Head Chef

Oakbank Care Home; Crieff; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PVG paid

Pension

Uniform provided

5.6 weeks annual leave

Job summary

Oakbank Care Home in Crieff is seeking a Head Chef to take full ownership of the kitchen, delivering nutritious, high-quality meals for residents while leading the team.

You will manage menus, stock, budgets and food safety, with a focus on dietary needs and staff development. Benefits include PVG paid, pension, uniform provided, and 5.6 weeks annual leave.

Qualifications

• Experience leading or managing a kitchen.
• City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent, or working towards
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Strong leadership and organisational skills
• Good understanding of dietary requirements and food safety
• A proactive, reliable and quality focused approach

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations including menu planning, food preparation, stock control and cost management.
• Ensure meals meet dietary needs and maintain high standards of nutrition and presentation.
• Manage budgets, ordering and waste minimisation while maintaining quality.
• Develop and lead a well-organised, motivated kitchen team.
• Drive consistent, high-quality meals that support residents' daily living.

Skills

Leadership

Organisational skills

Dietary requirements knowledge

Food safety knowledge

Proactive and reliable

Education

City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

Job description

Oakbank Care Home is a well established care home in Crieff, providing Residential, Nursing, Dementia, Palliative and Respite care for up to 70 residents. With a strong, supportive team and a focus on high standards of care, the home offers a positive working environment where staff feel valued and supported in their roles.

Head Chef Contract

• £17.06 per hour
• Contracted to 40 hours per week - Over 4 days
• Paid PVG, pension, uniform provided
• 5.6 weeks annual leave (based on a full time contract)

No late evenings or split shifts, offering a consistent working pattern and genuine work life balance, alongside ongoing training, development and clear opportunities for career progression within a well structured and supportive environment.

Role Overview

As Head Chef, you will take full ownership of the kitchen, leading from the front to deliver high quality, nutritious and enjoyable meals that are central to daily life. This is a role where your leadership and standards will shape the entire dining experience, creating meals that residents look forward to every day.

You will drive all aspects of kitchen operations, from menu planning and food preparation to stock control, compliance and team performance. Working with fresh ingredients, you will ensure meals are tailored to individual dietary needs while maintaining consistently high standards of presentation, nutrition and food safety.

With a strong focus on efficiency and cost control, you will manage stock, ordering and budgets effectively, minimising waste while ensuring quality is never compromised.

Leading and developing your team, you will build a well organised, motivated and high performing kitchen. This role offers a rare opportunity to combine strong leadership, quality food and a better work life balance.

What We Are Looking For

• City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent, or working towards
• Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Proven experience leading or managing a kitchen
• Strong leadership and organisational skills
• Good understanding of dietary requirements and food safety
• A proactive, reliable and quality focused approach

About us

Oakbank Care Home is part of Care Concern Group, a family owned, market leading care provider with a strong and growing presence across the United Kingdom. We are committed to delivering high quality care and developing supportive, rewarding workplaces where our teams can thrive.

Our five core values Trust|Respect|Passion|Kindness|Inclusivity are at the heart of everything we do, shaping the care we deliver and the environments we create. If you share these values and want to build or develop your career in care, we would love to hear from you.

Full-time