South Benfleet
Were looking for an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead the catering service within a large residential care home. This role is ideal for a chef who takes pride in delivering nutritious, well-presented meals, managing a kitchen team, and maintaining the highest standards of food safety and compliance. You will play a key role in ensuring residents receive high-quality food that meets their individual dietary and nutritional needs, while operating within agreed budgets and company standards. About the Role Job Title: Head Chef Reporting To: Home Manager Hours: 35 hours per week Setting: 109-bed residential care home Pay Rate: £28,210 £30,940 Per Annum (depending on experience) Key Responsibilities Food Service & Kitchen Operations Prepare, cook, portion, and present meals in line with company standards and costings Plan, write, and cost menus, ensuring seasonal variety and nutritional balance Cater for special dietary and medical requirements, including texture-modified and high-calorie diets Ensure all food is cooked safely, taste-tested, and served at the correct temperature Control food wastage and maintain accurate records Ensure appropriate food ordering aligned to resident numbers and budget controls Manage deliveries, stock rotation, storage, and security of all food supplies Process invoices weekly and ensure accurate record-keeping Leadership & Team Management Lead, motivate, and develop the kitchen team to deliver consistently high standards Train staff on dish specifications, portion control, food safety, and company procedures Conduct regular team meetings and one-to-one discussions Recognise good performance and address performance issues where required Support recruitment, onboarding, and training of kitchen team members Work closely with the Home Manager to ensure residents dietary needs are always up to date Compliance, Health & Safety Ensure full compliance with HACCP, food hygiene, and health & safety regulations Maintain all temperature records, food labelling, and due diligence documentation Ensure the kitchen remains clean, organised, and audit-ready at all times Adhere to cleaning schedules, uniform standards, and personal hygiene requirements Deliver company kitchen standards and contribute positively to internal audits Resident Experience Attend resident meetings to gather feedback and continuously improve the food service Ensure supplement foods and drinks are available daily Provide finger foods and enhanced nutrition options to support dementia care Take part in special functions and events as required About You Essential Requirements Proven experience in a catering environment, ideally within care or healthcare Intermediate or Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate Strong leadership and people-management skills Experience managing food budgets and achieving margins Excellent understanding of HACCP and food safety compliance Menu planning, costing, and stock control experience Knowledge of special dietary and nutritional requirements Strong communication skills and a genuine interest in working within a caring environment Satisfactory police checks (including ISA where applicable) Basic understanding of the Health & Safety at Work Act Desirable Experience working with nutritional information Whats in It for You? Stable, permanent role within a well-established residential care setting Consistent weekly hours (35 hours per week) Competitive hourly rate (£15.50£16.00 DOE) Opportunity to lead and develop a dedicated kitchen team A rewarding role where your food genuinely makes a difference to residents wellbeing Additional Information This role is subject to relevant background checks Full compliance with food safety, safeguarding, and company policies is required TPBN1_UKCT