Head Chef

NHS; Stratford-upon-Avon; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading elderly care provider in Stratford-upon-Avon is seeking an experienced Head Chef to manage a culinary team delivering high-quality meals. The role requires a minimum of two years managing experience in culinary environments and a relevant catering qualification. The successful candidate will be passionate about food quality and financially responsible, contributing to the well-being of residents and upholding the standards of care.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years experience managing a culinary team.
• Hold a relevant catering qualification.
• Demonstrated passion for culinary standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage culinary team to provide high-quality meals.
• Order food supplies and maintain stock levels.
• Supervise and direct kitchen staff.

Skills

Culinary team management

Budget control

Food safety practices

Catering service quality

Education

City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ

Job description

Avery Healthcare is one of the UK’s largest providers of luxury elderly care homes, with a vision of creating meaningful lives together. They are seeking a dedicated and experienced Head Chef to join their award‑winning team in Stratford‑upon‑Avon. The role involves managing and leading a culinary team to provide high‑quality, nutritionally balanced meals for the residents, ensuring their overall well‑being.

Main duties of the job

As a Head Chef at Avery Healthcare, your focus will be to manage and lead a culinary team that delivers nutritionally balanced, comprehensive, and high‑quality culinary service. This includes preparing modified diets that are appealing and well‑balanced, ordering food supplies, supervising and directing kitchen staff, and practising safe systems of work. You will be expected to have two years’ experience managing a culinary team in the care or hospitality sectors, hold a relevant catering qualification, and demonstrate a passion for delivering high‑quality culinary standards.

About us

Avery Healthcare is one of the UK’s largest providers of luxury elderly care homes, with over 100 homes across the country. We are committed to creating a supportive and inspiring environment for our residents and employees, where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that the later years of life should be as enriching as any other, and we are passionate about providing exceptional care and meaningful experiences for our residents.

Job responsibilities

Your focus as a Head Chef will be to manage and lead a culinary team that provides nutritionally balanced, comprehensive, and high‑quality culinary service that contributes to the overall well‑being of the residents and is achieved within budget.

• Preparing modified diets that look appealing, are well‑balanced and in accordance with IDDSI guidance.
• Placing food orders, subject to appropriate levels of authority, with approved suppliers, complying with procedures to maintain appropriate stock levels and control, ensuring good quality provisions are purchased within agreed budget limits.
• Supervising and directing the work of other kitchen staff and the host team, instructing and demonstrating simple food preparation activities to unqualified staff.
• Practising safe systems of work across the range of tasks and moving and handling loads by assessing risk and having due regard for the personal safety of residents, visitors, and staff.

About you

To be successful in your application, you must live our values of caring, support, honesty, respect, and accountability in all that you do. Our ideal candidate must:

• Have two years’ experience managing a culinary team in the care or hospitality sectors.
• Hold a relevant catering qualification (City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ).
• Demonstrate passion and commitment to the delivery of high‑quality culinary standards to residents.
• Demonstrate an ability to control a budget.

About Avery

At Avery, we are not just one of the UK’s largest providers of luxury elderly care homes; we are a place where people love to work. We believe that the later years of life should be as enriching as any other, and we are passionate about creating meaningful experiences for our residents and our team alike. With our vision of "creating meaningful lives together," we proudly offer exceptional care across our growing network of over 100 homes, building a supportive and inspiring environment where employees feel valued and empowered every day.

Requirements

• Hold a relevant catering qualification, such as City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ.
• Completed DBS Disclosure check (cost met by Avery Healthcare).
• Proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

This advert may be withdrawn prior to the advertised deadline depending on the volume of applications received and business needs.