First Team Performance Chef

Stadium MK Ltd; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is seeking a Performance Chef to lead the First team food provision from the on-site hotel kitchen. You will design performance and recovery meals in collaboration with the club's nutritionists and sports science staff, ensuring meals support training loads, match performance and recovery.

You will manage kitchen and front-of-house operations, engage with players during service and contribute to a strong food culture around the First team.

Qualifications

• Experience as a chef in a performance environment.
• Minimum of 2 years' experience.
• Working knowledge of performance nutrition, hydration and recovery.
• Experience tailoring meals for dietary needs and allergies.
• Strong scratch-cooking skills with international flavours.
• NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery or equivalent.
• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene required.
• COSHH understanding.
• Experience leading a team (front of house a plus).
• Excellent communication and ability to engage players and staff.
• Able to work under pressure and adapt to fixtures.
• Weekend/evening/bank holiday flexibility, and travel with team.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver performance and recovery-focused menus aligned to training cycles and match demands.
• Plan and produce training ground, pre-match, match day and travel food.
• Cook from raw ingredients for First team meals in the on-site hotel kitchen.
• Collaborate with the Performance Nutritionist to communicate nutritional breakdowns behind dishes.
• Tailor meals to individual dietary needs and allergies, with nutrition guidance.
• Lead and manage front of house and service standards for the First team food provision.
• Control stock, ordering, budgets, waste management and portion control.
• Ensure HACCP compliance and food safety practices.
• Travel with the First team for away fixtures when required.

Skills

Performance cooking

Team leadership

Scratch cooking

Food safety

Communication

English spoken

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery

Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene

Job description

Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, newly promoted to EFL League One, play at Stadium MK, a 30,500-capacity venue that sits at the heart of the wider Stadium MK Group. The Group's assets also include Arena MK, the Double Tree by Hilton Milton Keynes, a 304-bedroom hotel, and a 65,000-capacity music venue the National Bowl, making it one of the most diverse sport, leisure, and hospitality operations in the UK.

About the role

If you are a chef with experience cooking in a performance environment, this is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of a professional football club, directly supporting First team player preparation, performance and recovery through food.

As Performance Chef, you will lead the First team food provision for MK Dons FC, designing and cooking performance and recovery-focused meals alongside the club's Performance Nutritionist and sports science staff. Your food will support training loads, match performance and recovery, translating nutritional strategy into meals that are purposeful, performance-led and appealing to a diverse squad.

The role is based in the on-site hotel kitchen, where you will work with support from the hotel kitchen team to deliver the first-team food offering. You will also lead the front of house team, making sure service, presentation and the overall dining experience are of a consistently high standard.

You will engage with players and staff during meal service to make sure their needs are met, and you will help build a strong food culture around the First team.

Working hours are dictated by the football schedule, so the role will involve working weekends, evenings and bank holidays when required, including over the Christmas and New Year fixture period.

We're looking for someone credible, creative and passionate about performance nutrition – not just great food, but the right food.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deliver performance and recovery-focused menus aligned to training cycles, the fixture schedule and match demands
• Plan and produce training ground, pre-match, match day and travel food provision, including snacks and recovery options
• Cook from raw ingredients for First team breakfast, lunch and recovery meals in the on-site hotel kitchen
• Work closely with the Performance Nutritionist to communicate the nutritional breakdown and purpose behind dishes
• Tailor individual meals to player dietary needs, allergies and performance or recovery goals, in agreement with the Performance Nutritionist
• Make day-to-day decisions on menus, service and staffing for the First team food provision
• Lead First team food provision from the on-site hotel kitchen, working alongside and with support from the hotel kitchen staff
• Lead and manage the front of house team, setting standards for service, food displays and buffet layouts
• Create a welcoming dining environment and build a strong food culture around the first team
• Collaborate with the performance, medical and coaching staff to connect nutrition strategy with the kitchen
• Comply with allergen policy and make sure all food is prepared, stored and cooked in line with HACCP regulations, including daily HACCP checks
• Make sure all health and safety, food safety and company policies are met, and keep compliance training up to date
• Control stock, ordering and budgets for the First team food provision, including waste management, portion control and stock rotation
• Use seasonal produce where possible and minimise waste
• Support the training and development of kitchen and front-of-house staff, delegating tasks where appropriate
• Deliver occasional education sessions on cooking and nutrition to players
• Travel with the First team for away fixtures when required

Essential & Desirable Requirements

• EssentialRelevant experience as a chef in a performance environment
• Minimum of 2 years' experience
• Working knowledge of performance nutrition, hydration, fuelling and recovery, with the ability to translate guidance from the nutrition team into food that supports performance and recovery
• Experience delivering tailored meals for individual dietary needs and allergies
• Strong scratch-cooking skills with an understanding of a range of international flavours
• NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery or equivalent
• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene
• Good understanding of COSHH
• Experience leading a team, ideally including front of house staff
• Excellent communication skills with the confidence to engage players and staff
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to a changing fixture and training schedule
• Flexibility to work weekends, evenings and bank holidays as dictated by the football schedule, and to travel with the team
• Good level of spoken English
• DesirableNVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery or equivalent
• Experience working in professional sport