Head Chef - Care Home

About the role

As Head Chef at Barchester Healthcare in Woking, you will deliver high quality meals in a care home setting, working primarily across 4/5 days a week with alternate weekend coverage, ensuring a better work life balance compared to the typical split shift schedule.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and inspire the kitchen team, managing performance and ongoing recruitment and retention.
• Develop, up skill and deliver person centred menus tailored to residents' needs, using fresh seasonal produce and the IDDSI framework for modified diets.
• Oversee front of house operations to ensure dining areas meet high standards.
• Prepare fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch.
• Work within cooking budgets, complete regular audits, stock control and maintain HACCP, COSHH and other food safety standards.
• Provide a warm, efficient and welcoming dining environment and support residents' wellbeing.
• Take ownership of kitchen and team development, sharing learning at the Barchester Chef Academy and Industry recognised apprenticeships.

Qualifications

• Hold City & Guilds, NVQ, SVQ or equivalent qualification.
• Experience leading, motivating and inspiring a culinary team.
• Positive experience working with fresh seasonal food and understanding of nutrition.
• Good working knowledge of HACCP, COSHH and modified diet frameworks such as IDDSI.

Benefits and Rewards

• 4/5 day work week with alternate weekend coverage.
• Rewarding Excellence bonus: up to £500 for Good or Outstanding CQC inspections.
• Refer a Friend scheme: earn up to £500 per referral.
• Access to wide retail and leisure discounts with major brands, supermarkets and travel companies.
• Free access to medical specialists and confidential counselling and legal services.
• Tax Code Review Service to ensure correct tax coding.
• Monthly staff lottery across the network of Barchester homes.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

The post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check for any previous criminal convictions.