Chef Manager | Queens Park Community SchoolSalary: £39,000 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week
Contract: Term time only, 44.6 weeks per year
Working pattern: Monday to Friday
Employer: Pabulum
Additional hours: Occasional ad hoc hospitalityGreat food. Great people. A role with a better work-life balance.Pablium is looking for an experienced Chef Manager to lead the catering operation at Queens Park Community School.This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate and experienced chef who loves creating fresh, high-quality food and getting the best from their team.You'll take ownership of the day-to-day catering operation, leading your kitchen team and ensuring consistently high standards of food, service, safety and customer satisfaction.With Monday-to-Friday hours and a term-time-only working pattern, this role offers the opportunity to develop your career while enjoying a working schedule that's difficult to find in many Chef Manager positions.What you'll be doingAs Chef Manager, you'll be responsible for:

• Leading and managing the day-to-day catering operation
• Preparing, cooking and serving fresh food to agreed standards and specifications
• Leading, motivating and developing your catering team
• Maintaining excellent standards of food quality, presentation and service
• Managing ordering, stock control, deliveries and storage
• Controlling food costs, managing resources effectively and minimising waste
• Maintaining high standards of Food Safety, HACCP, Health & Safety and allergen compliance
• Completing all required catering paperwork and maintaining accurate records
• Building positive relationships with the school, customers and wider team
• Supporting occasional hospitality and events
• Ensuring company and statutory standards are consistently maintained

What we're looking forYou'll be an experienced chef and confident people manager who can combine great food with an efficiently run operation.You'll ideally bring:

• Proven experience managing a successful kitchen or catering operation
• At least 2 years' catering experience
• Strong culinary skills and a genuine passion for fresh, quality food
• Experience leading, motivating and developing a small team
• Good knowledge of food safety, hygiene and Health & Safety requirements
• A Basic Food Hygiene qualification
• Good commercial awareness, including food cost and budget management
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a busy catering environment
• Excellent communication and people-management skills
• A customer-focused approach and commitment to high standards
• Confidence holding yourself and your team accountable
• Good IT skills and confidence completing catering administration and paperwork

What's in it for you?We want to ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work. Our benefits package includes:

• Monday-to-Friday working
• Term-time only, 44.6 weeks per year
• £39,000 annual salary
• Free meals
• Contributory pension scheme
• Career development through Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access to a Digital GP for you and your immediate family, plus wider healthcare benefits
• Travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and more
• Discounts at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and other retailers
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets
• Cash rewards to spend across a wide range of brands
• Free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• Discounts and offers that can be shared with friends and family

Ready for your next move?If you're an experienced Chef Manager, Head Chef or Catering Manager looking for a role where you can lead a team, create great food and make a real difference in a school environment, we'd love to hear from you.

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/0411/42356001/52834810/R/SU #Pabulum

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!