Head Chef

Position Head Chef
Location Cheetham’s school of Music, Long Millgate, Manchester, M3 1SB
Location £40,000 per Annum
Hours 40 hours per week Working Pattern 5 out of 7 days [6.30am - 2.30pm or/and 11am - 7pm (Flexible)

Are you ready to take the lead in a fast-paced kitchen where high-quality food delivery meets large-scale event catering?

As Head Chef with Sodexo, you will oversee a dynamic, high-volume catering operation at Cheetham’s School of Music, preparing and delivering meals for up to 400 people across multiple service areas. This role goes beyond day-to-day cooking, you’ll play a key part in coordinating large-scale service, supporting events, and ensuring consistency, efficiency, and quality at every sitting.

Your leadership will be central to maintaining smooth operations in a busy environment, inspiring your team to perform at their best while delivering exceptional food and service standards.

Join Sodexo and be part of something greater. You belong in a team where you can act with purpose and thrive in your own way.

What You’ll Do

• Our ethos is “Fresh Food from Scratch” so it is imperative to prepare and present food to the notified standard, ensuring the standard of “fresh food from Scratch” is followed.
• Oversee and coordinate all core culinary activities across catering locations to ensure consistency and quality.
• Manage and control service delivery to meet specified performance, quality, and financial targets while maintaining high standards.
• Ensure value for money through effective supply chain management and purchasing practices.
• Build and nurture long-term client relationships to foster stability and growth.
• Recruit, induct and develop talented employees within the kitchen and, if necessary, firmly and fairly manage poor performance.
• Identify opportunities for organic growth and new business development within the catering operation.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene, health, safety, and environmental legislation using Sodexo’s safety systems.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation to meet the expectations of school and catering management.
• Provide strategic and technical support, offering professional advice to clients, colleagues, and the team.
• Plan, cost, and implement menus using the DRIVE planning tool, ensuring variety, seasonality, innovation, and financial robustness.
• Champion the Fresh Food Standards ensuring Cheetham’s is the unrivalled site for schools to see and shows off the very best to prospect accounts and visitors alike
• Be an active (site based) member of the Chef Development team for Independents by Sodexo by contributing dishes and recipes, attending meetings, assisting with projects
• Engage with key client groups - “Walk the Floor” during service periods and engage and interact with clients, colleagues, and any visitors. Attend pupil food committee meetings each half term
• Represent Sodexo at industry events.

What You Bring

Essential

• Experienced Chef who has operated in a busy high volume contract catering, client facing environment
• Good communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to be an effective team player
• Flexible, with the ability to work under pressure and across a range of shifts and service times
• Direct management experience of chefs / kitchen brigade
• Clear, strong and effective leadership style
• Strong ability to increase individuals’ effectiveness through leadership, motivation, communication, coaching and training
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to set and maintain standards
• NVQ level 2 Food Production certificate or equivalent
• Intermediate Food Hygiene certificate
• Strong level of literacy and numeracy

Desirable

• Ability to review problems analytically, develop opportunities and implement innovative solutions / approaches
• PC literate
• Advanced Food Safety or Health and Safety qualification

What We Offer

• A dynamic and supportive work environment
• Competitive salary and benefits
• Full training and protective uniform provided
• Unlimited access to mental health and wellbeing support
• Employee Assistance Programme for legal, financial, and personal support
• Discounts, cashback schemes, and financial benefits
• Career progression, learning opportunities, and apprenticeships
• Cycle to Work Scheme and volunteering opportunities

At Sodexo, we believe everyone deserves a place to belong. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something bigger. If you’re ready to lead with passion and cook with purpose, we want to hear from you!

Apply today and help us create a brighter future!

Note: Sodexo and our clients are committed to safeguarding children. All roles require pre-employment screening, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and past employer checks.

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we receive a high number of applications.

File Downloads

• HR-5933_Benefits UK Brochure V9.pdf
• Job Description Head Chef Chethams school of music 2025 (2).docx