Head Chef

Chartwells Independent; Sefton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Career development

Healthcare

Travel discounts

Cinema tickets

Wellness classes

Job summary

Lodestone House in the United Kingdom is seeking a Head Chef for a prestigious independent school. You will lead a talented kitchen team, ensuring fresh, high-quality meals across multiple outlets with a hands-on leadership style.

You will uphold HACCP and COSHH compliance, manage food costs, and drive seasonal menus to deliver exceptional dining experiences, while maintaining excellent customer satisfaction in a term-time setting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operation of a busy and diverse kitchen.
• Plan, organise and direct the preparation and service of fresh, high-quality food.
• Inspire, coach and develop your kitchen team to achieve outstanding results.
• Hands-on food production while maintaining exceptional presentation and quality.
• Deliver catering services across multiple outlets within a complex environment.
• Drive sales and customer satisfaction through seasonal menus and promotions.
• Manage food purchasing, stock control and supplier relationships.
• Ensure full compliance with Food Safety, Health & Safety, HACCP and COSHH.
• Monitor food costs, labour and budgets to achieve strong financial performance.
• Reduce waste and drive continuous improvements across the kitchen.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Leadership

Budgeting

Food safety

Communication

Numerical skills

Waste reduction

Tools

HACCP

COSHH

Job description

Head Chef

Prestigious Independent School

Monday to Friday | Term Time Only | 41.4 Weeks Per Year

Why Join Us?

At Lodestone House, we’re proud to be one of the UK's leading providers of catering and support services to independent schools. We create exceptional dining experiences through fresh, innovative food, outstanding hospitality and a genuine passion for service.

We invest in our people, providing ongoing training, career development and opportunities to grow within our business. If you’re an experienced Head Chef looking for an exciting role with an excellent work-life balance, we’d love to hear from you.

Our Benefits

We believe in recognising and rewarding the dedication of our teams. Our benefits include:

• Monday to Friday working pattern
• Term time only (41.4 weeks per year)
• Contributory pension scheme
• Career development through our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access to a Digital GP for you and your immediate family, plus wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Supermarket discounts at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards every time you spend with participating retailers
• Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• Discounts and offers that can be shared with your friends and family

The Role

As Head Chef, you’ll lead a talented kitchen team within a prestigious independent school, delivering exceptional fresh food across a busy and varied catering operation.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll inspire your team, maintain the highest culinary standards and ensure every meal exceeds customer expectations.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading the day-to-day operation of a busy and diverse kitchen.
• Planning, organising and directing the preparation and service of fresh, nutritious, high-quality food.
• Inspiring, coaching and developing your kitchen team to achieve outstanding results.
• Taking a hands-on approach to food production while maintaining exceptional presentation and quality.
• Delivering a range of catering services across multiple outlets within a complex environment.
• Driving sales and customer satisfaction through seasonal menus, promotions and innovation.
• Managing food purchasing, stock control and supplier relationships to maximise value.
• Ensuring full compliance with Food Safety, Health & Safety, HACCP and COSHH legislation.
• Monitoring food costs, labour and budgets to achieve strong financial performance.
• Reducing waste and driving continuous improvements across the kitchen operation.

About You

We’re looking for someone who is passionate about food, thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys leading from the front.

You’ll have:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef within a high-volume catering environment.
• Outstanding culinary skills with a passion for fresh, seasonal food.
• Strong leadership experience with the ability to motivate, inspire and develop teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• A calm, organised and positive approach under pressure.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience of budgeting, food costing and gross profit management.
• Good IT and numerical skills.
• A proactive approach to reducing waste and improving efficiency.
• A thorough understanding of food safety legislation, HACCP, COSHH and health & safety requirements.
• A genuine commitment to delivering an exceptional dining experience every day.

If you’re ready to lead a passionate team, showcase your culinary creativity and enjoy a fantastic work-life balance in a prestigious independent school environment, we’d love to hear from you.

About Us

As part of Compass you’ll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK’s biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/2807/97508001/52816217/R/SU #Lodestone House

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!