Head Chef

Arena Racing Company; South Tyneside; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering organization in South Tyneside is seeking a Head Chef to oversee all back-of-house operations across multiple sites, ensuring high food quality and compliance with safety standards. Responsibilities include managing staff, budgeting, and training while maintaining effective communication with teams. The ideal candidate has proven experience in a fast-paced kitchen environment with strong leadership and organizational skills. Competitive salary and flexible work patterns offered.

Benefits

Flexible work pattern

Opportunity for training and development

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or senior Sous Chef in a high-quality operation.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, nutrition, and allergen compliance.
• Confident with purchasing systems and kitchen packages.

Responsibilities

• Manage all back-of-house catering operations across sites.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and health standards.
• Lead food preparation for race days and events.
• Supervise and train kitchen staff.

Skills

Leadership skills

Food safety knowledge

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Systematic approach

Education

Level 4 Food Management in food Safety

Level 3 HACCP

Allergens qualification

First Aid Certification

Tools

Catering system (Indicater)

IT tools for kitchen management

Job description

About the role:

This is a multi-site role that oversees all back-of-house catering operations across both Sunderland and Newcastle Greyhound Stadium, including kitchens, snack bars, and event catering. You will manage chefs, trainees, and porters (full-time, casual & agency), ensuring high food quality, cost control, and full compliance with hygiene, health & safety, and HACCP standards. You will lead food preparation for race days and non-race day events, maintain strong staff relations, and travel regularly between sites. A flexible work pattern is required to support race days (on-site or remote), EVH functions, and other events.

Responsibilities of a Head Chef (please see attached Job Description for further details)…

Budgeting & Purchasing: Collaborate with the Catering & Operations Manager and Head Office (Purchasing, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Environmental teams) to meet revenue, GP, and cost targets. Monitor spend, explain variances, and ensure purchases stay within agreed parameters and nominated supplier agreements.

Stock & System Management: Oversee and maintain the Indicater catering system, ensuring full use across finance reporting, stock control, menu planning, allergen tracking, and unit-level spend monitoring. Coordinate regular stock takes and ensure accurate reporting.

Food Safety & Compliance: Implement and monitor the Company Food Safety Management System, ensuring compliance with all EHO, HACCP, and legal standards across all units. Oversee documentation, temperature checks, pest control, and hygiene procedures. Lead training in food safety and ensure allergen information is current and correctly displayed.

Menu & Quality Control: Ensure all menu specs from Head Office are followed consistently. Maintain food quality and presentation from preparation to service, controlling portion sizes, reducing waste, and supporting GP targets. Assist in menu planning and accommodate special dietary or client requests where possible.

Operations & Planning: Plan kitchen operations based on function sheets for race and non-race day events. Manage ordering and distribution of food, disposables, and chemicals across both sites. Supervise food preparation and cooking, and ensure smooth, timely service delivery.

Team Management & Training: Lead and manage chefs, kitchen porters, and catering staff (permanent, casual, and agency) across both sites. Allocate daily workloads, manage absences, and maintain effective staffing levels. Prepare and deliver rotas aligned with budget targets. Support training, performance reviews, and skills development in collaboration with the Catering & Operations Manager.

Health & Safety: Maintain a safe and compliant working environment across all kitchens. Ensure all staff follow company health & safety procedures, and hygiene standards. Support technical and operational training in food safety, hygiene, cleaning practices, and environmental controls.

External Liaison & Regulatory Compliance: Act as point of contact for local authority inspections and enforcement officers. Support preparation for upcoming legislative changes in food and allergen regulations, ensuring company readiness and compliance.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Control labour costs and explain any deviations from budget.
• Improve staff recruitment and retention; reduce agency reliance.
• Manage site spend and drive food spend per head.
• Maintain target food margins.
• Ensure full HACCP compliance and meet all food safety standards.
• Maintain high service standards and customer satisfaction.
• Lead effective communication with Sales, Marketing, and on-site teams.

Qualifications:

• Level 4 Food Management in food Safety preferred, Level 3 minimum.
• Level 3 HACCP preferred.
• Allergens qualification.
• First Aid (Desirable).

Essential Skills & Experience:

Proven experience as a Head Chef or senior Sous Chef in a high-quality, fast-paced operation, with strong leadership and team management skills. In-depth knowledge of HACCP, nutrition, and allergen compliance, ensuring high food safety standards. Confident with purchasing systems, technical kitchen packages, and general IT tools. Excellent communication skills, highly organised, and thrives under pressure with a systematic, process-driven approach. Passionate about food, the kitchen environment, and delivering a high-quality product consistently.

At ARC, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace makes us a more relevant, more competitive, and more resilient company. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.