Head Chef Monday-Friday

Gather + Gather; Reading; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal Development and Training

Life assurance scheme

Pension scheme

Holiday allowance

Healthcare Support App

Eye care

Wellbeing strategy

Volunteering days

Professional subscriptions

Recognition schemes and people awards

Long service awards

Job summary

Gather & Gather is recruiting a Head Chef for Primark Head Office in Reading. You will run the day-to-day kitchen operation, delivering breakfast, lunch and hospitality, while leading a kitchen team of four to maintain high standards.

You will plan menus, manage ordering and stock, and work with the General Manager to continually improve the food offer and customer experience for 200–400 daily covers, ensuring food safety and a positive kitchen environment.

Qualifications

• Experience leading kitchen operations in a busy environment.
• Ability to plan menus and manage stock.
• Knowledge of food safety and health & safety standards.

Responsibilities

• Run the day-to-day kitchen operation, delivering breakfast, lunch, café service and hospitality to a high standard.
• Lead and support a kitchen team of 4, keeping them motivated and organised.
• Produce a fresh and varied food offer with hot breakfast, salad bar and lunch options.
• Cater for 200-400 customers daily, ensuring food is well-presented and ready for service.
• Plan menus and bring new ideas to refresh the offer, seasonally and attractively.
• Oversee ordering, stock control and food spend to run the kitchen efficiently.
• Be hands-on during busy service periods, maintaining high standards across all areas.
• Ensure all food safety and health & safety standards are followed at all times.
• Work with the General Manager to continuously improve the food offer and customer experience.
• Deliver hospitality catering for meetings and events to an excellent standard.
• Keep the kitchen clean, organised and supportive of the team.

Skills

Leadership

Kitchen management

Food safety

Team supervision

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.

We are brave, bold and curious adventurers in food and drink. Never shy of being different, always challenging the conventional.

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 at Primark.

Salary: £39,252-£45,000 per annum

Location: Primark Head Office, Reading, RG1 1TZ

Shift Pattern: Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week

Key Responsibilities

• Run the day-to-day kitchen operation, making sure breakfast, lunch, café service and hospitality are delivered to a consistently high standard.
• Lead and support a kitchen team of 4, helping them stay organised, motivated and delivering great food every day.
• Produce a fresh and varied food offer, including a full hot breakfast, large salad bar, and a selection of hot and cold lunch options.
• Cater for 200-400 customers daily, ensuring food is well-presented, fully stocked and ready for service.
• Plan menus and bring new food ideas to the table, keeping the offer fresh, seasonal and appealing to customers.
• Take responsibility for ordering, stock control and food spend, making sure the kitchen runs efficiently and waste is kept to a minimum.
• Be hands‑on during busy service periods, supporting the team and maintaining high standards across all areas of the kitchen.
• Ensure all food safety, health & safety and hygiene standards are followed at all times.
• Work closely with the General Manager to continuously improve the food offer and customer experience.
• Deliver hospitality catering for meetings and events, ensuring food is prepared and presented to an excellent standard.
• Keep the kitchen clean, organised and running smoothly while creating a positive and supportive team environment.

What’s in it for you?

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.

Job Reference: com/0110/48360001/52707712/SU #Gather and Gather

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!