Kitchen Manager / Head Chef in Newcastle upon Tyne

The Kitchen Manager (Head Chef) leads the day-to-day operation of the Seven Bridges kitchen, delivering a high-quality, commercially sustainable food offer while supporting the café’s social mission of working with refugees and people seeking asylum. This is a hands-on role responsible for cooking, managing kitchen operations, controlling costs and ensuring the café delivers a consistent, profitable food offer. The postholder will lead a small kitchen team and support volunteers to develop practical kitchen skills in a welcoming and professional environment. You will be interested in the people you work with, spend time to understand our customers and grow our customer base. Success is something you are motivated by. Here success means both commercial and social value.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operation of the café kitchen, cooking during service and ensuring smooth workflow.
• Maintain high standards of food quality, presentation and consistency.
• Manage kitchen preparation, stocks, service and cleaning systems to ensure efficient operations.
• Menu Development

• Develop seasonal menus inspired by global food traditions.
• Cost and price dishes to achieve agreed profit margins.
• Adapt menus to reflect customer demand, food cost changes and seasonal availability.
• Manage kitchen costs to achieve agreed food cost and gross profit targets.
• Control stock ordering, deliveries and inventory levels.
• Minimise waste through accurate portioning, preparation planning and stock rotation.
• Contribute to the café’s commercial performance including events and external catering where required.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure full compliance with Food Safety, HACCP, allergen management and Health & Safety regulations.
• Maintain kitchen documentation including temperature logs, cleaning schedules and allergen records.
• Ensure the kitchen consistently achieves a 5 Food Hygiene Rating.
• Be the Alcohol Premises Licence Holder (Training provided as necessary).

General

• Participate in Dance City and West End Refugee Service team wide meetings and activities as required.

Key Performance Measures

• Food cost and gross profit targets achieved.
• Consistent food quality and customer satisfaction.
• Efficient kitchen operation within a small team.
• Food Hygiene Rating of 5 maintained.
• Positive volunteer engagement and training outcomes.

Person Specification

• Experience running or supervising a small professional kitchen.
• Strong practical cooking and organisational skills.
• Experience managing stock, suppliers and food costs.
• Knowledge of food safety, allergens and kitchen compliance.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send a CV and cover letter to recruitment@dancecity.co.uk. In your cover letter please demonstrate how you meet the person specification. Please note that this is a rolling recruitment process and we therefore advise early application. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a paid trial shift at The Seven Bridges. Please note that any offers of employment are subject to two satisfactory references, of which one must be from a current or most recent employer. Evidence of right to work in the UK is also required. If you require this information in a different format, or would rather submit a video or audio file, please let us know and we can enable this to happen. Dance City actively encourages applications from those with less visibility in the arts. We specifically welcome applications from women, disabled people and those from Black, Asian, ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+ and international backgrounds with the right to work in the UK.