Head Chef Manchester

Newrest; Manchester; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Career development and progression

Job summary

Newrest is seeking an experienced Head Chef to lead a busy airline catering kitchen in Manchester. You will manage a large team, ensure top-quality meal production, and maintain rigorous HACCP and health & safety standards in a fast-paced, 24/7 environment.

We are looking for a proven leader with strong budgeting, stock control, and KPI management skills, plus the ability to deliver exceptional inflight dining experiences for prestigious airline clients.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Head Chef or Executive Chef in high-volume catering/hospitality.
• Strong leadership and people management skills are essential.
• Solid knowledge of HACCP, food safety and quality systems.
• Experience managing budgets, stock control and kitchen KPIs.

Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and develop a large kitchen team.
• Deliver high-quality food production to airline specifications.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, HACCP and health & safety standards.
• Manage production planning to meet flight schedules.
• Control food costs, waste, stock and labour budgets.
• Maintain exceptional standards of quality, presentation and consistency.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in the kitchen.
• Collaborate with airline partners to exceed customer expectations.

Skills

Head Chef experience

Leadership

HACCP knowledge

Budget management

High-volume catering

Aviation catering experience

Job description

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead our busy catering kitchen, producing exceptional meals for some of the world’s leading airlines. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a talented team in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where quality, consistency and operational excellence are paramount. Key Responsibilities

• Lead, inspire and develop a large kitchen team.
• Deliver high-quality food production to strict airline specifications.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, HACCP and health & safety standards.
• Manage production planning to meet demanding flight schedules and service levels.
• Control food costs, waste, stock and labour budgets.
• Maintain exceptional standards of quality, presentation and consistency.
• Drive continuous improvement, efficiency and innovation across the kitchen.
• Work closely with operational and airline partners to exceed customer expectations.

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Executive Chef in a high-volume catering, hospitality or food production environment.
• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent knowledge of HACCP, food safety and quality systems.
• Experience managing budgets, stock control and kitchen KPIs.
• Calm under pressure with outstanding organisational skills.
• Passion for developing teams and delivering operational excellence.
• Flexible approach to working in a 24/7 operation.
• Aviation or large-scale catering experience is desirable but not essential.

Why Join Us?

• Lead a dynamic and professional kitchen.
• Work with some of the world’s most prestigious airline brands.
• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Career development and progression opportunities.
• Be part of a business where quality, innovation and teamwork drive everything we do.
• If you’re ready to lead a world-class catering operation and help deliver outstanding inflight dining experiences, we’d love to hear from you.