Head Chef

Caterlink; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education catering company is seeking a Head Chef for a busy college in Greater London with fantastic facilities. The role involves managing the kitchen operations, ensuring food safety standards, and delivering high-quality meals to students. This position offers a structured work schedule of 40 hours per week during term-time only, with no weekends or evenings required. Ideal candidates will have strong leadership skills and a passion for food service. Eager professionals can enjoy a great work-life balance and various development opportunities.

Benefits

Employee Discount Platform

Pension scheme

Blended learning programmes

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a kitchen management role.
• Ability to maintain high food safety and hygiene standards.
• Experience with budget management and inventory oversight.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, cook and present food to the standards required.
• Ensure Food Safety and Health and Safety procedures are followed.
• Enhance the reputation of the company for excellent food and service.
• Support line manager with day-to-day operations.

Skills

Food Safety

Leadership

Cooking Skills

Team Management

Job description

Head Chef - London*

Company Description

Caterlink is the education sector catering specialist.

For over 20 years, the Company has delivered fresh food solutions to pupils and staff at Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Colleges across the UK.

The company caters more than 1,000,000 meals a week.

Our "Fresh Food Policy" is the foundation of our success and growth in the market coupled with a desire to truly deliver on the promises we make to our clients and support our site-based teams.

Job Description

We are looking for a Head Chef for a very busy College with fantastic facilities and a major overhaul being undertaken in 2026 with state of the art equipment in the kitchen to reflect the College's ambitions in this fast moving sector.

We are looking for a structured, well organised, adaptable, hard-working and approachable leader who will be responsible for the day to day running of the kitchen across multiple brands and concepts.

You should be passionate about delivering an efficient service to our students whilst ensuring we maintain great customer service and high food safety standards.

The college is upgrading and overhauling the catering offer, some already has happened in 2025, with new kitchen work spaces, state of the art equipment and new food court style operation along with a branded Cafe, micro shop and hospitality.

You will be passionate about ensuring that the company's reputation for excellent food and service is enhanced with the client and customers.

You will be responsible for all aspects of running the kitchen and supporting your manager including food safety, training, recruitment and reaching financial targets.

The role:

• 21 per hour
• 40 hours per week working Monday - Friday - 7:00-15:00
• No weekends or evenings!
• Term-time only - working 38 weeks per year

Your key responsibilities will include:

• To prepare, cook and present food to the standards required by Caterlink and the client
• To ensure that all Food Safety and Health and Safety procedures are followed and all mandatory paperwork is completed accurately and with integrity
• To ensure that the company's reputation for excellent food and service is enhanced with the client and customers and expectations are consistently exceeded.
• To support your line manager with the day-to-day running of the location including managing inventories, monitoring budgets, and implementing action plans
• Prepare meals mostly from standardised recipes in a timely manner and presentation is key
• Great opportunity to grow within our fast paced college sector

Caterlink strives to always provide a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for all our teams where every individual is treated with respect, integrity and has the opportunity to grow and be treated equally and with fairness at all times.

Caterlink is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment.

An enhanced DBS disclosure will be obtained for this role.

Additional Information

There are many advantages to working for us including:

• With Caterlink you have the opportunity to a blended learning programme that can include formal qualifications including Apprenticeships, classroom training, eLearning and on the job training to support and encourage your development and enable you to be the best you can be.

Everyone who joins us is provided with an induction where they learn more about us and enable them to be the best they can be.

We invest in development opportunities and are always looking to recruit, train and retain the best people for our own future talent and your own future development.

• Working for Caterlink ensure you are able to enjoy a great work / life balance - this is the beauty of working term-time only and no weekends!
• We offer you access to our Employee Discount Platform where you can make great savings at supermarkets, cinema, restaurants as well as holiday discounts, family days out and many more!
• Our Employee Assistance Program and Virtual GP benefits are there for you and your family to use free of charge at any time
• You may be eligible to join our Pension scheme