Head Chef | Lead a High-Impact Military Kitchen

Sodexo Ltd; Colchester (VT); On-site; USD 53,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Programme for个人,

24/7 virtual GP & lifestyle rewards

Discounts for you & family

Financial tools & retirement plan

Job summary

Head Chef at Merville Barracks in Colchester leads high-volume military catering, ensuring food quality, safety and presentation while managing day-to-day operations.

You will mentor kitchen staff, plan rotas, oversee compliance with food safety and audits, and drive efficiency and cost control in a busy environment.

Candidates bring recognised catering qualifications and strong leadership, with experience in military or Defence settings advantageous.

Qualifications

• Recognised catering qualifications to lead a busy kitchen.
• Past leadership in a catering operation is essential.
• Strong knowledge of Health & Safety and Food Safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day catering operation, ensuring consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service.
• Lead, motivate and develop the kitchen team, creating an engaged, high-performing working environment.
• Manage and support Chefs, military Chefs and Kitchen Porters, providing clear direction, coaching and training.
• Plan and manage team rotas, leave and staffing requirements.
• Take ownership of menu delivery, ensuring recipes, specifications and portion controls are followed.
• Oversee food preparation, cooking and presentation to maintain high standards.
• Ensure Food Safety, Health & Safety and allergen compliance.
• Maintain kitchen due diligence, temperature monitoring and safety documentation.
• Drive internal and external audit performance and address actions.
• Manage stock ordering, stocktaking and waste, reducing costs.
• Monitor consumption and waste to improve efficiency.
• Contribute to financial performance including payroll and P&L management.
• Build relationships with client and customers and respond to feedback.

Skills

Kitchen leadership

Team development

Food safety knowledge

Budget control

Communication skills

Education

City & Guilds 706/1 and 2

NVQ Level 2 and 3

HND, BSc Catering or equivalent

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

MS Outlook

Job description

Head Chef at Merville Barracks in Colchester leads high-volume military catering, ensuring food quality, safety and presentation while managing day-to-day operations.

You will mentor kitchen staff, plan rotas, oversee compliance with food safety and audits, and drive efficiency and cost control in a busy environment.

Candidates bring recognised catering qualifications and strong leadership, with experience in military or Defence settings advantageous.