Food Development Chef - Reigate

Chartwells Independent; Reigate and Banstead; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways

Digital GP

Travel discounts

Grocery discounts

Cinema discounts

Cash rewards

Wellness & mindfulness classes

Family discounts

Job summary

Lodestone House, part of Compass Group UK&I, is seeking a seasoned Food Development Chef to lead culinary operations across the Reigate Grammar School Group. You will set the culinary vision, drive innovation, and ensure outstanding dining experiences for pupils, staff and visitors across multiple sites.

The role requires senior leadership with a passion for fresh food, talent development, and delivering high-quality hospitality within the independent education sector.

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience as Group/Executive/Regional Chef.
• Experience across multiple sites in education, hospitality or contract catering.
• Strong commercial awareness with food cost control.
• Willingness to travel between Lodestone House locations.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational culinary leadership across the Lodestone House portfolio.
• Set culinary vision and drive innovation across sites.
• Ensure exceptional food quality, safety, and consistency.
• Lead and develop kitchen teams across multiple locations.
• Partner with school leadership and clients to deliver outstanding hospitality.

Skills

Culinary leadership

Menu development

Food safety knowledge

Budget management

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Social media management

Job description

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Free meals
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
• Working 5 days out of 7, and will include an element of evening and weekend work when required (hospitality, open mornings etc)

Job Title: FOOD DEVELOPMENT CHEF

Responsible to: Contract Director, Regional Manager

Location: Based at Reigate Grammar School, with local travel to Reigate St Marys, Micklefield, and Chinthurst School

Direct reports: Reigate Grammar Head Chef, and Chef Managers at Prep Schools

Food Development Chef – Lodestone House at The Reigate Grammar School Group

Lead Culinary Excellence at One of the UK's Leading Group of Independent Schools

Lodestone House is proud to provide exceptional catering services across the Reigate Grammar School Group, comprising of Reigate Grammar School, Reigate St Marys, Micklefield School, and Chinthurst School. Combining over 350 years of history with an innovative approach to education, The Reigate Grammar School group is renowned for its academic excellence, outstanding pastoral care and vibrant co-curricular programme.

We are seeking an exceptional Food Development Chef to lead our culinary operation, delivering an outstanding food experience for pupils, staff and visitors while setting the benchmark for independent school catering.

The Role

As Food Development Chef you will provide operational culinary leadership across the Lodestone House independent schools portfolio, with the Reigate Grammar Group as a flagship account. You will set the culinary vision, drive innovation, ensure exceptional food quality and consistency, and inspire high-performing kitchen teams across multiple sites.

Working closely with operational leaders, you'll champion fresh, seasonal food, develop future culinary talent and ensure every location delivers an outstanding dining experience that reflects Lodestone House's premium standards.

This is a senior leadership role requiring a commercially minded, hands‑on chef with a passion for excellence, people development and delivering exceptional hospitality within the independent education sector.

What You’ll Be Doing

Culinary Leadership

• Develop and deliver the culinary strategy across the Lodestone House portfolio.
• Lead, inspire and mentor Head Chefs, Chef managers and their teams.
• Create innovative, seasonal menus that reflect current food trends and client expectations.
• Drive consistency and excellence across all dining outlets and hospitality services.
• Lead from the front with a visible, hands‑on approach, supporting sites whenever required.

Food Quality & Standards

• Champion exceptional food quality, presentation and customer experience.
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, allergen legislation and company standards.
• Drive menu consistency through recipe management, purchasing compliance and production standards.
• Promote sustainability, responsible sourcing and waste reduction initiatives.
• Continuously review and improve the food offer across the business.

Commercial Performance

• Manage food cost performance, gross profit and budget delivery.
• Analyse operational performance to maximise participation and profitability.
• Support mobilisation of new contracts and retention of existing business.
• Contribute to business growth through menu development, food presentations and client engagement.

Team Development

• Build and develop a high‑performing culinary leadership team.
• Deliver coaching, mentoring and structured training programmes.
• Support succession planning and create clear development pathways.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and innovative food culture.

Client & Business Partnership

• Manage social media accounts in conjunction with the school.
• Build trusted relationships with school leadership teams and key stakeholders.
• Support hospitality events, client presentations and business development activities.
• Act as the culinary ambassador for Lodestone House.
• Ensure every site consistently delivers an exceptional hospitality experience.

About You

You’ll be an experienced senior culinary leader with:

• Proven experience as a Group Executive Chef, Executive Chef or Regional Executive Chef within education, hospitality or contract catering.
• A strong background leading multiple kitchen teams across several locations.
• Passion for fresh food, innovation and delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• An understanding of social media, and a willingness to manage social media accounts in conjunction with the school.
• Excellent commercial awareness and experience managing food costs and budgets.
• Outstanding leadership, coaching and people development skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise multiple projects.
• Experience driving culinary standards, innovation and continuous improvement.
• A flexible approach with the willingness to travel between Lodestone House locations as required.

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2509/98279001/52835822/SU #Lodestone House

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!