Chef Manager

Chef Manager

• Combe Valley Hospital, Mount View Street, Bexhill-on-Sea
• £32,500pa per annum plus great Sodexo Benefits
• 37.5hrs pw 5/7 to include weekends
• Varying shifts on rota basis, 7am to 3pm, 9am to 5pm and 12noon to 8pm
• City and Guilds 706/1 and 706/2 or equivalent NVQ essential
• Free meal on shift, uniform provided, work life balance and sociable hours

Job Introduction

At Sodexo, we know that great food and great leadership can make a real difference to people's wellbeing. We're looking for an experienced Chef Manager who combines strong culinary expertise with inspiring leadership to create exceptional dining experiences for patients, visitors and colleagues at Combe Valley Hospital site.

Combe Valley Hospital is a specialist mental health facility. As a result, this role offers a unique opportunity to make a genuine impact on people's wellbeing through the delivery of high-quality food and service. We're therefore looking for a compassionate and resilient leader who understands the importance of professionalism, respect and empathy in a patient-focused environment.

This is more than a kitchen management role. It's an opportunity to lead a talented team, influence customer satisfaction, and play a key role in delivering high-quality services within a healthcare environment where your work genuinely impacts people every day.

You'll take ownership of the catering operation, ensuring excellent food standards, financial performance, compliance, and team engagement while creating an environment where people can thrive.

At Sodexo, you'll be part of a global organisation built around improving quality of life. We believe in supporting our people to be their best, providing opportunities to develop, progress and make a meaningful impact every day.

If you're an experienced Chef Manager, Head Chef or Catering Manager looking for your next challenge and want to combine your culinary expertise with strong leadership skills in a rewarding healthcare environment, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll be doing

• Leading, motivating and developing a team of chefs and food service assistants
• Delivering consistently high-quality food and catering services
• Managing food production while maintaining Sodexo standards
• Taking responsibility for budgets, cost control and financial performance
• Managing stock control, ordering and purchasing activities
• Building strong relationships with clients and stakeholders
• Driving customer satisfaction and service excellence
• Recruiting, training, coaching and developing team members
• Ensuring compliance with food safety, health & safety and company policies
• Supporting operational delivery through a hands-on leadership approach when required

What You Bring

You'll be a confident people leader with a passion for food, service and operational excellence.

Essential

• Proven experience leading and developing teams of 5+ employees
• Strong chef background with excellent culinary skills
• Experience managing budgets and controlling costs
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong IT literacy
• City & Guilds 706/707 or an NVQ equivalent qualification [Chef Manager JD | Word]

Desirable

• Experience within healthcare or private hospital environments
• Food Hygiene qualification
• IOSH or Health & Safety qualification

What we offer

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater. You’ll belong in a company and team that values you for you; you’ll act with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions; and you’ll be able to thrive in your own way. In addition, we also offer a range of resources, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering mental health and wellbeing support.
• Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or larger problems where you may need additional support, including legal and financial advice, support with work related issues or personal issues such as bereavement.
• Access to a free health and wellbeing app that provides rewards for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and includes access to a 24hr virtual GP and various other services.
• The Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 (also open to friends and family) and/or the prepayment cashback card.
• Money Insights and financial benefits via the Salary Finance Platform.
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Sodexo Retirement Plan
• A Death-in-Service benefit for colleagues who pass away whilst employed by Sodexo
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools.
• Cycle to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit.
• Volunteering Opportunities to enable all colleagues to help support worthwhile causes in our communities.
• Flexible and dynamic work environment
• Competitive compensation
• Full training and full protective uniform supplied.

Ready to be part of something greater? Apply today and help us create a better every day for everyone.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advertisement early if we are in receipt of a high volume of applications.

About Sodexo

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better every day for everyone to build a better life for all. As the global leader in services that improve the Quality of Life, we operate in 55 countries, serving over 100 million consumers each day through our unique combination of On-Site Food and FM Services, Benefits & Rewards Services and Personal & Home Services.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer. We are a forces friendly employer. We welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds, and identities. We encourage our employees to get involved with our Employee Networks such as Pride, Sodexo Parents & Carers, Sodexo Disability, Ability network, So Together, Generations and Origins.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. We run a Disability Confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria for the job.

Click here to read more about what we do to promote an inclusive culture.

Sodexo Disability, Ability network, So Together, Generations and Origins.

File Downloads

• UK Rewards and Benefits Guide. 2025.pdf
• Chef Manager JD.pdf