Peripatetic Chef

Brendoncare Foundation; Otterbourne; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meal on shift

Free Initial DBS

Life Assurance

Blue Light Card

Employee Assistance Programme

Not for Profit Care Provider

Early Pay

Mileage reimbursement

Job summary

Brendoncare Foundation seeks an Operational Peripatetic Chef to support multiple care homes from Winchester to East Grinstead, delivering high-quality, safe catering across 7 locations. You will lead kitchens, step in when needed, and ensure food safety and regulatory compliance while traveling across sites with a UK driving licence.

Weekend and holiday premiums apply. This role offers mileage reimbursement, free meals on shift, DBS check and life assurance as part of a supportive benefits

Qualifications

• Qualified chef with experience in high-volume or care-based catering.
• Proven leadership in kitchen environments and ability to train staff.
• Extensive travel between multiple care homes with flexibility.
• Strong knowledge of food safety and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, safe, and compliant food services across locations.
• Step in to support kitchens during absence or operational challenges.
• Troubleshoot service issues and improve performance across sites.
• Coach and train kitchen teams to maintain consistency and standards.
• Ensure residents receive nutritious meals and adhere to dietary requirements.

Skills

Qualified Chef

Leadership

Travel across sites

Food safety

Job description

A new and exciting opportunity has come up within our catering team!

Are you a qualified Chef looking for better work-life balance while still making a meaningful difference? Do you thrive in dynamic environments where no two days are the same? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

We’relooking for an Operational Peripatetic Chef (OPC)to support multiple carehomesfrom Winchester to East Grinstead, ensuring continuity, quality, and compliance across our services.

This is a key operational leadership role responsible for delivering safe, high-quality catering services across7 locations. As an OPC, you will step into kitchens where support is needed most — stabilising services, leading teams, and ensuring standards are consistently met.

Hours:

• 4 days per week (retainedbasis)
• 40 hours per week -10-hour operational service days
• Overtime available

Pay:

• £19 per hour
• Weekends – normal pay plus 10% premium
• Bank Holidays – normal pay plus 20% premium
• Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day – normal pay plus 80% premium

Working Requirements:

• Alternate weekends (Saturday orSunday)

• 50% of bank holidays

Additional:

• Mileage reimbursed from Otterbourne Hill (Travel time not paid)

Benefits:

• Free meal on shift

• Free Initial DBS

• Life Assurance *Subject to eligibility

• Blue Light Card

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Not for Profit Care Provider

• Early Pay

About the Role

As an Operational Peripatetic Chef, you will travel between care homesto:

• Deliver high-quality, safe, and compliant food services

• Step in to support kitchens during absence or operational challenges

• Troubleshoot service issues and improve performance

• Ensure adherence to food safety, nutrition, and regulatory standards

• Train and support kitchen teams to maintainconsistency

You’llplay a crucial role in maintainingstability across our care homes, ensuring residents receive nutritious, enjoyable meals every day.

This role is ideal if you are:

Required:

• A qualified Chef with experience in high-volume or care-based catering

• Confident stepping into new environments and leading by example

• Experienced in maintainingfood safety and compliance standards

• Flexible and willing to travel across multiple sites

• Highly organised, adaptable, and calm under pressure

• Passionate about delivering high-quality, fresh food

• Must have a full UK driverslicence

Desirable:

• Previousexperience working across multiple sites or in peripatetic roles

• Experience within the care sector or similar environments

• Strong teamdevelopment and coaching abilities

Why join us?

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to quality, consistency, and care. This role offers a unique opportunity to:

• Gain exposure across multiple services

• Develop your leadership and operational skills

• Enjoy greater flexibility and work-life balance

• Play a vital role in improving service delivery across a wider organisation

If you’rea flexible, experienced Chef who enjoys variety, leadership, and making a real difference — we’dlove to hear from you.

Join a supportive organisation where your skills will be valued, your impact recognised, and your work truly matters.