Regional Support Chef Manager

Holroyd Howe; City Of London; On-site; GBP 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading contract catering company in the UK is seeking a Regional Support Chef Manager to oversee operations across multiple independent schools in London and surrounding areas. This role requires strong culinary skills, leadership, and the ability to adapt quickly. The ideal candidate should have experience in catering and a passion for food. Attractive benefits include competitive salary, training opportunities, and more.

Benefits

28 days holiday

Volunteering days

Enhanced maternity leave

Bespoke training

Life insurance

Wellbeing hub access

Free meals while working

Qualifications

• Previous experience in contract catering or education preferred.
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards.
• Ability to multitask in a high-volume kitchen environment.

Responsibilities

• Cover absences and maintain food quality.
• Assist in menu planning considering dietary restrictions.
• Collaborate with catering team for events.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Culinary Passion

Food Safety

Education

Culinary degree or relevant certifications

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Regional Support Chef Manager

Location: London, Cambridge, Kent

Salary: £40,000 per annum + fuel/mileage reimbursement

Working weeks: 40 weeks

Benefits

• 28 days holiday including bank holidays
• 3 volunteering days to support causes you care about
• 3 days grandparent leave for special family moments
• 24 weeks’ enhanced maternity leave
• Bespoke training and development opportunities
• Pension and life insurance
• Discounts via our Perkbox app – high street brands, cinema, holidays & more
• Wellbeing hub & access to employee assistance programme
• Free meals while at work
• Career development pathways
• HIT Apprenticeships available at all levels

About the Role

Are you a confident, experienced Senior Chef with a love for working independently and the ambition to shape food experiences across multiple sites? We’re looking for a Regional Chef Manager to support and elevate our operations across a group of independent schools in London and the surrounding areas.

This is a rewarding opportunity to play a key role in a dynamic, food-led company that puts fresh, seasonal cooking and student wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

You’ll provide leadership and culinary expertise across your patch, supporting kitchen teams, stepping in where needed, and ensuring consistently high standards of food, service, and compliance. A company car or travel allowance is provided.

Experience in regional roles, particularly in education or contract catering, is an advantage, but not essential. Most important is your culinary passion, adaptability, and leadership.

This is the ideal opportunity for a skilled Head Chef or Chef Manager ready to take the next step, broaden their impact, and help set the new benchmark for education catering across London and the surrounding area.

Job Description

As well as having an excellent presentation, organisational and communication skills, you will be able to demonstrate a real passion for food & service and possess bags of enthusiasm.

• Cover long-term sickness, general absences, holidays and recruitment gaps
• Ensure the quality and presentation of all dishes meet the company's standards and client expectations
• Assist in menu planning and development, taking into consideration dietary restrictions, nutritional guidelines, and seasonal ingredients
• Quickly adapt to different kitchen environments and team dynamics
• Fill in for permanent chefs as needed, maintaining consistency and quality
• Be available to work in various locations within the designated geographical area
• Collaborate with the catering team to execute special events, themed dinners, and other culinary initiatives
• Foster a positive working environment by demonstrating leadership qualities, effective communication, and teamwork

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Previous experience working in a similar role within a contract catering company or educational institution preferred
• Culinary degree or relevant certifications from a recognized culinary institute
• Strong knowledge of food safety standards and best practices
• Ability to multitask and work efficiently under pressure in a high-volume kitchen environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required
• Fun and enthusiastic
• Excellent organisation skills
• Be a team player and enjoy succeeding as a team
• Flexible approach to work

Additional Information

Holroyd Howe is 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.

To provide our teams with the right skills to succeed in their jobs, we invest in their training and development. Our exceptional teams of seasoned specialists customise our catering services to fit children of all ages and satisfy the unique needs of our clients.

We pride ourselves on:

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of our thinking; always mindful of the ethics of our sourcing and how we prepare our meals.

Nutrition

We take nutrition seriously and understand the impact a healthy diet has on the fundamental years of development. Meals are always freshly prepared from scratch and packed with nutritious ingredients.

Food Innovation

We offer a wide portfolio of training opportunities and experiences, which attracts chefs who are passionate about culinary excellence and menu innovation to our team.

From tasting tables, theme days and food theatre, to chef demonstrations and supplier showcases, we create engaging and fun dining experiences for our students. We work together to make mealtimes exploratory, quirky, and fun for our pupils, helping them build strong and healthy relationships with food.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Holroyd Howe is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all employees to share this commitment. All roles within Holroyd Howe are regarded as regulated activity, and it is an offence to apply for a role in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children. We will require an Enhanced DBS including a Barred List check for all successful applicants, and shortlisted applicants will be subject to a criminal offences check and online search of publicly available information for suitability to work with children.

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

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