Deputy Head Chef

Looking for a Chef role that offers you a great work-life balance?

At St Leonard's Hospice, we are recruiting for a passionate and food focussed Deputy Head Chef to lead on the day to day kitchen operations in the absence of our Head Chef. Ensuring the catering team strives for excellence in everything within its remit, you will help to source local seasonal produce and interact with patients to truly meet their individual and changing needs.

On a day-to-day basis, you will:

• Consistently deliver high levels of exciting, delicious and inventive catering for our patients, staff and visitors
• Work with the Head Chef to review the catering offer to meet the needs of the organisation
• Support and develop a collaborative team

This is a full time role, working 37.5 hours per week, 5 days over 7 working alternate weekends. The Catering team's shift patterns are normally worked between 7.30am and 6.30pm (either an early or late, based on a 7.5 hour shift length), which allows our team to have a great work-life balance. Full flexibility is essential though as no two days are the same and it is imperative the needs of the Hospice and Catering Team are met at all times.

Main duties of the job

To fulfil the Deputy Head Chef role, you will need:

• Experience of managing a team in a catering environment
• Comprehensive knowledge of food hygiene and food safety regulations
• The ability to manage and prioritise your workload
• To be a team player

What's in it for you as Deputy Head Chef:

• Shift enhancements for working unsociable hours
• Generous annual leave entitlement of up to 41 days
• Extensive employee discounts on shops, holidays and lifestyle choices and Blue Light Card discounts
• Opportunities to grow your skills and career
• Free onsite car parking
• Day shifts which allow you to have a great work/life balance
• A supportive and friendly working environment

About us

Our mission is to provide excellent care and support to those living with life-limiting illness and to the people they care about, to enrich their lives and contribute to the ongoing development of end-of-life care. We do this by placing our patients at the centre of everything we do, and by involving patients and their families in all decisions regarding their care.

We can only achieve this with the help of our amazing colleagues, by developing and recognising their contribution, and by sharing our knowledge and skills through education, audit and research.

We do not have sponsorship status and therefore all our offers are made conditional upon our candidates submitting evidence of their right to work in the UK in conjunction with our other pre-employment checks.

Job responsibilities

In the absence of the Head Chef, the Deputy Head Chef will lead on the day-to-day operations of the kitchen, supervising the team to consistently deliver high-level quality food while maintaining the 5 EHO rating.

The Deputy Head Chef will work with the Head Chef to develop and modernise the food offering to meet the needs of our patients, staff, visitors and volunteers.

Main duties and responsibilities

Professional

1. Deputise to the Head Chef on all aspects of food across the organisation; delivering enticing, nutritional, inventive and experimental menus to meet the needs of our patients, staff, visitors and volunteers.
2. Collaborate with all departments that come in contact with the catering service, particularly with the Clinical team, to meet the needs of our patients, ensuring any changes to their requirements are responded to promptly.
3. Provide refreshments for internal, external functions and special events as required, including cakes and meals for celebratory events for patients.

Managerial

1. With the active support of the Head Chef, supervise the Catering team (paid staff and volunteers), ensuring staff are briefed every day and that individual skills are utilised appropriately.
2. Order ingredients as required, matching menus to sourcing of goods, ensuring fresh, local, seasonal and sustainable provisions are used. Ensure deliveries match purchase orders, ensuring quality and standards are met, and stored correctly.
3. Assist with managing all stock to ensure shelf rotation and that they are clearly visible to aid ease of identifying stock levels.
4. Monitor and maintain consistent high food standards and quality across all areas and during all stages of production and supply to ensure HACCP procedures are maintained including cleaning rotas and closing down procedures. Actively use and complete audits, checklists, COSHH and risk assessments using appropriate software.

Other Requirements

• Flexible approach to hours of work.
• Be prepared to assist with Hospice fundraising activities.

Qualifications

• City & Guilds 706.1/2 or NVQ Level 2 or equivalent Level 2 Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
• Level 3 Supervising Food Safety or higher

Experience

• Experience of working within management in a catering environment.
• Experience of successfully delivering consistent food standards & quality.
• Excellent food presentation skills; Experience of performing audit/quality controls.
• Knowledge of special dietary requirements and food allergies.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Food Hygiene Regulations, Health & Safety and HACCP. Good organisational & planning skills including being able to prioritise workload. Attention to detail/accuracy.
• Experience of using the IDDSI Framework.

IT

• Good basic IT skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook).

Communication

• Courteous and respectful of others.
• Ability to be sensitive and empathetic.
• Ability to communicate at all levels within the Hospice.

Personal

• Team player.
• Enthusiasm and can-do attitude.
• Ability to listen & act on feedback.
• Integrity, discretion and be able to respect confidentiality.