Head Chef

Accent Catering Services Ltd; Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals on duty

Free parking on site

Pension scheme

Life insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Team events

Job summary

Accent Catering Services Ltd is seeking a Head Chef for our Kingston upon Thames site. The role is 40 hours per week, term-time only (36 weeks plus holidays), with a salary of £39,000 per annum. You will lead the kitchen, plan menus, and drive high standards across a large school catering operation.

You will develop themed days and large events, manage stock and budget, ensure food safety, and mentor a skilled team in a busy educational environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a kitchen and managing a team.
• Ability to develop themed days, pop-ups, and large events.
• Strong food safety knowledge and allergen management.
• Excellent culinary skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Oversee menu planning, food quality, and compliance.
• Control stock and manage kitchen costs and purchasing.
• Lead, train and develop the catering team.
• Deliver high standards in a busy school environment.

Skills

Kitchen management

Team leadership

Menu development

Food safety

Budget management

Customer service

Job description

Are you looking for a rewarding Head Chef role that offers career development, creativity, and a genuine work/life balance?

HEAD CHEF - KINGSTON UPON THAMES KT2

£39,000 per annum

40 hours per week Monday to Friday term-time only (36 working weeks plus holiday)

People are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re looking for a talented Head Chef with strong craft skills and a passion for leading and developing teams to join our fantastic independent school site in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.

This is an opportunity to make a real impact through food. We play an important role in students’ learning and wellbeing by providing nutritious, delicious meals that encourage healthier lifestyles and positive food experiences every day.

Reporting into the Chef Manager, you will be responsible for creating an outstanding food offer while overseeing menu planning, food quality, compliance, stock control, and team performance. We’re looking for someone with experience in delivering themed dining events, high-end hospitality, and large-scale functions who can also inspire a team, deliver high standards and bring creativity and energy to a busy school environment.

Our company has a passion for food quality and people development, so this is a great place for you to progress a career in the food industry while maintaining a genuine work-life balance. If you’re looking for an employer that values its people and will support your progression,

Benefits of working with Accent as a Head Chef

• Competitive salaries with yearly reviews
• Free meals on duty
• Free parking on site
• Multiple Discounts on our Accent Engage platform - shops, restaurants, gifts, leisure and more!
• HIT apprenticeships for all experience levels
• Team events, awards and competitions throughout the year - we like to reward our staff for a job well done!
• Pension scheme, life insurance and company sick pay
• Work life balance
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for mental health and financial support

As our ideal Head Chef you will:

• Have excellent craft skills and the ability to manage your own kitchen
• Have proven experience of managing, training and leading a team
• Have creativity in developing themed days and pop ups, as well as high-end hospitality and large events
• Have a proven track record of continually improving standards
• Have excellent customer service skills and the ability to build strong relationships
• Be passionate about food with excellent culinary skills and a great eye for detail
• Have financial and budget awareness, business acumen and proven experience in controlling food costs.
• Have a solid understanding of food safety, health & safety, and allergen management

Please note that a clean driving licence is required for this role, as you may be required to drive a company van to support match teas at the school sports ground

The ideal candidate will also have the flexibility to work overtime as required.

Who are Accent Catering?

Accent Catering Services Ltd are one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing innovative food service solutions to a variety of schools and businesses.

We are a talented team of professionals who create bespoke catering provisions tailored to each contract - no two are the same. As an independently owned company, you’ll never be just another number to us. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we take pride in recognising every individual’s contribution.

Accent Catering is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees to share this commitment. Please note that an enhanced DBS disclosure is required for this role.

Accent Catering has regularly been recognised in The Caterer’s prestigious awards as one of the best places to work in hospitality. Don’t miss your chance to become part of our award-winning team!

The Company treats personal data collected during the recruitment process in accordance with its data protection policy. Information about how your data is used and the basis for processing your data is provided in the Company's privacy notice which can be found on our website