Head Chef Monday-Friday

Chartwells Independent; Leeds; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal Development and Training

Life assurance

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Healthcare app and wellbeing resources

Eye care

Wellbeing strategy

Family support

Regular social events

Holiday purchase scheme

Volunteering days

Professional subscriptions

Recognition schemes

Long service awards

Discount vouchers

Job summary

Gather & Gather is hiring a Head Chef in Leeds to lead the launch of a high-end contract catering site. You will build and shape the kitchen team ahead of opening in Aug 2026, recruiting and developing four staff while delivering a premium food offer with strong standards.

You will drive creative menus and manage costs, ensuring top quality, safety, and compliance across all kitchen operations in a demanding client environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading high-end contract catering operations.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop and manage a kitchen team.
• Strong passion for premium, diverse food offering and presentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the launch of a high-end contract catering site, building and shaping the kitchen team ahead of opening (Aug 2026).
• Recruit, manage and develop a team of 4, creating a strong team culture and consistent standards.
• Deliver a premium food offer across breakfast, lunch, deli bar and hospitality, ensuring quality and consistency at all times.
• Drive a creative and commercially strong menu, including a daily street food offer alongside a comfort-led core menu.
• Manage a tight cost base, controlling food spend, labour and wastage to meet budget targets.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food safety, compliance and kitchen operations.
• Adapt menus and service to meet client expectations while maintaining innovation and high-end presentation.

Skills

Team leadership

Menu development

Cost control

Food safety

Staff recruitment

Job description

Great food in the workplace isn’t simply about fuel.It’s about increasing productivity and improving performance; it’s about happy motivated people and inspiring environments. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – we live to bring food and people together.

Our passionate team of chefs, baristas, servers, nutritionists and much more, love nothing more than creating memorable moments that enrich the everyday.Come and join our award winning teams – we are currently recruiting for a Head Chef to join our team.

Salary: £40,000 per annum

Shift Pattern: Monday-Friday, 7:00-15:30, 40 hours per week

Location:LS10 1AB

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the launch of a high-end contract catering site, building and shaping the kitchen team ahead of opening (Aug 2026).
• Recruit, manage and develop a team of 4, creating a strong team culture and consistent standards.
• Deliver a premium food offer across breakfast, lunch, deli bar and hospitality, ensuring quality and consistency at all times.
• Drive a creative and commercially strong menu, including a daily street food offer alongside a comfort-led core menu.
• Manage a tight cost base, controlling food spend, labour and wastage to meet budget targets.
• Maintain exceptional standards of food safety, compliance and kitchen operations.
• Adapt menus and service to meet client expectations while maintaining innovation and high-end presentation.

Working with Gather & Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we’ve developed a range of benefits to keep you happy.

• Personal Development and Training opportunities
• Life assurance scheme
• Pension scheme
• Holiday allowance
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance
• Family friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders

• A holiday purchase scheme
• Volunteering days
• Professional subscriptions
• Recognition schemes and people awards
• Long service awards
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers

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.