Kitchen Manager

Etab Recruits; Minehead; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Performance bonus (up to 10%)

Term-time working 42 weeks/year

Training and development

Excellent work-life balance

Job summary

Etab Recruits is seeking an experienced Kitchen Manager to lead a school catering operation in Minehead, Somerset. You will oversee daily service for hundreds of meals, manage a small team of three assistants, and ensure meals meet quality, safety, and nutrition standards.

This role features a Monday-Friday schedule, term-time working, and a competitive £35,000 salary with up to 10% annual performance bonus, plus pension and progression opportunities.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing school/education catering operations.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Experience with budgets, food costs, stock control, and ordering.
• Thorough knowledge of HACCP, allergen management and food safety legislation.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the catering team
• Plan and prepare fresh, nutritious, seasonal menus
• Deliver consistently high standards of food quality and presentation
• Manage food purchasing, stock control, ordering, and supplier relationships
• Monitor budgets and control food costs
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, allergen management, food hygiene and Health & Safety legislation
• Maintain excellent customer service standards
• Drive continuous improvement across the catering operation

Skills

Team leadership

Budgeting

HACCP

Allergen management

Food safety

Communication

Job description

Kitchen Manager - Education Catering

Are you an experienced Kitchen Manager, Cook Manager, Head Chef, or Catering Manager looking for a rewarding role within education catering? This is an excellent opportunity to lead the catering operation at a well-established education site in Minehead, Somerset, delivering fresh, nutritious meals to students in a supportive and professional environment. If you're passionate about quality food, team leadership, and achieving a healthy work-life balance, we'd love to hear from you.

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive salary of £35,000 per annum / Up to 10% annual performance bonus
• Company pension
• Monday to Friday: 7:00am - 4:30pm - no regular evenings/weekends
• Term-time working (42 weeks per year, including INSET days and three additional working weeks)
• Ongoing training and supportive employer with genuine opportunities to grow
• Excellent work-life balance

About the Role

• As Kitchen Manager, you'll have full responsibility for the day-to-day management of a busy school catering operation, serving approximately 360 freshly prepared meals each day across the main school, sixth form, and specialist education unit.
• You'll lead and inspire a team of three General Assistants, ensuring every meal is prepared to the highest standards while maintaining a safe, efficient, and welcoming kitchen environment.

Daily meal service includes:

• Approximately 150 freshly prepared meals
• Around 200 Grab & Go meals
• Approximately 10 specialist unit meals

This is a hands-on management role where you'll have the autonomy to drive standards, develop your team, and create a positive dining experience for students and staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the catering team
• Plan and prepare fresh, nutritious, and seasonal menus
• Deliver consistently high standards of food quality and presentation
• Manage food purchasing, stock control, ordering, and supplier relationships
• Monitor budgets and control food costs
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, allergen management, food hygiene, and Health & Safety legislation
• Maintain excellent customer service standards
• Drive continuous improvement across the catering operation

About You

• We're looking for an experienced catering professional who has previously worked as a:
• Kitchen Manager / Cook Manager / Head Chef / Catering Manager / Chef Manager

You’ll also have:

• Experience managing catering operations within schools, education, healthcare, contract catering, or high-volume food service
• Strong leadership and team management skills
• A passion for producing fresh, nutritious, high-quality food
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• Experience managing budgets, food costs, stock control, and ordering
• A thorough understanding of HACCP, allergen management, and food safety legislation

Why Join Us

• This is more than just another Kitchen Manager position.
• You’ll enjoy the opportunity to lead your own kitchen, make a genuine impact on students' wellbeing through quality food, and enjoy a role that offers the work-life balance many chefs are looking for.
• If you're an experienced Kitchen Manager, Cook Manager, Head Chef, or Catering Manager ready for your next challenge in education catering, we'd love to hear from you