Senior Head Chef

Durham University; North East; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Durham University is seeking a Senior Head Chef to lead a large kitchen operation, preparing three meals daily for up to 600 students and staff. The post holder will cater for high-profile clients, private dining, external functions and banqueting, while developing teams to maintain exceptional food and service standards.

Flexibility across catering areas and involvement in day-to-day kitchen operations, including cleaning, goods receipt and deliveries, are expected as part of a dynamic

Responsibilities

• Supervise a large kitchen team that prepares three meals per day for up to 600 students and staff.
• Cater for high-profile clientele, private dining, external functions and banqueting.
• Develop existing teams to deliver consistently exceptional food and service.
• Assist with day-to-day cleaning of kitchen and catering equipment, receipt and storage of goods, and checking deliveries.

Job description

The Role and the Department

The Operations Directorate: Elevating the Student and Staff Experience

The Operations Directorate is dedicated to providing a world-class experience for our diverse student and staff communities, which is essential to our students' learning journey. Our passionate team delivers services and facilities across 15 colleges, including catering, housekeeping, reception, security, and maintenance.

All staff within the Operations Directorate share the responsibility for supporting environmental and social sustainability initiatives including water and energy conservation and re-use and recycling as outlined in operating procedures. These resources create a safe environment where our students can live, work, dine, socialise, and thrive together.

Within the Operations Directorate, we have three key areas:

1. University Catering: Our robust catering team of 500 ensures fresh, exciting, and diverse dining experiences throughout our colleges, catering to the unique needs of our University Community, which includes students, staff, and visitors, and offer expert advice on bar management.
2. College Operations: With over 200 dedicated professionals, we provide residential services within the colleges as well as supporting student and non-student-led events.
3. Retail Services: Our branded retail catering and merchandise outlets offer an enticing array of menus and high-quality products thoughtfully presented to enhance the shopping experience for our students and staff whilst building positive relationships via efficient service and attentive staff.

The Role

The Senior Head Chef will be responsible for supervising a large kitchen team which produces three meals per day for up to 600 students and staff. The post holder will be responsible for catering for high profile clientele, private dining external functions and banqueting. The Head Chef must be able to develop existing teams to ensure that consistently exceptional standard of food and service is delivered. The post holder will also assist with day to day cleaning of kitchen and catering equipment, receipt and storage of goods, checking and signing for deliveries.

Catering team members will be expected to adopt and promote a flexible approach to working, and to undertake any or all of the tasks outlined below regardless of their designated shift.

The post holder will be required to work flexibly across all catering areas.

In addition to a highly competitive salary and rewards package, our strategic focus includes ongoing development opportunities for our people. Join us today and shape your career at Durham University!