Head Chef- Retail Aston Villa FC

Compass Group; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality company in Birmingham seeks a Retail Head Chef to lead a kitchen team at Villa Park. This role demands creativity, strong leadership, and experience in high-pressure environments. You will design vibrant menus, drive food quality, and ensure safety and sustainability standards. A competitive salary of £40,000 per annum, along with various benefits, is offered. This position presents a unique opportunity to elevate dining experiences at historic football events.

Benefits

Pension scheme

23 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Healthcare benefits

Discounts on shopping & travel

Ongoing training & development

Family-friendly benefits

Qualifications

• Proven success running high-volume, high-pressure kitchens.
• Strong commitment to sustainability: sourcing local ingredients and reducing waste.

Responsibilities

• Leading and motivating a brigade of chefs across multiple kitchens.
• Driving food quality, speed, and consistency on matchdays.
• Designing and delivering menus with a street food edge.
• Training and mentoring kitchen teams.
• Championing food safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Leadership

Creativity

High-pressure kitchen management

Food safety standards

Sustainability commitment

Job description

Retail Head Chef - Aston Villa Football Club

Bring the Heat to the Home of the Claret & Blue!

Role in a nutshell

Levy UK is the official catering partner to Aston Villa Football Club, delivering world‑class hospitality and retail experiences across the iconic Villa Park stadium and the wider Aston Villa estate.

Since 1874, Aston Villa has been at the heart of English football. Today, Villa Park welcomes hundreds of thousands of fans and guests every season – from buzzing concourses and vibrant fan zones to suites, boxes, and conferences. Every matchday, every event, every service is an opportunity to celebrate the passion, pride, and tradition of the Villans.

Why this role?

At Levy UK, we don't just cook food – we fuel football moments. Behind every roar of the Holte End, every chant of Villa, Villa, Villa, is a kitchen team serving big flavours, fast service, and quality at scale.

Now, we're looking for a Retail Head Chef to lead from the front in our stadium kitchens. This is more than a chef role – it's a chance to bring bold, crowd‑pleasing menus to one of the most historic football venues in the world.

This isn't your average kitchen. This is Villa Park – a ground where legends are made, memories are shared, and food is part of the experience.

What you'll be responsible for

• Leading and motivating a brigade of chefs across multiple retail kitchens on matchdays and major events
• Driving food quality, speed, and consistency – feeding thousands of fans without missing a beat
• Designing and delivering menus with a street food edge and stadium atmosphere
• Training, mentoring, and energising teams to deliver Levy's signature flair with every dish
• Partnering with operations and culinary leaders to achieve commercial goals while never compromising flavour
• Championing food safety, hygiene, and sustainability standards across all kitchens

What we're looking for

• A passionate, people-focused Head Chef – or an ambitious Sous Chef ready to step up
• Proven success running high-volume, high-pressure kitchens (stadiums, arenas, or large-scale hospitality an advantage)
• Creativity with commercial know-how – you know what sells, and how to deliver it fast
• Strong leadership and resilience – calm under pressure, inspiring in the heat of service
• Hands‑on leadership – you lead from the line, not just the office
• A strong commitment to sustainability: sourcing seasonal, local ingredients, reducing waste, promoting low‑carbon menus

What you'll get in return

• Competitive salary of £40,000 per annum
• Pension scheme & life assurance
• 23 days holiday + Bank Holidays, plus your birthday off
• Healthcare benefits including dental, optical, therapy treatments & free annual checks
• Discounts including Vodafone, Nuffield Health, Pure Gym, shopping & travel perks
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Ongoing training & development through Levy career pathways
• Family‑friendly benefits (2 days extra leave post‑maternity return, day off for baby's first birthday)
• Employee Assistance Programme & wellbeing support

We are Levy

Levy is about elevating experiences. As the global leader in sports and entertainment hospitality, we design and deliver unforgettable guest experiences that celebrate people, planet, and passion.

From Premier League clubs to world‑class arenas, we combine culinary innovation, seamless operations, and sustainability leadership to make every event extraordinary. At Villa Park, our mission is simple: to fuel the pride of the claret and blue, one unforgettable matchday at a time.