Head of Food and Operations

Wilson Vale; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilson Vale is looking for a Head of Food and Operations to lead kitchen and hospitality services in Leeds. This hands-on role demands a proven culinary leader to manage food operations and inspire teams, ensuring top-quality dining experiences in a thriving workplace restaurant. You'll oversee around 15 staff and will be deeply involved in menu planning, service delivery, and team training while upholding safety and quality standards.

Benefits

Work-life balance

Career development opportunities

Craft-focused career development training

Paid training tailored to your needs

Access to Employee Assistance Programme

Online employee benefits scheme

Birthday off after one years' service

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior chef or food operations role.
• Strong understanding of food safety regulations and compliance.
• Experience managing kitchen teams and restaurant operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead kitchen operations and oversee service delivery.
• Drive culinary innovation while maintaining cost efficiency.
• Manage staff development, performance, and team morale.

Skills

Culinary management

Team leadership

Cost management

Customer service

Communication skills

Education

Culinary qualifications

Job description

Join to apply for the Head of Food and Operations role at Wilson Vale

4 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join to apply for the Head of Food and Operations role at Wilson Vale

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

This range is provided by Wilson Vale. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

We are currently recruiting for an experienced and dynamic Head of Food and Operations to lead our kitchen and hospitality services at a flagship workplace restaurant in Leeds city centre, just steps from the train station.

As Head of Food and Operations, you will have a strong culinary background in fresh food and a passion for quality. This is a hands-on, operational leadership role where your expertise in kitchen management and culinary execution will be essential. You’ll be a key presence in the kitchen, working closely with your team to set standards, refine processes, and deliver an exceptional dining experience.

We’re looking for a senior-level Chef Manager or Food and Operations professional with a proven track record of leading professional kitchen teams, managing complex food operations, and maintaining consistently high standards across food safety, service, and presentation. You should be confident in managing service at pace, overseeing stock and menu planning, and driving culinary innovation, all while keeping a close eye on cost efficiency and compliance. This brand-new role, created as part of a recent restructure, reflects our commitment to exceptional service, innovation, and team development. It offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase your skills, take ownership of a thriving service, and be a driving force for innovation across both kitchen and hospitality departments.

You’ll oversee a team of approximately 15 staff across the kitchen and hospitality departments. Your responsibilities will include not just the smooth daily running of service, but also staff development, performance management, and mentoring ensuring your team grows in confidence, skill, and consistency.

The kitchen offers a vibrant, freshly prepared menu that includes breakfast and lunch services. Breakfast options range from full English breakfasts to a yoghurt and toppings bar, along with fresh baked goods. Lunch features world cuisine, bistro dishes, deli selections, and a seasonal salad bar, with three specials each week and some plant-based options.

We’re looking for a confident, capable leader who is passionate about great food, high-quality service, and team development. You’ll be proactive, customer-focused, and ready to inspire and support your team in delivering a consistently excellent experience—both in the kitchen and in front-of-house service.

This is a full-time position based on a 40-hour working week. Core hours are typically 7:00am to 3:30pm, Monday to Friday, but you will be expected to manage your time effectively to meet the needs of the business. This may occasionally include evening or weekend work in support of hospitality events. Day-to-day, the kitchen caters for around 150 people, plus hospitality.

Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community. We work in office restaurants, independent schools and at conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.

Our culture unites us. We stand for craft, quality, creative freedom, forward thinking and integrity. We never compromise on our commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and the fantastic people that make it all happen!

The role requires someone who is commercially minded with the ability to demonstrate a track record of developing efficient and cost-effective processes and that you have first class communication skills and a keen eye for detail.

Responsibilities, Skills and Experience:

• Ensure that all hospitality services are delivered to the highest standards
• Must be comfortable leading from the front and working hands-on as needed in a fast-paced environment
• Able to design and deliver bespoke hospitality solutions tailored to a variety of events and audiences.
• Health & safety / compliance knowledge
• Staff development including training and motivating staff
• Manage labour budget / Manage cost
• Must have a love for great food and service
• Excellent people management and communication skills
• Experience in a similar role
• Experience of leading and managing teams to deliver results
• Able to work in a pressurised environment and be able to multi-task
• Understanding of P&L accounts
• Good customer service and strong communication skills
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
• A passion for exceptional service is essential
• Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
• Innovation and creativity
• Exceptional presentation skills
• Articulate and very well organised
• Proactive and reliable
  
  

OUR CULTURE:

• Craft at our core - we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
• It’s all about the food - the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
• Quality, seasonal ingredients - 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
• Freedom to create - our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
• Support like no other - our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
• Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethos and are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
• We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.
  
  

WILSON VALE PERKS:

• Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
• Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
• Craft Works - Free craft-focused career development training programme
• Paid training bespoke to you
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme- your wellbeing is very important to us
• Online employee benefits scheme - monetary savings on everyday items!
• Your Birthday off every year after 1 years’ service.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay
  
  

Wilson Vale is an equal opportunities employer that strives to create an inclusive working environment for all. We are committed to supporting our people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. From each and every person in our catering teams, to our operations and central support teams - everyone at has a voice.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Director

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Management and Manufacturing

• Industries

  Restaurants

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Wilson Vale by 2x

Sign in to set job alerts for “Head of Operations” roles.

South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 3 months ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 2 days ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

Shipley, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Food and Beverage Manager - Crowne Plaza Leeds

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Pontefract, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Bingley, England, United Kingdom 3 days ago

West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 3 months ago

Micklefield, England, United Kingdom 2 months ago

Harrogate, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Bradford, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Head of Infection Prevention and Control

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Huddersfield, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Head of Infection Prevention and Control

West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 2 weeks ago

Service Line Operations Lead | Sustainability, Policy and Compliance (SP&C)

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 8 hours ago

Head of Quality Health Safety & Environmental (QHSE)

South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom 4 days ago

Wakefield, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 5 days ago

York, England, United Kingdom 2 months ago

Leeds, England, United Kingdom 1 week ago

Wakefield, England, United Kingdom 3 weeks ago

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.