Head Chef

Middleton Hall Retirement Village; Darlington; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a passionate Head Chef to elevate culinary excellence and enrich lives at their retirement village. This pivotal role involves leading kitchen operations, creating nutritious meals, and enhancing the dining experience for residents and visitors. With a commitment to high standards and local ingredients, you will play a vital role in delivering exceptional service across various dining venues. Join a team dedicated to quality and innovation, and make a meaningful impact in a supportive environment that values culinary creativity.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in a similar culinary role.
• Strong focus on high standards of food quality and service.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations and manage catering across the village.
• Ensure high standards of food quality and innovate menu offerings.
• Control budgets and maintain compliance with food safety regulations.

Skills

Culinary Innovation

Food Quality Management

Budget Control

Staff Training

Food Safety Compliance

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Professional Catering

Level 4 Food Safety Certification

Job description

Join Our Team as Head Chef - Elevate Culinary Excellence and Enrich Lives

Are you a passionate and innovative culinary professional looking to make a meaningful impact?

We are seeking a dedicated Head Chef to lead our kitchen operations at Middleton Hall Retirement Village (MHRV). In this pivotal role, you will have the opportunity to elevate our dining experience by creating delicious and nutritious meals that enhance the lives of our residents and visitors. If you are committed to excellence and have a flair for creating memorable dining moments, we would love to hear from you! This role oversees all catering across our village, including care services, Orangery, Restaurant, and events.

The Opportunity:

• Permanent contract - 40 hours per week
• Sociable shifts (predominantly day & afternoon shifts across a 7-day rota – inc. weekends)
• Competitive salary, depending on experience

The Role: (Reporting directly to the Hospitality Director)

• Set & maintain exceptionally high standards of food quality in taste, presentation, and service, consistently exceeding the expectations of residents and visitors
• Provide innovation and new product ideas, promoting local ingredients and suppliers where practicable
• Maintain a working environment that complies with all legislative responsibilities
• Control and manage key financial lines and budgets
• Build and maintain close relationships with MHRV Managers and suppliers
• Assist in recruiting, inducting, training, and managing catering staff

To view the full job description, please visit our website.

Ideally, you will possess an NVQ Level 3 qualification in professional catering, along with substantial experience in a similar role. Level 4 Food Safety certification would be desirable.

About Our Catering Service:

We pride ourselves on serving homemade food using locally sourced ingredients, providing mouth-watering menus across all our care services.

We cater for residents, their families, visitors, friends, and Co-owners, supporting our Orangery, Restaurant, and other bespoke MHRV events and celebrations.

You will work closely with our Hospitality, Front of House, and Care Teams.

We hold a 5-star food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency.

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To apply, please visit our website to complete the application form or send your CV (including full employment history).

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our residents. We expect all Co-owners and volunteers to share this commitment, and an enhanced disclosure & barring service check (DBS) will be required.