Cook Manager

Sodexo; Stoke-on-Trent; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mental health support

Employee Assistance

Wellbeing app

Discounts scheme

Salary Finance

Retirement plan

Death in service

Learning & development

Cycle to work

Volunteering

Flexible work

Competitive pay

Uniforms provided

Job summary

The Cook Manager at The Excel Academy in Stoke-on-Trent works under Sodexo to oversee all food and beverage operations, from menu development to managing staff and budgets. You will ensure high standards of hygiene and service while maintaining efficient, cost-aware kitchen practices in a school environment.

You'll mentor a kitchen team, schedule shifts, and ensure health and safety compliance, delivering consistent quality across meals for students and staff.

Qualifications

• Experience cooking for large numbers (100–1300 students).
• Experience supervising staff or line management.
• Knowledge of health and safety procedures and food hygiene requirements.
• Ability to work under pressure in a busy kitchen environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee replenishment and end-of-service dismantling.
• Develop, mentor, train, and inspire kitchen team.
• Control catering operation costs: labour, food, stock.
• Manage and optimise costs under your control.
• Ensure consistent food and service standards for staff and students.
• Develop and create menus.
• Conduct routine audits to ensure standards are followed.

Skills

Large-scale cooking

Staff supervision

Fresh produce handling

Health & safety

Work under pressure

Leadership & professionalism

Education

NVQ Level 2

Level 2 Food Safety Certificate

Job description

As Cook Manager for Sodexo at The Excel Academy, Milton Rd, Sneyd Green, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 6LG, you will oversee all aspects of the food and beverage operations as well as the finances for your school's kitchen. You will be responsible for ensuring that the food and level of service are of the highest calibre and that the school catering is among the best in the region. Your attitude will influence your team's daily lives as the person they go to for direction and support, which will in turn foster a vibrant and productive work environment. As well as this, you will not work unsociable hours and you will get public holidays off including Christmas!

Join Sodexo andbe part of something greater. You belong in a team where you can act with purpose and thrive in your own way.

What you do

• Manage the replenishment of food and the dismantling of work areas at the end of service.
• Develop, mentor, conduct training, and inspire the kitchen team.
• Control the complete catering operation, including labour, food, and stock expenses.
• Manage and optimise all costs that are under your control.
• Ensure uniformity in the food and service standards provided to fellow staff members, visitors and students.
• Manage the creation and development of menus.
• Conduct routine audits to ensure standards are being followed.

What you bring

• Must have expertise on cooking on a large scale, anywhere between 100 - 1300 students.
• Have experience following recipes, possibly in a similar setting.
• Have previous staff supervision experience or line management experience.
• Have experience working with fresh produce and ingredients.
• Be aware of the importance of adhering to health and safety procedures.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines in a busy Kitchen environment.
• Be professional, leading by example and having a positive outlook is key.
• Hold basic food handling skills certification:
  • NVQ Level 2
  • Level 2 Food safety Certificate
  • A minimum of 1 years of experience in hands on cooking,training on Food Hygiene, and Health & Safety will be given.

What we offer

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it's a chance to be part of something greater. You'll belong in a company and team that values you for you; you'll act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions; and you'll be able to thrive in your own way. In addition, we also offer a range of resources, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering mental health and wellbeing support.
• Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or larger problems where you may need additional support, including legal and financial advice, support with work related issues or personal issues such as bereavement.
• Access to a free health and wellbeing app that provides rewards for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and includes access to a 24hr virtual GP and various other services.
• The Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 (also open to friends and family) and/or the prepayment cashback card.
• Money Insights and financial benefits via the Salary Finance Platform.
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Sodexo Retirement Plan
• A death in Service benefit for colleagues who pass away whilst employed by Sodexo
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit.
• Volunteering Opportunities to enable all colleagues to help support worthwhile causes in our communities.
• Flexible and dynamic work environment
• Competitive compensation
• Full training and full protective uniform supplied.

Sodexo and our Clients are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Certain roles will require applicants to undergo screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (UK) and / or Disclosure Scotland (Scotland)

Package Description

£15 - £17.00 per hour

40 hours per week

Working pattern: Monday - Friday, 7.00AM TO 3.30PM

Term Time only (39week Working Contract paid over 52 weeks)

Equated pay (sometimes known as spread-over pay) is a method of paying you for your contracted hours, working weeks and holiday pay spread over 12 months instead of just receiving pay during the months that you work and none during the school closures/non-working weeks. This means that you get paid equal amounts of pay every month. Further information will be supplied at interview stage.

About The Company

About Sodexo

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100 million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, So Together, Generations and Origins.

We're a Disability Confident Leader employer. We're committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.