Head Chef- Retail Aston Villa Fc - Birmingham

Levy; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company in Birmingham seeks a Retail Head Chef to lead the kitchen team at Aston Villa Football Club. This role involves overseeing food quality and service for thousands of fans during events, creating engaging menus, and mentoring staff. The ideal candidate is a dynamic leader with proven experience in high-pressure environments, a passion for culinary excellence, and a strong commitment to sustainability. Competitive salary and various employee benefits offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Pension scheme & life assurance

23 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Healthcare benefits

Employee discounts

Ongoing training and development

Family-friendly benefits

Qualifications

• Passionate, people-focused with kitchen leadership experience.
• Success in high-pressure culinary environments.
• Ability to design crowd-pleasing menus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate chefs across multiple kitchens.
• Ensure food quality, speed, and consistency.
• Design and deliver innovative menus for events.
• Train teams to uphold culinary standards.
• Maintain food safety and sustainability practices.

Skills

Leadership

High-volume kitchen management

Menu design

Creativity

Food safety standards

Sustainability commitment

Job description

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.

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.