Regional Executive Chef

Compass Group; Dartford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Compass Group is seeking an Executive Chef to lead a dynamic catering team in Dartford. This role emphasizes culinary innovation, staff leadership, and quality food service in a busy educational environment. The ideal candidate will have extensive culinary experience along with a passion for delivering exceptional dining experiences.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes

Wider healthcare benefits

Exclusive travel discounts

Discounts on food shops

Cash rewards for spending

Free wellness classes

Qualifications

• Experienced in culinary arts with innovative presentation.
• Strong leadership and communication skills in managing kitchen staff.
• Proficient understanding of budgeting, food costing, and menu planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead food preparation and enhance quality through innovative menus.
• Ensure compliance with food safety standards and budget controls.
• Manage and inspire kitchen teams to deliver exceptional service.

Skills

Culinary skills

Presentation skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Organizational skills

Numeracy

Job description

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

Chartwells Independents is the leading provider of catering and support services to Independent Schools in the UK. We provide innovative catering, hospitality and food service by creating imaginative menus delivered with an exceptional service.

We know as a company that great food comes from great ingredients. Our Chefs use seasonal produce, adding their own individual creativity to let the food speak for itself. We pride ourselves on being able to provide a diverse range of cuisines that keep up to date with today's trends ensuring we offer a great dining experience.

We nurture and develop our teams to enrich their skills which allows them to show their passion and inspiration that as a company we are proud to encourage.

You will be part of a team that supports high quality education at this school by providing outstanding food and service to the pupils and staff.

You will be leading a team who share the same passion for preparing exciting fresh and nutritious food on a daily basis. This is a complex, busy and multi-facetted environment that also offers a great work life balance.

We are looking for a talented, enthusiastic and experienced Executive Chef to lead our dedicated catering team, who produce outstanding food using the finest and freshest ingredients in this highly prestigious unit.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an inspirational and enthusiastic Executive Head Chef to make a name for themselves within the contract catering industry.

In return we offer support and development to grow within our business alongside a competitive salary

More about the role:

• Delivery of a range of food and catering services across a number of outlets in a complex, busy and multi-facetted environment
• The Executive Chef will plan, organise and direct the preparation and cooking of food ensuring that the company's reputation for quality is enhanced with customers and clients at all times
• Taking responsibility for the food production with a hands-on approach
• Driving sales through centrally driven menu planning and promotions and preferred suppliers
• Responsible for all aspects of food safety, HSE and COSHH
• The Executive Chef will also be required to implement and maintain food monitoring procedures to facilitate budgetary control and to monitor all costs involved in the kitchen against agreed budgets.

Who you are:

• Excellent and Innovative culinary and presentation skills
• Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills
• Energetic with a passion to do a great job
• Able to manage staff in a calm, inspirational manner
• A forward-thinker who can prevent wastage
• Demonstrates a passion for food
• Team Player
• Excellent organisation skills
• Numerate and computer literate with an understanding of financial drivers
• A clear understanding of profit margins, purchasing policy, budgeting and food costing, including control

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/0805/43112001/52219263/SU #Independent

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!