Head Chef

Compass Group UK; Andover; On-site; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Gather & Gather is seeking an experienced Head Chef to join the team at Charlton Athletic’s Training Ground. This role focuses on creating nutritious meals for players while managing kitchen operations, ensuring food quality, and promoting a positive dining culture. Candidates should have strong culinary skills and a passion for sports nutrition.

Benefits

Personal Development and Training opportunities

Life assurance scheme

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Private medical eligibility

Eye care

Employee Assistance Programme access

Family friendly support

Regular social events

Holiday purchase scheme

Volunteering days

Professional subscriptions

Recognition schemes

Long service awards

High street discount vouchers

Qualifications

• Strong culinary skills to craft appealing, nutritious dishes.
• Confident managing kitchen operations independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a proactive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Create balanced, performance-driven meals for individuals and teams.
• Collaborate with the Performance Nutritionist to meet dietary needs.
• Maintain cleanliness and food safety standards in the kitchen.

Skills

Culinary skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Education

Valid Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or higher)

Job description

At Gather & Gather, we are known as one of the UK & Irelands most distinctive workplace catering experts, we are passionate about great food and great coffee and putting our employees and customers at the heart of everything that we do. We are currently recruiting for a Head Chef.

Location: Charlton Athletic Football Club Training Ground (Sparrows Lane, New Eltham, London SE9)
Reports to: Head of Performance / Performance Nutritionist
Contract Type: Full-Time 40 Hour Per Week (Including Weekends and Match Days as Required)
Salary: £60,000 per annum

Role Overview

We’re looking for an experienced and motivated Head Chef - Player Performance to join the Gather & Gather team at Charlton Athletic’s Training Ground. In this role, you’ll be instrumental in crafting and serving nutritious, delicious meals that meet the specific dietary needs of players and staff—empowering them to perform at their best.

Working closely with the Performance Nutritionist and wider performance team, you’ll create innovative menus, manage daily kitchen operations, and maintain the highest standards of food quality, hygiene, and presentation. You’ll also bring Gather & Gather’s passion for food and community to every dish, helping build a welcoming and engaging dining culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and deliver balanced, performance-driven meals tailored to individual and team nutrition goals.
• Collaborate with the club’s Performance Nutritionist to ensure meals meet training, match day and recovery needs.
• Oversee daily training meals, pre-match and post-match meals and travel catering.
• Adapt menus to incorporate seasonal ingredients and evolving player needs.
• Uphold the highest standards of cleanliness, food safety and kitchen organisation in line with Gather & Gather practices.
• Foster positive, approachable relationships with players and staff, encouraging a culture of nutrition and wellbeing.
• Source fresh, sustainable ingredients, managing budgets responsibly to minimise waste.
• Support informal nutrition education, sharing your knowledge and passion for food.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Strong culinary skills with the ability to craft appealing, nutritious dishes.
• Enthusiastic about sports nutrition and keen to learn and grow.
• Confident managing kitchen operations independently and in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent interpersonal skills—friendly, approachable, and adaptable.
• Organised and proactive, with great time management.
• Valid Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 or higher).

Desirable:

• Experience working in elite sport or high-performance settings.
• Knowledge of specialist diets (e.g. plant-based, gluten-free) and cultural dietary requirements.
• Full, clean UK driving licence.

What's in it for you?

Working with Gather and Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• Private medical eligibility
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy - including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Family friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
• A holiday purchase scheme
• Volunteering days
• Professional subscriptions
• Recognition schemes and people awards
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers