Performance Chef

Portsmouth Football Club; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Portsmouth Football Club is seeking a Performance Chef to lead kitchen operations at the training ground, delivering nutritious meals for the First team, academy, café and women’s teams. You will work with the Performance Nutritionist to translate dietary plans into high‑quality meals that support training, match demands and individual needs.

The role requires strong leadership, creativity and organisation, with a focus on food safety, budget management and seamless service in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate
• NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery
• Sports Nutrition Qualification
• Enhanced DBS Check required
• Full, clean UK driving licence

Responsibilities

• Oversee all food provision at the training ground, including breakfast, lunch, recovery meals and snacks for players and staff.
• Develop menus with the Performance Nutritionist to support training, matchday and recovery needs.
• Cater for allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements while maintaining high quality standards.
• Coordinate pre- and post‑match food for away travel with appropriate guidance.
• Lead on food safety, hygiene and allergen management; maintain records and processes.
• Source high‑quality ingredients, manage budgets and minimise waste.
• Build positive relationships with players and staff to support nutrition and wellbeing.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Planning

Interpersonal skills

Team management

Flexibility

Education

Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate

NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery

Sports Nutrition Qualification

Job description

Job title: Performance Chef – Portsmouth Football Club

Location: Portsmouth FC Training Ground at Pompey Health and Fitness, 442 Copnor Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth PO3 5EW with travel where required

Hours of work: Full time – 42.5 hours/week The role will require flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, Sundays and Bank Holidays, in line with the Club’s training and match schedule.

Reports to: Sporting Director

Remuneration: £47590 per annum

Join Our Team – Be Part of Pompey’s Future

Are you a passionate and experienced Performance Chef looking for an exciting opportunity within professional football?

We are looking for a motivated individual to lead the kitchen operations and oversee the food provision for the First team, Pompey FC Academy, Café and Pompey Women FC. Working in a fast-paced, team-focused environment, you will play an important role in providing high-quality, nutritious food that supports the health, wellbeing and performance of our players and staff. You will lead and develop our kitchen team, working closely with the Club’s Performance Nutritionist and wider Performance and Medical teams to ensure our food provision supports player performance, recovery and individual dietary needs.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about food and takes pride in delivering consistently high standards of quality, hygiene and presentation. You will bring strong leadership, creativity and organisation, alongside the professionalism, flexibility and discretion required when working within a professional football environment.

This is a great opportunity to lead an important part of our training ground operation and make a real contribution to the day-to-day environment and performance of the Club.

Role Summary

As the Performance Chef, you will plan, prepare and deliver a high‑quality, nutritionally aligned meals that support athlete performance and wellbeing. Working closely with the club’s nutrition and sports science teams, the role translates dietary plans into healthy meals tailored to the training demands, match schedules, and individual needs.

The Performance Chef ensures consistency, innovation, and professionalism in all culinary outputs, contributing directly to the club’s wider performance culture.

Your key responsibilities will include:

Kitchen Operations & Performance Nutrition

• - Oversee all food provision at the training ground, including breakfast, lunch, recovery meals and snacks for players and relevant staff.
• - Work closely with the Club’s Performance Nutritionist and Performance team to develop varied, balanced and performance-focused menus that support training, matchday and recovery requirements.
• - Ensure individual player requirements are appropriately catered for, including allergies and intolerances, as well as religious, cultural and other dietary needs.
• - Plan and coordinate pre- and post-match food provision for away travel, working with the Performance Nutritionist and Club Secretary to maintain consistently high standards.
• - Adapt menus to reflect seasonal ingredients, changing schedules and evolving player and team requirements.
• - Lead on food safety, hygiene and allergen management, ensuring all relevant records, processes and management systems are maintained.
• - Source high-quality, fresh and sustainable ingredients, managing budgets responsibly and minimising food waste.
• - Build positive relationships with players and staff, supporting a positive culture around food, nutrition and wellbeing.
• - Support informal nutrition education alongside the Performance Nutritionist, sharing knowledge and encouraging positive food choices.

Leadership & Management

• - Lead, develop and motivate the kitchen team, creating a positive and high-performing environment that reflects the standards expected across the First team, Pompey FC Academy, Café and Pompey Women FC.
• - Manage the day-to-day performance of the team, including rotas, training, performance management and recruitment.
• - Set clear standards and expectations, ensuring consistently high levels of professionalism, quality and service across the kitchen operation.
• - Work collaboratively with Football, Performance, Medical and other relevant departments to ensure the kitchen operation effectively supports the wider needs of the Club.
• - Attend relevant meetings and contribute to the planning and implementation of performance nutrition and operational requirements.

Given the hours of work in this role, the successful candidate should live within close travel proximity to Portsmouth or be willing to relocate to within close proximity to the city.

Your Skills and Experience

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate
• NVQ Level 3 in Professional Cookery
• Sports Nutrition Qualification
• This role requires an enhanced DBS Check
• Full, clean UK driving licence.

Experiences

• Significant experience as a Head Chef
• Experience working in elite sport or high-performance settings.
• Genuine interest in professional football and elite athlete performance
• Evidence based track record of leading a team and managing a budget
• Excellent planning and organisational skills to quickly adapt to changing schedules
• Knowledge of specialist diets (e.g. plant-based, gluten‑free) and cultural dietary requirements.
• Confident managing kitchen operations independently and in fast‑paced environments.
• Excellent interpersonal skills-friendly, approachable, and adaptable.

At Portsmouth Football Club we are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and we aim to build an accurate picture of the make-up for our talent pools. Therefore, we ask that you submit the information on the below link to ensure we are always attracting a broad and diverse range of exceptional talent from all areas of society. Responses are anonymous and the data gathered will be used to inform our future initiatives but filling in this form is voluntary

https://forms.gle/H7NmjG95fgLSaWPD7

General information

We promote an equal, diverse, and inclusive workplace and weare committed to providing the best experience for our colleagues. As a business we aim to be as representative of as many sections of society as possible, and for each colleague to feel respected and able to give of their best every day. We ensure that we treat people the right way, promote respect and believe that making the most of our differences is the key to the success of our business.

We take a robust approach tomodern slaveryand human trafficking and our organisation is absolutely committed to preventingslaveryand human trafficking in our corporate activities, and to ensuring that our supply chains are free fromslaveryand human trafficking.

Safeguarding Portsmouth Football Club is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are committed to ensuring that any club related activity will be in a safe environment where children, young people and adults at risk are protected from harm or abuse whilst under our care.

We acknowledge that every child, young person, or adult at risk who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. Portsmouth Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

We must always respect the dignity and spirit of all people, including children, young people and adults at risk. Treat everyone fairly, encourage a supportive and positive environment to promote healthy competition, skill development, fun and achievement. Avoid contact or conduct that may be interpreted or defined as inappropriate.

Health and Safety Portsmouth Football Club is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well‑being of all employees, contractors, visitors, and others who may be affected by our operations.

As part of this commitment, you are expected to take reasonable care for your own health and safety, as well as that of others. You must comply with the company’s health and safety policies, procedures, and any legal requirements relevant to your role. Together, we aim to maintain a safe and supportive environment that promotes the welfare and security of everyone involved in our activities.

Data Protection The Club process all personal data collected during the recruitment process in accordance with complies with Data Protection Act (2018) and GDPR. Data collected as part of the recruitment process is held securely and accessed by, and disclosed to, individuals only for the purposes of managing the recruitment exercise effectively. All data that is deemed unnecessary will be disposed off at the end of recruitment process in line with our GDPR procedure.