Head Chef

• *Full time/Part time
• *8:00am - 4:00pm
• *£__ per annum
• *Site Specific Benefits
• Opportunities for professional development
• Plus our Sodexo employee benefits package

Tutbury - Full time

As Head Chef, you will provide inspirational leadership and operational management of the catering service, delivering exceptional food quality, service standards, and commercial performance. You will play a key role in ensuring a safe, compliant, and customer-focused catering operation while supporting wider site operations.

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong culinary expertise, people management skills, and a passion for continuous improvement. You will work closely with the Catering Manager and Site Manager to deliver an outstanding catering and hospitality experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day and night catering teams to deliver high-quality food and service standards.

• Ensure the consistent delivery of catering and hospitality services in line with SLAs and KPIs.

• Act as a key point of contact for catering operations, supporting client and stakeholder relationships.

• Support the Catering Manager with daily site operations, compliance, and staff engagement.

• Deputise for the Site Manager when required, assuming responsibility for site operations.

• Manage catering financial performance, including food costs, labour, purchasing, stock control, and GP.

• Develop and deliver engaging menu cycles, promotions, and food innovation aligned with Sodexo standards.

• Ensure full compliance with food safety, allergen management, health & safety, hygiene, and statutory requirements.

• Respond proactively to customer feedback, enquiries, and complaints with a solutions-focused approach.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across catering and contribute to wider site improvements.

What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Chef within a high-volume or contract catering environment.

• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing teams.

• Excellent knowledge of food safety, allergen management, and health & safety compliance.

• Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets, food costs, and labour.

• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining high standards and attention to detail.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable:

• Experience within contract catering or facilities management environments.

• Relevant culinary or food safety qualifications.

• Experience supporting wider site operations beyond catering.

• Passion for food innovation, sustainability, and customer experience.

Why Sodexo?:

Working with Sodexo is more than a job; it’s a chance to be part of something greater.

Belong

in a company and team that values you for you. 

Act

with purpose and have an impact through your everyday actions.

Thrive

in your own way.

We also offer a range of perks, rewards and benefits for our colleagues and their families:

• Unlimited access to an online platform offering wellbeing support
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to help with everyday issues or life's larger problems, including legal and financial advice, support with work or personal issues impacting your wellbeing
• Access to a 24hr virtual GP Service
• Sodexo Discounts Scheme, offering great deals 24/7 across popular high street retailers (also open to friends and family)
• Save for your future by becoming a member of the Pension Plan
• Opportunities to enable colleagues to grow and succeed throughout their career at Sodexo, including a variety of learning and development tools
• Bike to Work Scheme to help colleagues to do their bit for the environment whilst keeping fit
• Sodexo UK and Irelands enhanced benefits and leave policies

A little more 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 100million 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, SoTogether, 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.

Ready to be part of something greater?

Sodexo reserves the right to close this advert early if we are in receipt of a high number of applications

File Downloads

• HR-5933_Benefits UK Brochure V9.pdf