Head Chef - Brighton

Compass Group UK & Ireland; Brighton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading food service and facilities management company as a Head Chef at a prestigious independent school. You will be responsible for delivering outstanding food and service, managing a team, and ensuring high standards of food safety. This role offers a great opportunity for career growth and development in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Free meals on duty

Uniform provided

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes

Exclusive travel discounts

Discounts on food shopping

Free wellness and exercise classes

Qualifications

• Experienced Head Chef with excellent culinary and presentation skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills required.
• Ability to manage staff and drive sales through effective menu planning.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organise, and oversee food preparation and cooking.
• Ensure quality standards and compliance with food safety regulations.
• Drive sales through menu planning and promotions.

Skills

Culinary skills

Presentation skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Team player

Organisational skills

Numerate

Computer literate

Job description

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to:

• Competitive salary
• Free meals on duty
• Uniform provided
• Highly accessible via public transport
• Secure bike and scooter parking
• Closed over Christmas and Easter
• Paid events, summer events, social committee
• Amazing facilities
• Work with celebrity chefs!
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with 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
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and others
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards for spending across various brands
• Free wellness, mindfulness, and exercise classes
• Share discounts and offers with friends and family
• Work 5 out of 7 days

Fantastic Opportunity at a Prestigious Independent School

Chartwells, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is the leading provider of catering and support services to independent schools in the UK. You will be part of a team supporting high-quality education by providing outstanding food and service to pupils and staff. Our team is passionate about preparing fresh, healthy, and delicious food that pupils look forward to and enjoy.

What you'll be doing:

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and ambitious Head Chef with a passion for food to develop their career with the world’s leading food service and facilities management company. Join us to add your talents and see how far you can go as a Head Chef here.

More about the role:

Working for this prestigious client, we seek an experienced and talented Head Chef to join our team, producing outstanding food with the finest and freshest ingredients.

• Plan, organise, and oversee food preparation and cooking, ensuring quality standards are met
• Take responsibility for food production with a hands-on approach
• Drive sales through menu planning, promotions, and preferred suppliers
• Ensure all aspects of food safety, HS, and COSHH compliance
• Implement and maintain food monitoring procedures to control budgets and monitor costs

Who you are:

• Excellent culinary and presentation skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Energetic with a passion for excellence
• Ability to manage staff calmly and inspiringly
• Forward-thinking to prevent wastage
• Passionate about food
• Team player
• Organised and efficient
• Numerate and computer literate, with an understanding of financial drivers
• Knowledge of profit margins, purchasing policies, budgeting, and food costing

About Us

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

Job Reference: com/1405/C05801/52738824/SU #Independent

Compass Group UK & Ireland is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every individual can be themselves and has equal opportunities to progress. We celebrate diverse talents, backgrounds, and abilities, and aim for all colleagues to feel valued, empowered, and able to thrive—because diversity is our strength!