Enable job alerts via email!

Head Chef - Care Home

NHS

Shrewsbury

On-site

GBP 25,000 - 35,000

Full time

3 days ago
Be an early applicant

Boost your interview chances

Create a job specific, tailored resume for higher success rate.

Job summary

An established industry player in healthcare is seeking a passionate Head Chef to lead a kitchen team in a care home setting. This role offers a unique opportunity to create nutritious and delicious menus while enjoying a better work-life balance with set working days and alternate weekends. The successful candidate will have full autonomy in menu development and will work closely with fresh produce to deliver high-quality meals. Join a supportive environment that values culinary excellence and offers ongoing training through a dedicated Chef Academy. If you are ready to make a difference and inspire others, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Financial bonuses for inspections
Retail and leisure discounts
Free access to medical specialists
Confidential counselling services
Tax Code Review Service
Monthly staff lottery

Qualifications

  • Experience in leading and inspiring a kitchen team.
  • Strong understanding of nutrition and menu development.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and motivate the kitchen team to deliver high-quality dishes.
  • Develop menus tailored to residents' needs and preferences.

Skills

Team Leadership
Menu Development
Nutrition Knowledge
HACCP Understanding
COSHH Knowledge
Engagement with Residents
Baking Skills

Education

City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Job description

This is a Head Chef role at a care home operated by Barchester Healthcare. The job offers a better work-life balance with working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours, with full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well-balanced menus.

Main duties of the job

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required. You will be responsible for menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure you deliver person-centred hospitality. You will work with fresh produce to deliver high-quality and wholesome dishes cooked to the highest standards, including baking fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch. You will also assist the front of house team with setting up the dining areas, work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control, and create a warm, efficient and fun environment. Ongoing recruitment and retention, as well as managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house, will also be part of your responsibilities.

About us

Barchester Healthcare is a leading provider of care homes in the UK, driven by quality and high standards. They offer a range of benefits and rewards to their employees, including financial bonuses, discounts, and access to medical and counselling services.

Job responsibilities

FTC 12 months maternity cover. Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be!

Your Benefits and Rewards

Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week

Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection

Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral

Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies

Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it

Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services

Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax

Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide

Your Experience and Qualifications

A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents

Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team

Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition

The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes

Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus

Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard

Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH

Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques)

Your Role and Responsibilities

Lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required

Menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality

Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked of the highest standards

Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch

Assist the front of house team with setting up of the dining areas

Work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control

Create a warm, efficient and fun environment

Ongoing recruitment and retention

Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus, whilst also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development.

We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills, whilst also sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

Our internal Learning and Development team also offer industry recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications to chefs and hospitality team members who are looking to build upon and/or develop their skills.

Interested? If you are a motivated and dedicated chef who is ready to be part of something special, apply today!

*Terms & conditions apply

Person Specification
Qualifications
  • You will need to hold a City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent qualification, have experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team, and a good understanding of HACCP and COSHH. Experience working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition, as well as confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus, are also required.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Get your free, confidential resume review.
or drag and drop a PDF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, or PAGES file up to 5MB.