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Holroyd Howe; Rochester; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free meals while at work

Pension & life insurance

Generous holiday leave allowance

Volunteer days

Career development through apprentices

Job summary

Holroyd Howe, a leading UK contract caterer, is seeking a committed CDP to join the kitchen team at Rochester Independent College. You’ll assist with food preparation, maintain high standards, and help deliver daily meals and events for pupils.

You will join a team focused on allergen management, fresh seasonal food, and bespoke training. This role follows a 37.8-hour week (190 days per year) with generous holidays and career development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience as Sous Chef or Chef de Partie in contract catering.
• Passion for fresh, seasonal food and creative presentation.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head Chef in daily kitchen operations
• Support the team with supper services
• Occasional weekends according to a rota
• Motivate the team to deliver high standards of food and service
• Ensure food safety and allergen controls are consistently met
• Contribute to innovative menu planning
• Manage mise en place and ensure smooth, timely service
• Support events and functions alongside school life
• Accountability for following and championing allergen controls

Skills

Sous Chef

Chef de Partie

Seasonal food

Teamwork

Communication

Flexible

Attention to detail

Food safety

Job description

Contracted working weeks: 37.8 (plus 5.6 holidays)

Why Join us?

• Contracted to work 190 days per year only!
• Generous holiday leave allowance!
• 3 volunteering days to give back to causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for those special family moments
• 24 weeks enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training & development opportunities
• Pension & life insurance
• Discounts on high street brands, cinema & holidays via the Perkbox App
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development through apprenticeships for all experience levels.

About the role:

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic

CDP to join the kitchen team at

Rochester Independent College. You’ll support food preparation, help maintain high standards, and play a vital role in the delivery of daily meals and special events.

You will be joining Holroyd Howe, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, providing fresh innovative food services solely to independent schools and colleges. We are a team of experienced professionals who tailor our catering service provision specifically to suit children of all ages in order to meet the bespoke requirements of each school.

The safety and wellbeing of the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do. A key element is effective allergen management; achieved through training, communication, and care, we create mealtimes where every pupil has a safe experience. Our mission is simple: to provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their job and our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the Head Chef in daily kitchen operations
• Support the team with supper services
• Support on occasional weekends according to a rota
• Motivate the team to deliver high standards of food and service
• Ensure food safety and allergen controls are consistently met
• Contribute to innovative menu planning
• Manage mise en place and ensure smooth, timely service
• Support events and functions alongside school life
• Accountability for following and championing allergen controls

Qualifications

Candidate Profile:

• Ideally, you will have experience as an Sous Chef, or Chef de Partie within a contract catering environment, preferably in independent education, or a high-profile business and industry setting.
• Passionate about fresh, seasonal food and creative presentation
• Strong attention to detail and high food safety standards
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills
• A flexible and proactive approach to work

Additional Information

We pride ourselves on:

People first

We’re a company of individuals, united in doing our best for our clients.

Great food, always

Using only the best ingredients, our food is fresh, authentic and tailored to each school, age group, and specific needs and preferences.

Food education

We educate pupils through food, encouraging them to understand and develop their own personal tastes and make informed food choices.

Respect in everything we do

Our respectful codes of conduct inform how we behave towards our clients and customers, suppliers and business partners, and each other.

Fresh thinking

New ideas for food, service and ways of working help us maintain our position as creative leaders in school catering.

In order to be considered for this role you must be able to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK.

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe involve regulated activity. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred from working with children to apply for such roles. An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a Barred List check will be required for all successful applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be asked to provide information about relevant criminal offences and will be subject to an online search of publicly available information. This search helps identify any issues that may affect suitability to work with children.

This appointment is offered on the return of satisfactory professional references.