable.