Head Chef

Job Introduction

Sodexo have a fantastic opportunity for a Head Chef to join our MOD site in Colchester, Essex. 

The role will be responsible for full operational management of the Mess on site, ensuring that the service standards agreed are achieved. In addition to this the role will also be responsible for management of the catering team - motivating, encouraging and developing a team of budding chefs. 

The ideal candidate should have previous chef/ catering management experience, fantastic people skills and some formal catering qualifications or equivalent. 

Our wealth of experience partnering Government Agencies means we are able to transfer best practices from the corporate sector to create better working environments in the public sector. We bring services that increase employee engagement, wellbeing and productivity to the public sector to help support government to deliver on its promised outcomes while reducing costs. Our goal is to improve service outcomes and reduce overall costs to the taxpayer.

Role Responsibility

• Responsible for the handling and security of all stock, equipment within the department 
• Supervise the consumption of ingredients in line with recipe cards establishing targets, exercising economy of food, fuel and prevention of waste
• Have a good understanding of menu planning
• Manage recipe on Line system and ensure that menus and recipes are followed
• Ensure that the team adhere to the correct cooking, disposal and storage of all food items as directed by the catering manager / centre manager
• Ensure and monitor that the team are accurately taking and recording temperatures of fridges and freezers, hot cabinets, serveries in line with Sodexo’s Safety Management System (SMS)
• Ensure that all foods served under your control are served and held at the required temperatures (probed and recorded)
• Ensure that the handing over procedures and opening up and closing down procedures are compiled to, with emphasis on safety and security
• Provide catering service across the site including food preparation, cooking and presentation, storage and disposal of food and monitoring practices to ensure that company and legislative requirements are met
• Continue to develop one’s own skills and knowledge within the position, including any required training courses
• Maintain excellent client/customer relationships 
• Ensure a clean and tidy work area at all times
• Maintain high levels of personal hygiene and wear the appropriate uniform and PPE as required 
• Care for all available resources including equipment, materials and supplies as directed
• Report any near miss occurrences, accidents or faulty equipment to management
• Ensure effective communication with line manager, team, customer and client organisation
• Supervise the team fairly and drive engagement 

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience of working in catering and/or Mess operational role
• Must be able to demonstrate effective verbal and written communication 
• Able to work on own initiative within a team environment
• Able to demonstrate attention to detail and adherence to standards 
• Knowledge/qualification in Health & Safety and Food Safety
• Able to demonstrate working knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel and Outlook)
• Must have one of the following qualification’s or equivalent; BSC (Catering), MHCIM, HND, City and Guild 706/1 and 2, NVQ level 2 and 3 and pose an intermediate level food safety

Package Description

Up to £25,000 plus excellent benefits

We also offer Sodexo Discounts site promoting discounted mobile phone tariffs, savings across restaurant chains and days out, where you and your family can save money on everything from your weekly food shop to the latest cinema blockbuster and much more. 

Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 36,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the energy, corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, defence and justice sectors. With an annual turnover of over £1bn, we provide everything from catering, cleaning and reception to security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling our clients to focus on their core business

At Sodexo we are committed to a leading role in promoting equality opportunities and valuing diversity and inclusion. We seek to create a work environment based on mutual respect for all individuals, building a culture that appreciates and values the experiences and skills brought by each person to benefit our organisation and work hard to ensure that all people, whatever their age, disability, gender, transgender, marital or family status, race or ethnicity, religious belief of sexual orientation are welcome to and included within our business. We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process