Head Chef - Gloucester

Chartwells Independent; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Eurest is seeking an experienced Head Chef to join the Safran Group team in Gloucester. You will lead the kitchen, drive high-quality food production in a high-volume environment, and manage purchasing, stock, suppliers and food safety.

This full-time role offers Monday–Friday hours, leadership opportunities and a focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences through strong operational standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years' experience as Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef in a high-volume catering environment.
• Proven track record of high-quality food production at volume.
• Experience managing food purchasing, stock control and supplier relationships.
• Experience maintaining food safety systems in line with HACCP and company standards.
• Experience using catering management systems for online ordering, menu planning and stock management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the kitchen team to deliver consistently high standards.
• Manage high-volume food production while maintaining quality, presentation and consistency.
• Plan menus to meet customer expectations and commercial targets.
• Oversee food purchasing, ordering and supplier relationships.
• Control stock, waste and food costs to maximise performance.
• Conduct stock takes and maintain accurate catering records.
• Ensure food safety, HACCP and hygiene procedures are followed.
• Maintain cleanliness and health and safety standards across the kitchen.
• Utilise catering management systems for ordering, planning and stock management.

Skills

Leadership

Food safety

Stock management

Supplier relations

Menu planning

Communication

High-volume catering

Tools

Catering management systems

Job description

Head Chef

Location: Gloucester
Salary: Up to £36,038 per annum
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 6:00am–2:30pm | Friday, 5:00am–1:30pm
Contract: Full-time, Monday–Friday

About the Role

Eurest is looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to join our team at Safran Group in Gloucester.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a hands‑on culinary leader who thrives in a high-volume catering environment and is passionate about delivering consistently high‑quality food, while maintaining strong commercial and operational standards.

You’ll take responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the kitchen, leading the team and ensuring an exceptional food offer for our customers. You’ll also play a key role in managing purchasing, stock, suppliers, food safety and overall kitchen performance.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading and developing the kitchen team to deliver consistently high standards.
• Managing high‑volume food production while maintaining quality, presentation and consistency.
• Planning menus and ensuring the food offer meets customer expectations.
• Managing food purchasing, ordering and supplier relationships.
• Controlling stock, waste and food costs to maximise commercial performance.
• Completing stock takes and maintaining accurate catering records.
• Ensuring all food safety, hygiene and HACCP procedures are followed.
• Maintaining high standards of cleanliness, health and safety across the kitchen.
• Using catering management systems for online ordering, menu planning and stock management.
• Working closely with the wider site team and client to continually improve the food offer and customer experience.
• Driving innovation and continuous improvement across the kitchen operation.

About You

We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• Minimum 2 years' experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef within a high-volume catering environment.
• Proven experience managing high-quality food production at volume.
• A strong track record of managing food purchasing, stock control and supplier relationships.
• Experience maintaining food safety systems in line with HACCP and company standards.
• Experience using catering management systems, including online food ordering, menu planning and stock management software.
• Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills.
• A genuine passion for food, quality and delivering an excellent customer experience.

Desirable: Previous experience within contract catering.

Why Join Eurest?

At Eurest, we believe great food brings people together. You'll be joining a supportive team where you'll have the opportunity to develop your career, bring fresh ideas to the table and make a real impact on the customer experience.

If you're an experienced Head Chef looking for a great Monday–Friday opportunity with excellent working hours, we'd love to hear from you.