Head Chef

Chartwells Independent; Manchester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension

Career development programmes

Digital GP access

Travel discounts

Staff discounts on groceries

Up to 44% cinema discounts

Cash rewards

Wellness and mindfulness classes

Family-friendly discounts

Job summary

Restaurant Associates in the UK is seeking a Contract Catering Head Chef to lead a high-volume Manchester site, delivering exceptional food quality and innovative menus in a fast-paced environment.

This hands-on leadership role requires at least 2 years in a Head Chef position, strong team development skills, and a passion for healthy, contemporary dining. The role offers a generous salary and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Head Chef role (minimum 2 years’ experience).
• Background in B&I and corporate catering.
• Strong experience working in high-volume kitchen environments.
• Excellent leadership and team management skills.
• Passion for producing high-quality food and developing menus.
• Strong knowledge of healthy eating and contemporary food trends.

Responsibilities

• Leading a full production kitchen within a busy staff dining environment
• Managing hospitality and events, ensuring a high-quality service
• Delivering exceptional food standards at scale
• Supporting, developing, and motivating your kitchen team
• Getting involved across all areas of the kitchen operation when required
• Driving menu development with a focus on healthy, innovative dishes
• Maintaining consistency, efficiency, and excellent food standards

Skills

Leadership

Team management

High-volume kitchen

Menu development

Healthy eating trends

Job description

Contract Catering Head Chef – Manchester Site - Earn up to £50,000

Lead from the front as Head Chef, taking responsibility for a high-performing kitchen within a busy, fast-paced contract catering environment. This hands-on leadership role is ideal for an experienced chef who thrives on delivering exceptional food quality, developing creative menus, and maintaining outstanding operational standards.

You’ll inspire and support your team while creating fresh, healthy, and innovative menus that consistently exceed expectations in a high-volume setting.

What you’ll be doing as a Head Chef:

• Leading a full production kitchen within a busy staff dining environment
• Managing hospitality and events, ensuring a high-quality service
• Delivering exceptional food standards at scale
• Supporting, developing, and motivating your kitchen team
• Getting involved across all areas of the kitchen operation when required
• Driving menu development with a focus on healthy, innovative dishes
• Maintaining consistency, efficiency, and excellent food standards

What you need to succeed as a Head Chef:

• Proven experience in a Head Chef role (minimum 2 years’ experience)
• Background in B&I and corporate catering
• Strong experience working in high-volume kitchen environments
• Excellent leadership and team management skills
• Passion for producing high-quality food and developing menus
• Strong knowledge of healthy eating and contemporary food trends

We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Career development opportunities through our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Savings on your food shop with discounts at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards every time you spend, redeemable across a wide range of brands
• Free wellness, mindfulness, and exercise classes
• Discounts and offers that can be shared with friends and family

About Us

Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together. Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.

Job Reference: com/0605/98662001/52796788/R/SU #RA Group

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!