Head Chef - Care Home

NHS; Swindon; On-site; GBP 37,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS is seeking a passionate Head Chef to work at Barchester Healthcare in Swindon. This role offers a better work-life balance with daytime hours and focuses on creating nutritious, high-quality menus for residents, alongside motivating and leading a dedicated kitchen team.

Benefits

Reward Excellence bonus

Refer a Friend scheme

Access to retail and leisure discounts

Free access to medical specialists

Confidential counselling services

Tax Code Review Service

Qualifications

• Experienced in leading and motivating a kitchen team.
• Strong understanding of nutrition and seasonal food preparation.
• Good knowledge of HACCP and COSHH regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen staff in preparing high-quality meals and baked goods.
• Manage menu planning to cater to residents' nutritional needs.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Team Leadership

Menu Development

Creativity in Cooking

Nutritious Meal Preparation

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Job description

Job summary

This is a role for a passionate and qualified Head Chef to work in a care home setting for Barchester Healthcare. The job offers a better work-life balance with working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week. The Head Chef will have the opportunity to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours, with full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well-balanced menus for the residents.

Main duties of the job

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required. You will be responsible for menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure person-centred hospitality. You will work with fresh produce to deliver high-quality and wholesome dishes cooked to the highest standards, bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch, and assist the front of house team with setting up the dining areas. You will also work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control, create a warm, efficient and fun environment, handle ongoing recruitment and retention, and manage the performance of the kitchen team and front of house.

About us

Barchester Healthcare is a leading provider of care homes and services in the UK. They are driven by quality and high standards, and offer excellent benefits and rewards to their employees, including a 'Rewarding Excellence' bonus, a 'Refer a Friend' scheme, access to retail and leisure discounts, free access to medical specialists, and more.

Details Date posted

09 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£36,039 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

1341766087

Job locations

Barchester Healthcare

Swindon

SN5 0AD

Job description Job responsibilities

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be!

Your Benefits and Rewards

• Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week

• Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection

• Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral

• Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies

• Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it

• Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services

• Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax

• Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide

Your Experience and Qualifications

• A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents

• Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

• Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team

• Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition

• The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes

• Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus

• Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard

• Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH

• Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques)

Your Role and Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required

• Menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality

• Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked of the highest standards

• Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch

• Assist the front of house team with setting up of the dining areas

• Work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control

• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment

• Ongoing recruitment and retention

• Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus, whilst also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development.

We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills, whilst also sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

Our internal Learning and Development team also offer industry recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications to chefs and hospitality team members who are looking to build upon and/or develop their skills.

Interested? If you are a motivated and dedicated chef who is ready to be part of something special, apply today!

*Terms & conditions apply

8765

Job description Job responsibilities

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be!

Your Benefits and Rewards

• Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week

• Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection

• Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral

• Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies

• Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it

• Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services

• Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax

• Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide

Your Experience and Qualifications

• A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents

• Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

• Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team

• Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition

• The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes

• Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus

• Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard

• Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH

• Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques)

Your Role and Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required

• Menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality

• Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked of the highest standards

• Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch

• Assist the front of house team with setting up of the dining areas

• Work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control

• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment

• Ongoing recruitment and retention

• Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus, whilst also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development.

We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills, whilst also sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

Our internal Learning and Development team also offer industry recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications to chefs and hospitality team members who are looking to build upon and/or develop their skills.

Interested? If you are a motivated and dedicated chef who is ready to be part of something special, apply today!

*Terms & conditions apply

8765

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• You should hold a City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent qualification, have experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team, working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition, creating a warm and welcoming environment, and engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus. You should also have a good understanding of HACCP and COSHH, and knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (if new to care, you will be trained and developed on these techniques).

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• You should hold a City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent qualification, have experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team, working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition, creating a warm and welcoming environment, and engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus. You should also have a good understanding of HACCP and COSHH, and knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (if new to care, you will be trained and developed on these techniques).

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.

Employer details Employer name

Barchester Healthcare

Address

Barchester Healthcare

Swindon

SN5 0AD

Employer's website

https://www.barchester.com/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Barchester Healthcare

Address

Barchester Healthcare

Swindon

SN5 0AD

Employer's website

https://www.barchester.com/ (Opens in a new tab)