Head Chef - Forrest School

Lodestone House; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free on-site gym

Free on-site parking

Free meals on duty

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning

Digital GP and wider healthcare

Job summary

Lodestone House within Compass Group UK&I is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead and develop the kitchen team across a busy hospitality calendar. You will drive food quality, consistency and presentation, while maintaining high safety standards and costed menu development.

The role is 40 hours per week on a 48-week contract, with a salary in the region of £45,000–£50,000 depending on experience. Term-time feeding and training periods support ongoing development.

Qualifications

• High standards and be quality driven.
• Creative and passionate about food.
• Committed to food and customer service innovation.
• Excellent people skills with the ability to develop and work well within a team.
• Proven track record with stock management, H&S and food safety.
• Passion for high quality tasty food, and someone who keeps up to date with food trends.
• Organized, able to make robust judgements and prioritize.
• Enthusiastic, motivational, someone who strives for excellence.
• Have a flexible approach with a “can do” attitude.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team.
• Drive food quality, consistency and presentation.
• Maintain strong operational and food safety standards.
• Support menu development, recipe creation and costings.
• Manage multiple service points and a busy hospitality calendar.
• Hit the ground running and take ownership of the day-to-day kitchen operation.

Skills

Leadership

Creative

Food safety

Stock management

People skills

Communication

Organizational

High standards

Can-do attitude

Job description

Benefits

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

• Monday to Friday (some weekends and evenings for functions)
• Term time only (48 weeks)
• Free use of on-site gym
• Free on-site parking
• Free meals on duty
• 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
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
  
  
  

Benefits

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

• Monday to Friday (some weekends and evenings for functions)
• Term time only (48 weeks)
• Free use of on-site gym
• Free on-site parking
• Free meals on duty
• 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
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
  
  
  

Please note: This role is contracted to 48 weeks per year

Forest is one of the largest day independent schools in the country, with multiple service locations across the site and a high level of hospitality throughout the year.

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Head Chef who can:

• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team
• Drive food quality, consistency and presentation
• Maintain strong operational and food safety standards
• Support menu development, recipe creation and costings
• Manage multiple service points and a busy hospitality calendar
• Hit the ground running and take ownership of the day-to-day kitchen operation
  
  
  

The role is 40 hours per week on a 48-week contract, with a salary in the region of £45,000–£50,000 depending on experience.

The school operates term-time feeding, with the additional weeks allowing time for training, menu development, planning and costings outside of the main operational periods.

Who You Are

• High standards and be quality driven
• Creative and passionate about food
• Committed to food and customer service innovation
• Excellent people skills with the ability to develop and work well within a team
• Proven track record with stock management, H&S and food safety.
• Passion for high quality tasty food, and someone who keeps up to date with food trends
• Organized, able to make robust judgements and prioritize
• Enthusiastic, motivational, someone who strives for excellence
• Have a flexible approach with a “can do” attitude
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills
  
  
  

About Us

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

Job Reference: com/2409/C39101/52835739/SU #Lodestone House

Compass Group UK&I 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 unique 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!