Regional Head Chef

Runwood Care Homes; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

28 days Paid Holiday

Pension Scheme

Blue Light Card and discounts

Employee Assistance Scheme for family

Comprehensive induction and ongoing, 0

Free DBS Check and uniform

Opportunities to progress your career

Job summary

Runwood Homes is seeking an experienced Regional Head Chef to support kitchen operations across multiple care home sites within a region. This field-based role requires travel between homes to ensure high standards of food quality, safety, and resident satisfaction.

You will work alongside the Regional Support Chef and Group Hospitality Manager, leading on-site chefs, auditing kitchens, training staff, and maintaining budgets while delivering tasty, well-balanced meals tailored to residents’

Qualifications

• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene (minimum).
• Full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel across region.
• Proven experience as a Head Chef, ideally in a care or healthcare setting.
• A flexible and adaptable approach with strong organisational skills.
• Excellent communication at all levels and a team player mindset.
• Satisfactory DBS result and good references.
• Experience of the provision of catering services, food preparation and presentation.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with the Hospitality management team to create regular chef's forums and training sessions.
• Audit kitchen operations to ensure food quality, presentation, and service meet standards.
• Develop and maintain good relationships with homes' management and kitchen teams.
• Ensure compliance with nutritional guidelines and individual care plans.
• Support on-site chefs across care homes.
• Lead kitchen operations during staff shortages or absences.
• Ensure kitchens meet food hygiene, health & safety, and HACCP standards.
• Conduct audits and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Train and develop kitchen staff.
• Promote a positive kitchen culture and high performance.
• Maintain food budgets where possible.
• Monitor waste and portion control.
• Gather feedback from residents and teams.

Skills

Food safety & hygiene

Driving licence

Travel flexibility

Head Chef experience

Care sector experience

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Team player

DBS & references

Catering services experience

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Regional Head Chef to join our Hospitality team. You will work alongside our Regional Support Chef & Group Hospitality Manager to Support kitchen operations across multiple care home sites within a region/ cluster, ensuring high standards of food quality, safety, and resident satisfaction. This is a flexible role requiring travel between homes. You'll step in to support homes during absences & assist with new openings ensuring consistent delivery of tasty, well-balanced meals tailored to residents' needs.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Liaise with the Hospitality management team to create regular chef's forums and training sessions to cover the needs of the homes you are supporting.


• When required audit the kitchen operations to ensure that the food quality, presentation, and service are provided to the appropriate standards as defined by the catering policies and mealtime standards.


• To develop and maintain good working relationships with the homes management and kitchen teams through regular personal contact.


• Ensure compliance with nutritional guidelines and individual care plans.


• Support on-site chefs across care homes.


• Step in to lead kitchen operations during staff shortages or absences.


• Ensure all kitchens meet food hygiene, health & safety, and HACCP standards.


• Conduct, when required, audits and implement corrective actions where needed.


• Train and develop kitchen staff.


• Promote a positive kitchen culture and high performance.


• Maintain food budgets, where possible.


• Monitor waste and portion control.


• Gather feedback from

Benefits of working with Runwood Homes:

• 28 days Paid HolidayPaid MileagePension SchemeBlue Light Card and access to various other discounts on travel, restaurants, days out and leisureEmployee Assistance Scheme that is also available to immediate family membersComprehensive induction and ongoing, paid trainingFree DBS Check and uniformOpportunities to progress your career within the company

The successful candidate will have

• Level 3 Food Safety & Hygiene (minimum)Full UK driving licence and flexibility to travel across regionProven experience as a Head Chef, ideally in a care or healthcare settingA flexible and adaptable approach with strong organisational skillsGenuine interest in working within a caring environmentAbility to communicate effectively at all levelsTeam playerWillingness to participate in vocational training programmesSatisfactory DBS result and good referencesExperience of the provision of catering services, food preparation and presentation

This is a field based role and will require the successful candidate to travel within the region. Access to a car and a driving license is essential.

Established in 1987, Runwood Homes is a leading provider of residential care, dementia care, and nursing care services, with a portfolio of 55 homes across England. Our commitment to delivering personalised care is at the core of our mission, as we strive to celebrate the lives of each and every one of our residents.

At Runwood Homes, we prioritise the professional development of our staff by investing in comprehensive internal, external, and e-training programs at all levels. This dedication to continuous learning and growth ensures that our team is equipped to provide the highest quality of care to our residents.

As we look towards the future, our reputation for delivering innovative care for individuals living with dementia continues to flourish. We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of care excellence and setting new standards in the industry.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of adults. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.