Executive Head Chef - Independent School

COREcruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40-week contract

Term-time working pattern

40 hours per week

Creative freedom with menus

Exciting hospitality and events

Opportunity to lead an established厨房

Job summary

COREcruitment Ltd is recruiting an Executive Head Chef for a premium South London school. You will lead a busy catering operation across multiple outlets, create fresh menus for students, and deliver high-profile events for guests.

The role requires hands-on leadership of a 10-chef kitchen, managing food costs and standards, and delivering both school meals and hospitality excellence during a 40-week term-time contract.

Qualifications

• Experienced Executive Head Chef or strong Head Chef.
• Experience from independent school or education catering preferred.
• Experience leading large kitchen teams.
• Strong menu development and cost control skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the catering operation across three outlets and 1,500 students.
• Manage, motivate and develop a team of 10 chefs.
• Create fresh, nutritious student menus and exciting hospitality menus.
• Oversee high-volume breakfast and lunch services and VIP events.
• Control food costs and maintain kitchen standards.
• Stay hands-on and lead from the front.

Skills

Leadership

Menu planning

Food quality

Budgeting

Education

Proven Head Chef experience in education catering

Job description

Salary: £45,000 + Annual Performance Bonus

Location: South London

Hours: 40 hours per week | 40 weeks per year | Term-time only

Love creating incredible food, leading talented chefs and having your school holidays off?

I'm recruiting an Executive Head Chef for an incredible school South London.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a chef who loves both fresh school food and high-end hospitality.

You’ll lead a busy catering operation, create exciting menus for the students and deliver special events for high-profile guests.

Salary & Benefits

• £45,000 salary + annual performance bonus.
• 40-week contract.
• Term-time working pattern.
• 40 hours per week.
• Creative freedom with menus.
• Exciting hospitality and events programme.
• Opportunity to lead an established kitchen team.

The Operation

• Premium independent school catering.
• Approximately 1,500 students.
• Three food outlets.
• Breakfast, lunch and daily student dining.
• Busy hospitality and private events.
• Kitchen brigade of 10 chefs.
• High-profile events and guest dining.

The Role

• Lead the catering operation across three outlets.
• Manage, motivate and develop a team of 10 chefs.
• Create fresh, nutritious and exciting student menus.
• Develop creative menus for hospitality and events.
• Oversee high-volume breakfast and lunch services.
• Deliver exceptional food for VIP and special events.
• Manage food costs, ordering and kitchen standards.
• Stay hand-on and lead from the front.

About You

• Experienced Executive Head Chef or strong Head Chef.
• Ideally from independent school or education catering.
• Confident managing multiple food outlets.
• Experience leading and developing large kitchen teams.
• Creative with menus and passionate about fresh food.
• Comfortable delivering both high-volume catering and fine dining.
• Organised, hand-on and commercially aware.

This is more than a traditional school catering role.

You’ll have the chance to create exciting food, lead a substantial kitchen team and deliver memorable events, all while enjoying the benefits of a term-time contract.