Venue Lead Chef

Compass Group; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering service provider in London is seeking a Unit Lead Chef to manage daily kitchen operations at their flagship site. The ideal candidate will possess experience in event catering, strong leadership skills, and a passion for food. This full-time role offers competitive pay, career progression, and various perks, including a contributory pension scheme and discounts on food and travel.

Benefits

Incremental holiday allowance

Company pension

Discounted or free food

Career development programs

Healthcare benefits

Travel discounts

Wellness classes

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Senior Chef de Partie or Sous Chef in production, B&I or event catering.
• A cool head, sharp palate and strong eye for detail.
• Passion for great food and kitchen culture.

Responsibilities

• Deliver the daily food offer and oversee kitchen operations.
• Coach and lead the kitchen team.
• Ensure quality control for production and events.

Skills

Leadership skills

Attention to detail

Culinary skills

Ability to work under pressure

Job description

Unit Lead Chef – Liverpool Street

Monday to Friday (mostly) | £Competitive | Serious food, zero fluff

Are you a food-obsessed, standards-driven Senior Chef de Partie / Sous Chef ready to step into a fast-paced, flavour-packed role? We’re looking for one standout chef (yes, just one!) to help lead the charge at one of our flagship sites in London.

About us

We’re Grazing — one of London’s most exciting boutique contract and event caterers. We create bold, brilliant food for clients who love quality and crave something different. From bangin’ breakfast bites to gorgeous grazing feasts, we do it all — and then some.

The role

As Unit Lead Chef you’ll be delivering the daily food offer at our location, working with our central production kitchen to ensure we are delivering the best quality offer, daily.

You’ll be

• Running the daily kitchen operation and ensuring dishes are top-tier, every time
• Coaching and leading the team to bring out their best
• Overseeing prep, production and quality control for B&I, events, and bespoke client menus
• Owning HACCP, food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance like a pro
• Helping shape menus and pushing for innovation, efficiency and WOW-factor food
• Jumping from sandwiches to street food to plated events — and loving the variety

What we need from you

• Proven experience as a Senior Chef de Partie or Sous Chef in production, B&I or event catering
• A cool head, sharp palate and strong eye for detail
• Natural leadership skills — calm under pressure and great with people
• A passion for great food and kitchen culture
• Flexibility for the odd evening or weekend when events call for it

What’s in it for you

• Monday to Friday working (06:00 - 14:30), plus potential overtime if wanted.
• Competitive salary
• Incremental holiday allowance
• Career progression in a fast-growing company
• Big role, big impact – your food will be seen, tasted, and talked about
• Perks, team socials, and proper coffee (plus plenty of tastings!)

This is your chance to take a lead role in a kitchen that’s going places. If you’re hungry to grow, love working with good people, and want to be part of something special, get in touch.

Hit apply, send us your CV, and let’s cook up something brilliant together.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits

• Additional leave
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food

Work Location: In person

We ensure you’re rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

As part of Compass you’ll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK’s biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/3110/42903001/52772820/SU #Grazing

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!