Head Chef

Leicestershire County Council; Loughborough; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Beaumanor Hall and Tithe Barn require an experienced Head Chef to lead catering operations, develop menus for weddings and events, and manage day-to-day kitchen activities. You will oversee a team of chefs, ensure compliance with food safety standards and drive customer satisfaction.

The role demands creativity, leadership and a strong focus on cost control, stock management and relationship building with suppliers to deliver high-quality civic and event catering services.

Qualifications

• Must hold Intermediate/Advanced Level Food Hygiene Certificate.
• City and Guild 706 1/2/3 or NVQ 3 HNC or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety procedures.
• Knowledge of current food trends and dietary requirements.
• Strong communication and staff motivation skills.
• Experience in Budget Management, Supervising Staff,Developing Staff rotas, Sourcing and purchasing supplies.
• Experience of working in commercial and similar environment. Capable of meeting targets under pressure.
• Providing high quality civic and event catering to planned menus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop catering operations at Beaumanor Hall and Tithe Barn.
• Manage a team of chefs and kitchen staff; ensure food safety and hygiene standards.
• Control costs, manage stock and suppliers; deliver a first-class customer experience.
• Develop innovative menus for weddings, events and educational catering.
• Inspire and develop the team to achieve excellence.

Skills

Food Hygiene Certificate

Health & Safety knowledge

Menu development

Budget management

Staff supervision & rotas

Sourcing & purchasing

Targeting under pressure

Civic & event catering

Education

City and Guild 706 1/2/3 or NVQ 3 / HNC or equivalent

Job description

Organisation: Leicestershire County Council

Work Location: Beaumanor Hall. LE12 8TX & Tithe Barn CV13 0AD

Salary: £32,070 - £34,359 per annum (pro rata for part-time) Pay award pending

Working Hours:18.5 Hours per week

Contract Type: Fixed term for 18 months

Closing Date: 25th Aug 2026

Interview Date(s): TBC

We are seeking to recruit an experienced and motivated Head Chef to lead and develop our catering operations at Beaumanor Hall and Tithe Barn. This is a pivotal role within the service, responsible for driving high standards of food quality, customer satisfaction, team performance and commercial success.

About the Role

The successful candidate will bring creativity, leadership and a passion for exceptional food, developing innovative menus for weddings, events, hospitality functions and educational catering whilst ensuring the efficient day-to-day management of kitchen operations. Managing a team of chefs and kitchen staff, the Head Chef will play a key role in maintaining excellent food safety and hygiene standards, controlling costs, managing stock and suppliers, and delivering a first-class customer experience.

This is an excellent opportunity for a talented culinary professional looking to make a significant impact within a thriving hospitality and events environment while developing and inspiring a dedicated team to achieve excellence.

About You

To apply for this post, you must

• Intermediate/Advanced Level Food Hygiene Certificate
• City and Guild 706 1 / 2 / 3 or NVQ 3 HNC or equivalent experience
• Good working knowledge of Health and Safety Procedure
• Good working knowledge of current food trends and special dietary requirements
• Strong communication and staff motivation skills.
• Proven experience in Budget Management, Supervising Staff ,Developing Staff rotas , Sourcing and purchasing supplies.
• Experience of working in commercial and similar environment. Capable of meeting targets under pressure
• Providing high quality civic and event catering to planned menus

In addition, we also expect you to shareour commitment to our valuesandto delivering accessible and inclusive services which meet the needs of all of our residents. You will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of these commitments as part of the selection process.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability.We are a Disability Confident Employer.

Interested in Flexible Working?

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which may include part time working, job sharing, term-time working, flexible start and finish times, and hybrid working, depending on the requirements of the role and the service. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.

For more information or an informal discussion,please contact:

Nathan Brown - Hospitality & Leisure Manager

Telephone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]