Group Chef Manager - Liverpool

Lodestone House; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Lodestone House, part of Compass Group UK&I, is seeking an experienced Group Chef Manager to lead catering across a group of school sites and to ensure high-quality meals with outstanding food hygiene standards.

The role is mobile across locations, requiring transport and the ability to travel between sites. A salary of £34,000 per annum is on offer, with DBS checks and safeguarding commitments in line with employment in education.

Qualifications

• Previous Chef Manager/Head Chef experience in a busy catering environment.
• Passion for creating high-quality, tasty food.
• Strong leadership to motivate and develop teams.
• Excellent organisational and communication skills.
• Understand food costs, stock control and kitchen management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support catering teams across multiple school sites.
• Prepare and deliver high-quality meals for pupils and staff.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation and service.
• Develop kitchen teams and implement menu changes.
• Manage stock, ordering and food costs within budgets.
• Ensure kitchens operate efficiently and maintain food hygiene standards.
• Build strong relationships with school teams, clients and customers.
• Provide cover and support across sites during busy periods.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

Communication

Food safety

Budgeting

Stock control

Mobility

Education

City & Guilds 706/1 & 2

Food Hygiene qualification

NVQ or equivalent

Job description

Salary: £34,000 per annum

We’re looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Group Chef Manager to join our team and lead the delivery of exceptional food across a group of school sites.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a talented Chef Manager who is passionate about great food, has strong leadership skills and enjoys working in a varied role. You’ll support and lead catering teams across multiple schools, ensuring we consistently deliver delicious, high-quality food alongside excellent service and outstanding food safety standards.

As this is a mobile role covering a number of school locations, you must have access to your own transport and be able to travel between sites as required.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading and supporting catering teams across a group of school sites
• Preparing and delivering delicious, high-quality food for pupils and staff
• Ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service
• Managing and developing kitchen teams to get the best from your people
• Supporting menu planning and implementing menu changes
• Driving innovation and introducing new food ideas and concepts
• Managing stock, ordering and controlling food costs
• Ensuring kitchens operate efficiently and within agreed budgets
• Maintaining excellent standards of food hygiene, cleanliness and Health and Safety
• Ensuring compliance with all Food Handling and Food Hygiene requirements
• Building strong relationships with school teams, clients and customers
• Listening and responding to customer feedback to continually improve our service
• Supporting sites during busy periods and providing cover where required
• Maintaining a positive and professional brand image across all locations

Our Ideal Group Chef Manager Will

• Have previous experience as a Chef Manager, Head Chef or experienced Chef in a busy catering environment
• Be passionate about creating great-tasting, high-quality food
• Have strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support and develop teams
• Have excellent organisational and communication skills
• Understand food costs, stock control and effective kitchen management
• Have a strong understanding of Food Hygiene and Health and Safety requirements
• Hold a recognised catering qualification such as City & Guilds 706/1 & 2, NVQ or equivalent
• Hold a Food Hygiene qualification
• Be confident working independently across multiple locations
• Be flexible, reliable and able to adapt to the needs of different school sites
• Deliver excellent customer service and build positive relationships
• Have access to their own transport and be able to travel between school sites

Why join us?

This is an exciting opportunity to take on a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You’ll have the chance to use your culinary and leadership skills to support multiple teams while helping us deliver fantastic food experiences for pupils every day.

If you’re an experienced Chef Manager looking for your next challenge and enjoy leading teams, developing great food and making a difference across multiple locations.

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, Lodestone House is the leading provider of catering and support services to the education sector. For over a quarter of a century, Lodestone House has been focusing on helping those in education to build strong bodies, sharp minds and lead long healthy lives. Every week, Lodestone House serves millions of nutritious and delicious meals to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools, academies, independent schools, colleges, and universities across the UK.

Lodestone House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. Any offer of employment will be subject to successfully completing pre‑employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and a Children’s Barred List check. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and we ask applicants to declare all previous convictions and cautions in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

Job Reference: com/0611/47348001/52844979/SU #LodestoneHouse

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!