Head Chef

Sodexo; City Of London; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunities for professional develop

Plus Sodexo employee benefits package

Job summary

Sodexo is recruiting a Head Chef in London. You will own day-to-day kitchen operations, ensuring high food quality, presentation and service for a premium corporate dining environment. You will lead hands-on teams, develop seasonal menus and manage budgets to achieve profitability.

You will drive culinary excellence, maintain HACCP standards, and build strong client relationships while collaborating with the broader catering team to deliver outstanding dining experiences.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef.
• Hands-on contract catering experience in premium environments.
• Qualifications: Level 2 Professional Cookery and Level 3 Food Safety.
• Strong focus on fresh food, presentation and customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day kitchen operation, maintaining exceptional standards of food quality, presentation and service.
• Hands-on food preparation, cooking and service, setting the standard for the kitchen team.
• Develop innovative, seasonal menus for a premium corporate dining environment.
• Oversee menu planning, recipe development, portion control and menu costing.
• Manage kitchen budgets and financial performance including food and labour costs.
• Demonstrate P&L accountability and monitor performance against budget to improve profitability.
• Oversee purchasing, supplier relationships, ordering and stock control.
• Manage stock rotation, inventory, forecasting and waste minimisation.
• Lead and develop the kitchen brigade, promoting teamwork and continuous improvement.
• Control staffing levels, rosters and labour deployment in line with budget.
• Ensure compliance with food safety legislation, HACCP and allergen controls.
• Maintain high kitchen hygiene and equipment management.
• Build strong relationships with clients and onsite stakeholders.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Menu costing

Quality control

Staff development

P&L accountability

Education

Level 2 Professional Cookery

Level 3 Food Safety

Job description

• Full time


• Monday-Friday


• £49000 per annum


• Opportunities for professional development


• Plus our Sodexo employee benefits package

Head Chef

London, W2 6BD

At Sodexo, we're passionate about our people.We know that our teams are the key to delivering exceptional service and creating meaningful experiences for our clients, customers, and employees.

As a Head Chef, you will take ownership of the day-to-day kitchen operation, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation, service and customer experience.

You will be a visible, hands-on leader who leads by example, supports the team during service and creates an environment where culinary standards, innovation and professionalism are at the heart of everything you do.

Alongside your culinary responsibilities, you will play a key role in managing the commercial performance of the kitchen. From controlling food and labour costs to overseeing budgets, ordering, stock management and profitability, you will ensure the operation delivers exceptional quality while meeting its financial objectives.

Working closely with the wider catering and hospitality team, you will help create a premium corporate dining experience that reflects the client's expectations and Sodexo's commitment to service excellence.

Ready to make an impact in a premium corporate kitchen?

If you are passionate about food, confident leading a kitchen team and commercially aware, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities':

• Lead the day-to-day kitchen operation, maintaining exceptional standards of food quality, presentation and service.


• Take a hands-on approach to food preparation, cooking and service, setting the standard for the wider kitchen team.


• Develop innovative, seasonal menus that reflect the expectations of a premium corporate dining environment.


• Oversee menu planning, recipe development, portion control and menu costing.


• Manage kitchen budgets and take accountability for financial performance, including food costs, labour costs, gross profit and wastage.


• Demonstrate strong P&L accountability, monitoring performance against budget and identifying opportunities to improve profitability.


• Oversee purchasing, supplier relationships, ordering and stock control to ensure quality, value and availability.


• Manage stock rotation, inventory, forecasting and stocktakes to minimise waste and maintain cost control.


• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen brigade, promoting a culture of teamwork, accountability and continuous improvement.


• Manage staffing levels, kitchen rotas and labour deployment in line with operational requirements and budget.


• Ensure compliance with food safety legislation, HACCP procedures, allergen controls and company policies.


• Maintain excellent standards of kitchen hygiene, cleanliness and equipment management.


• Build positive working relationships with clients and onsite stakeholders, responding to feedback and continually improving the dining experience.


• Support corporate hospitality, executive dining, meetings, special events and premium evening functions as required.


• Work collaboratively with the wider catering and hospitality team to deliver seamless service and exceptional customer experiences.

What we're looking for:

We are interested in hearing from culinary professionals who have:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef, Executive Chef or an experienced Senior Sous Chef ready to take the next step.


• Hands-on contract catering experience, ideally within premium corporate catering, executive dining or high-end hospitality.


• Required qualifications: Level 2 Professional Cookery and Level 3 Food Safety.


• A passion for fresh food, culinary creativity, menu development and outstanding presentation.


• Experience managing kitchen budgets, food costs, labour costs and overall financial performance.


• P&L accountability or demonstrable responsibility for kitchen profitability and commercial results.


• Experience managing purchasing, supplier relationships, ordering and stock control.


• A strong understanding of cost control, gross profit, portion management and waste reduction.


• Proven leadership skills, with the ability to motivate, coach and develop a high-performing kitchen team.


• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to balance culinary delivery with operational and commercial responsibilities.


• A thorough understanding of food safety, HACCP and allergen management.


• Strong communication skills and a professional, client-focused approach.

Desirable Experience

It would be advantageous if you have:

• Experience in corporate contract catering or workplace hospitality.


• Experience delivering executive dining, fine dining or high-profile corporate hospitality.


• A relevant professional culinary qualification.


• Food Safety Level 3 or equivalent.


• Experience with menu engineering, financial forecasting and food cost analysis.


• A proven track record of improving profitability, reducing waste and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Why Sodexo?:

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it's a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong in a company and team that values you for you.

Act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support


• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life's larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing


• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service


• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular high street retailers (also open to friends and family)


• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan


• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools


• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit


• Sodexo UK and Irelands enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more about Sodexo:

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, SoTogether, Generations and Origins.

We're a Disability Confident Leader employer. We're committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

Ready to be part of something greater?

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications