Head Chef — Flexible 4/5 Day Kitchen Leadership

Barchester Healthcare; Lincoln; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rewarding Excellence bonus up to £500

Refer a Friend up to £500

Staff discounts across brands

Free access to medical specialists

Counselling & legal services

Tax Code Review Service

Monthly staff lottery

Job summary

Barchester Healthcare is seeking a passionate Head Chef to lead our kitchen teams across our Lincoln-based homes. You will design nourishing menus, cook to high standards with fresh ingredients, and oversee front-of-house service to maintain exceptional dining experiences.

The role emphasizes resident wellbeing, diet considerations (including IDDSI), and staff development within a supportive academy. Join us to balance quality hospitality with staff growth and autonomy.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of kitchen teams with a focus on resident wellbeing.
• Experience creating menus tailored to residents, with balanced nutrition.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP and COSHH for food safety and compliance.
• Familiarity with IDDSI framework for modified diets.
• Ability to work with front of house teams to deliver high-standard dining experiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team to deliver high-quality meals.
• Develop menus tailored to residents to ensure person-centred hospitality.
• Use fresh produce to create nutritious dishes prepared to the highest standards.
• Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch.
• Assist front of house with dining area setup and service flow.
• Operate within budget, perform audits and manage stock control.
• Create a warm, efficient, and enjoyable dining environment.
• Recruitment and retention of kitchen staff and FOH team.
• Oversee performance and development of kitchen and front-of-house staff.

Skills

Team leadership

Menu development

Nutrition knowledge

HACCP & COSHH

IDDSI knowledge

Front of house coordination

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Job description

Barchester Healthcare is seeking a passionate Head Chef to lead our kitchen teams across our Lincoln-based homes. You will design nourishing menus, cook to high standards with fresh ingredients, and oversee front-of-house service to maintain exceptional dining experiences.

The role emphasizes resident wellbeing, diet considerations (including IDDSI), and staff development within a supportive academy. Join us to balance quality hospitality with staff growth and autonomy.