Temporary Head Chef

Active Pathways; Bamber Bridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

Join a leading company as a Temporary Head Chef in Bamber Bridge, where you'll lead a kitchen team in delivering nutritious meals for individuals with mental health needs. This part-time role offers a fixed-term contract with a supportive environment focused on recovery and well-being.

Qualifications

• Experience working in a busy kitchen.
• Confident leading a team and managing kitchen operations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare nutritious, well-presented meals to suit individual dietary needs.
• Lead and support a small kitchen team.
• Manage stock, ordering, and kitchen budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Food Hygiene

Communication

Time Management

Education

NVQ Level 2 in Food Safety

NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care

Job description

Join to apply for the Temporary Head Chef role at Active Pathways.

This range is provided by Active Pathways. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

Head Chef (Temp Contract - Mental Health Rehabilitation)

Brookhaven, Bamber Bridge, Preston

Part-Time | Fixed-Term (2 Months from June)

£15.00 per hour | Approx. 29 Hours Per Week

Do you take pride in creating high-quality, nutritious meals that make a real impact? Are you passionate about leading a kitchen team and delivering an excellent service that supports the wellbeing of others? If so, we’d love to hear from you.

Why Join Active Pathways?

With over 20 years of experience operating in Lancashire and Yorkshire, Active Pathways is committed to delivering recovery-focused mental health and rehabilitation services for adults aged 18+. Guided by our values of Passion, Safety, and Quality, we offer excellent development opportunities and a people-first culture.

The Role

We’re looking for a temporary Head Chef to join us at Brookhaven, our open rehabilitation service in Bamber Bridge. This is a fixed-term contract for 2 months from June, covering a rolling shift pattern averaging 29 hours per week:

• Week 1: Monday: 8:00am - 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday: 8:30am - 5:30pm
• Week 2: Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 8:00am - 6:00pm

This pattern will repeat for the duration of the contract.

You’ll lead the kitchen, ensuring nutritious meals are delivered to meet the individual needs of our service users. You’ll manage a small team, oversee compliance, and contribute to our supportive, recovery-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare nutritious, well-presented meals to suit individual dietary needs
• Lead and support a small kitchen team
• Manage stock, ordering, and kitchen budgets
• Maintain high hygiene and food safety standards
• Contribute to audits and service improvements

What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• Experience working in a busy kitchen
• Confident leading a team and managing kitchen operations
• Strong knowledge of food hygiene and dietary needs
• NVQ Level 2 in Food Safety (or equivalent) and a valid Food Hygiene Certificate
• Well-organised with great communication and time management skills
• Ability to adapt meals to individual needs

Desirable:

• Experience in mental health or care settings
• NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care
• First Aid Certificate
• Full UK driving licence

About Brookhaven

Located in Bamber Bridge, Brookhaven is a 23-bed, mixed-gender open rehabilitation service for individuals aged 18+ with enduring mental health needs. Our experienced multidisciplinary team delivers inclusive, recovery-focused care, offering access to community-based leisure activities, adult education, and vocational work schemes.

If this sounds like the rewarding role you’ve been searching for, APPLY TODAY and join our friendly, supportive team!

Active Pathways Ltd is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We respect and empower each individual and support diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences within our workforce. We welcome applications from diverse candidates and provide support during our recruitment processes to enable all applicants to perform at their best.