Head Chef

Avalon Park Care Home; Lees; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PVG/DBS paid

Pension

Uniform provided

Annual leave (5.6 wks)

Alternate weekends

Career progression

Learning & development

Wagestream access

Meal during shifts

GP for dependants

Discounts

EAP 24/7

Life assurance

Job summary

Avalon Park Care Home in Oldham is seeking a Head Chef to take full ownership of the kitchen, delivering nutritious, enjoyable meals for residents. You will lead a team, plan menus, manage stock and budgets while ensuring food safety and dietary needs are met.

With 40 hours per week and a focus on quality, you will drive service standards, promote wellbeing through meals and provide ongoing development opportunities for your kitchen staff.

Qualifications

• 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

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage kitchen operations and team.
• Plan menus and prepare meals central to residents' daily life.
• Control stock, ordering and budgets, minimise waste.
• Ensure meals meet dietary needs and food safety standards.
• Maintain high standards of presentation and nutrition.

Skills

Leadership

Organisational skills

Dietary knowledge

Food safety

Education

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate

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

Job description

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.

• 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
  Avalon Park Care Home in Oldham provides residential and residential dementia care for older people. With 58 bedrooms, the home offers a welcoming environment focused on person centred care, wellbeing and independence. As part of the team, you will work alongside experienced colleagues in a supportive environment, helping residents enjoy meaningful daily lives while developing your skills and experience., Avalon Park is part of Care Concern Group, a family-owned, market‑leading care provider with a strong and growing presence across the UK. We are committed to delivering high-quality care and creating supportive, rewarding workplaces where our colleagues can grow, develop and thrive.
  £16.20 - £16.80 per hour
• Contracted to 40 hours per week
• Paid PVG/DBS, pension, uniform provided
• 5.6 weeks annual leave (based on a full time contract)
• Alternate weekends
• Hours 7am - 6pm
• 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.
• Paid Enhanced DBS
• Uniform provided
• Group life assurance cover
• Wagestream - financial wellbeing support and flexible access to earned pay
• A nutritious meal during shifts of eight hours or more
• GP Online for you and your dependants under 16
• Access to more than 1,600 high-street and online discounts
• Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme, available 24/7, 365 days a year
• Award-winning learning and development, with support to achieve recognised qualifications
• Clear opportunities for career development and progression
• Recognition initiatives and Long Service Awards