Head Chef

Aramark; Brockenhurst; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PerkBox discounts

Life assurance

Pension contributions

Generous holiday entitlement

Apprenticeship schemes

Job summary

Aramark at Brockenhurst College seeks a Head Chef to lead the delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals for students and staff, guiding menu development, food safety and budget management within an educational setting.

The role offers predominantly daytime hours, supportive teamwork, and clear opportunities to develop within Aramark UK’s catering operations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Head Chef or Senior Chef in education, contract catering, or high-volume environments.
• Ability to lead and develop a catering team.
• Knowledge of HACCP, allergen management, and food hygiene regulations.
• Experience managing food costs, stock, budgets, and waste reduction.
• Passion for nutritious, high-quality menus across dietary needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day kitchen operations to deliver high-quality, nutritious meals for students, staff and visitors.
• Plan, develop and implement seasonal menus that meet nutritional standards and budgets.
• Manage and develop the catering team, ensuring performance and compliance.
• Oversee ordering, stock control and supplier management to minimise waste and control costs.
• Ensure food safety, HACCP, allergen compliance and company policies are met.
• Monitor financial performance including food costs and labour budgets to meet targets.
• Maintain high standards of presentation, service and kitchen organisation.
• Engage with stakeholders to gather feedback and promote healthy eating initiatives.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Leadership

Food safety HACCP

Cost management

Menu development

Communication

Job description

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Are you a talented Head Chef looking for an opportunity to make a real impact? Join our team at Brockenhurst College, where you'll lead the delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals for students and staff while creating an exceptional dining experience. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced culinary professional to showcase their creativity, drive food quality standards, and lead a dedicated catering team within a rewarding education environment.

As Head Chef, you'll be responsible for overseeing all kitchen operations, from menu development and food preparation to budget management, food safety compliance, and team leadership. We're looking for someone with strong catering experience, excellent organisational skills, and a passion for delivering healthy, appealing meals that meet a wide range of dietary requirements. In return, you'll enjoy a supportive working environment, a great work-life balance with predominantly daytime hours, and the opportunity to positively influence the wellbeing and dining experience of the college community every day.

What's in it for you :

• Compeitive salary and benefits package- up to £39,000 dependant on experience
• You will have access to PerkBox - which includes 100's of discounts, including savings on your weekly supermarket shop and weekend treats!
• We also offer a company package including life assurance, pension contributions, generous holiday entitlement with the option to buy more, and many more perks.
• You will also be joining a great team, with fabulous career prospects and could lead to all sorts of opportunities – we LOVE to promote from within!
• As we are passionate about developing our people from within, great training is provided. We also offer apprenticeship schemes, so your learning journey can continue!

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the day-to-day kitchen operation, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality, nutritious meals for students, staff, and visitors
• Plan, develop, and implement seasonal menus that meet nutritional standards, dietary requirements, and budget expectations
• Manage, motivate, and develop the catering team, ensuring high levels of performance, engagement, and compliance
• Oversee food ordering, stock control, and supplier management to maintain availability while minimising waste and controlling costs
• Ensure full compliance with food safety, HACCP, allergen legislation, health & safety, and company policies
• Monitor financial performance, managing food costs, labour budgets, and expenditure to achieve agreed targets
• Maintain high standards of food presentation, service, cleanliness, and kitchen organisation at all times
• Engage with students, staff, and key stakeholders to gather feedback, promote healthy eating initiatives, and continuously enhance the catering experience.

Key Requirements:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Chef Manager or Senior Chef, ideally within education, contract catering, or high-volume hospitality environments
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to motivate, develop and support a successful catering team
• Sound knowledge offood safety, HACCP, allergen management, and food hygiene regulations, ensuring full compliance at all times
• Experience managing food costs, stock control, budgets, and reducing waste while maintaining high food quality standards
• Passion for creating nutritious, high-quality menus that cater to a variety of dietary, cultural, and allergen requirements
• Excellent organisational, communication, and time management skills, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

About Aramark

If you are applying for this role and you already work for Aramark, you must notify your line manager beforesubmittingyour application.

About Aramark UK

At Aramark UK, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone is valued and empowered to thrive. As a proud Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all abilities and are dedicated to supporting employees with disabilities throughout their career journey.
We ensure our recruitment process is accessible, and reasonable adjustments are available at every stage, from application to interview and employment. If yourequireany accommodations or have any questions, please reach out to our recruitment team – [e-mail]
Join us in fostering a workplace where everyone can achieve their full potential.