School Menu Development Chef

Neway International Ltd; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering service provider is seeking a School Menu Development Chef based in Nottingham City Council. The successful candidate will inspire and develop catering teams, design seasonal menus, and support kitchen operations across various schools. This role requires knowledge of school food standards, strong leadership skills, and the ability to travel to multiple sites. The position is full-time with an immediate start, focused on enhancing the quality of school meals and supporting children's health.

Qualifications

• Awareness of school catering government food standards.
• Experience with allergen compliance and management.
• Background in school catering or relevant knowledge.
• Strong leadership and collaborative skills.
• Ability to travel to different school sites.

Responsibilities

• Inspire and develop catering teams to deliver exceptional food and service.
• Work with management to audit kitchens and provide recommendations.
• Design and implement fresh, seasonal menus twice per year.
• Attend school events to promote menus and conduct demonstrations.
• Support and upskill school cooks.

Skills

Leadership skills

Knowledge of school catering standards

Experience with allergen compliance

Innovative approach

Ability to adapt to school catering

Job description

Neway International are seeking a School Menu Development Chef to join our client based with Nottingham City Council.

Location: Loxley House, Nottingham (with travel across 52 schools in Nottingham/Nottinghamshire and 2 in Derby)

Hours: Full time, 7.24 hours per day

Start Date: Immediate

About the Client

Nottingham City Council delivers over 2 million school meals each year, committed to providing fresh, seasonal, and nutritious food that meets School Food Standards and Food for Life criteria. Their catering service is dedicated to supporting children’s health and wellbeing while promoting innovation and excellence in school kitchens.

The Role

This is not a standard development chef role. As School Menu Development Chef, you will inspire and develop catering teams, design menus, and promote Nottingham’s school meal offer across multiple sites. You will play a key role in ensuring kitchens run to a high standard, supporting cooks to grow their craft, and driving continuous improvement across the service.

Key Responsibilities

• Inspire and develop catering teams to deliver exceptional food and service.
• Work with management to audit kitchens, providing recommendations for improvement.
• Design and implement fresh, seasonal menus twice per year, ensuring compliance with School Food Standards and Food for Life criteria.
• Attend school events to promote menus through taster sessions and demonstrations.
• Support and upskill school cooks, building confidence and expertise.
• Drive continuous improvement across schools and commercial catering operations.
• Adapt recipes for large-scale production, ensuring portion control and consistency.

Candidate Requirements

• Awareness of school catering government food standards.
• Experience with allergen compliance and management in a school environment.
• Background in school catering or ability to adapt knowledge to this setting.
• Strong leadership skills, collaborative and innovative approach.
• Passion for bringing new food trends and flavours into school kitchens.
• Ability to travel to different school sites as required.

Based at Loxley House with regular school site presence.