Head Chef - Brighton

Chartwells Independent; Brighton; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading catering company as a Head Chef at a prestigious independent school in Brighton. You'll be responsible for preparing outstanding food using fresh ingredients, managing a talented team, and ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality. This role offers a fantastic opportunity for career growth within a supportive environment.

Benefits

Free meals on duty

Uniform provided

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes

Digital GP access

Exclusive travel discounts

Discounts on grocery shopping

Cash rewards on spending

Free wellness and exercise classes

Qualifications

• Experience as a Head Chef in a similar environment.
• Ability to manage staff and ensure food quality.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and direct food preparation and cooking.
• Ensure food safety and budgetary control.
• Drive sales through menu planning and promotions.

Skills

Culinary Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Organizational Skills

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:

• Free meals on duty
• Uniform provided
• Highly accessible via public transport
• Secure bike and scooter parking
• Closed over Christmas and Easter
• Work with celeb 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 many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Unwind with us with free wellness, mindfulness, and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
• Working 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 that supports high-quality education by providing outstanding food and service to pupils and staff. You will be a key part of a team passionate about preparing food daily using fresh ingredients, focusing on enjoyment—great tasting, healthy food that pupils look forward to and really enjoy.

What you'll be doing:

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and ambitious Head Chef with a real passion for food, where you can develop your career with the world’s leading food service and facilities management company. We’re successful and deliver people-focused care that’s always in demand. Add your talents to ours and see how far you can go as a Head Chef here.

More about the role:

Working for this prestigious client, we are seeking an experienced and talented Head Chef to join our fantastic team who produce outstanding food using the finest and freshest ingredients:

• The Head Chef will plan, organise, and direct the preparation and cooking of food, ensuring that the company’s reputation for quality is maintained with customers and clients at all times.
• Taking responsibility for food production with a hands-on approach.
• Driving sales through centrally driven menu planning, promotions, and preferred suppliers.
• Responsible for all aspects of food safety, HS, and COSHH.
• Implementing and maintaining food monitoring procedures to facilitate budgetary control and monitor all costs involved in the kitchen against budgets.

Who you are:

• Excellent and innovative culinary and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Energetic with a passion to do a great job.
• Able to manage staff calmly and inspirationally.
• A forward-thinker who can prevent wastage.
• Demonstrates a passion for food.
• Team player.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Numerate and computer literate with an understanding of financial drivers.
• A clear understanding of profit margins, purchasing policy, budgeting, and food costing.

About Us

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

Compass Group UK & Ireland 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 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!

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