Head Chef

Job Introduction

• Full time
• Monday - Thursday 06:30 - 14:30, Friday 07:00 - 12:30
• Up to £30.000 per annum DOE
• Free parking
• Meals whilst on shift
• Opportunities for professional development
• Plus our Sodexo employee benefits package

Head Chef

Erith, DA8 2AD - Full time

**Chatter Line

At Sodexo, we’re passionate about our people. We know that our teams are the key to delivering exceptional service and creating meaningful experiences for our clients, customers, and employees. 

We are seeking a talented and experienced Head Chef to lead our catering operations. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of food services on site, ensuring high-quality delivery, excellent customer satisfaction, and strong client relationships while managing a dedicated kitchen and cleaning team.

As Head Chef, you will be responsible for managing day-to-day catering services to agreed standards, overseeing food production, compliance, and staff development. You will play a key role in ensuring menus are innovative, nutritious, and meet all dietary needs, while also driving efficiency and maintaining profitability. Working closely with Sodexo and client stakeholders, you will ensure services align with contractual SLAs, safety requirements, and our commitment to excellence.

As a Head Chef you'll: 

• Lead and manage kitchen operations, ensuring food is prepared and presented to the highest standards

• Design and deliver menus that cater to a variety of dietary requirements and client expectations

• Oversee catering and cleaning teams, ensuring effective performance, engagement, and training

• Maintain compliance with health, safety, hygiene, and food safety standards at all times

• Control budgets, manage stock, and monitor costs to ensure profitability

• Plan and deliver special functions and events, occasionally outside standard working hours

• Build positive relationships with clients, acting as the on-site Sodexo representative for catering services

• Drive continuous improvement in food quality, service delivery, and team development

What we're looking for:

• Previous experience as a Head Chef or Senior Chef in a similar contract or large-scale catering environment

• City & Guilds 706 1&2 or equivalent culinary qualification desirable

• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing teams

• Excellent culinary knowledge with a focus on quality, nutrition, and customer satisfaction

• Strong financial awareness, with the ability to manage budgets, stock, and costs effectively

• Excellent communication and organisational skills

• Knowledge of health, safety, and food hygiene regulations

• Self-motivated, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

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? 

**Chatter Line

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