Cook Manager

Impact Food Group; Coulsdon; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meal on shift

Provided uniform

Training and development opportunities

Career progression pathways

Staff discount scheme across 850+retai

Monthly team incentives

Job summary

Impact Food Group is seeking a Cook Manager to lead a friendly kitchen team delivering fresh, seasonal meals to students each day. This hands-on management role oversees the kitchen, supports the team, and ensures smooth service in a school setting.

Responsibilities include managing daily kitchen operations, planning menus, stock control, and maintaining high food hygiene standards, while liaising with onsite clients and stakeholders to deliver quality meals.

Qualifications

• Previous experience managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or high-volume catering environments.
• Skilled in preparing fresh, seasonal food.
• Strong people management and team leadership skills.
• Good organisational and communication skills.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with pride in maintaining high standards.
• Good understanding of food hygiene and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day running of the kitchen.
• Lead, motivate, and develop the catering team.
• Prepare and serve fresh, seasonal meals for the school.
• Plan menus, manage stock, and ensure hygiene and safety standards.
• Liaise with onsite clients and stakeholders.
• Ensure service runs smoothly and efficiently.

Skills

People management

Kitchen operations

Menu planning

Stock management

Food hygiene

Communication

Leadership

Team development

Education

NVQ/CQ Catering certificate

Job description

As a Cook Manager, you'll lead a friendly kitchen team to deliver fresh, seasonal meals to students each day. This is a hands-on management role, where you'll oversee the kitchen, support your team, and ensure smooth service. Your responsibilities will include:

• Managing the day-to-day running of the kitchen
• Leading, motivating, and developing your catering team
• Preparing and serving fresh, seasonal meals for the school
• Planning menus, managing stock, and ensuring compliance with food hygiene and safety standards
• Liaising directly with onsite clients and stakeholders
• Ensuring service runs smoothly and efficiently

We're looking for an experienced Cook/Chef Manager with strong leadership skills and a passion for food.

• Previous experience managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or high-volume catering environments
• Skilled in preparing fresh, seasonal food
• Strong people management and team leadership skills
• Good organisational and communication skills
• A proactive, hands-on approach with pride in maintaining high standards
• Good understanding of food hygiene and safety regulations

If you're enthusiastic about cooking and leading a team to deliver quality food, we want to hear from you.

Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England's fastest-growing school food providers, serving around one million students every day across more than 1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.

This role offers an excellent work-life balance:

• Daytime hours, no evenings or weekends
• All school holidays off
• Free meal on shift and provided uniform

Plus:

• Opportunities for training, development, and career progression
• Access to free qualifications
• Staff discount scheme across 850+ retailers
• Monthly team incentives, including chances to win shopping vouchers

You'll also have the chance to help children explore healthy eating and build positive food habits that last a lifetime.