Culinary Chef and Trainer

A truly rewarding role supporting local people facing food insecurity.

About FareShare Midlands

FareShare Midlands is the region's largest food redistribution charity, tackling inequality, transforming lives and ensuring no good food goes to waste. We rescue surplus food and redistribute it to 650 local charities and community organisations, feeding 60,000 people every week. We also invest in communities, providing education, training and volunteering opportunities, helping over 700 individuals to date to build a better future. Together, we are fighting hunger, reducing food waste and creating opportunities across the Midlands.

The Role

We are looking for a Culinary Chef Trainer for our brand-new purpose-built Commercial and Training Kitchen in The Coronation Food Project Hub, Birmingham, helping combat food insecurity by providing affordable, nutritious surplus food in a dignified and supportive environment for underserved communities. In addition to catering skills, you will need to demonstrate a passion for reducing food waste through innovation and creativity.

Working closely with FareShare Midlands Head of Operations, you will develop and mobilise the kitchen and catering service(s) for The Coronation Food Project, enabling significant increase in FSM’s reach, support and impact in tackling food insecurity. You will play a lead part in managing our flagship Kitchen, producing high-quality meals from surplus food as well as catering for large corporate events. We are keen to grow a Catering skills programme in line with our Employability strategy and you will need to play a key role in informing and shaping the training programmes. Like most charity roles, this is as much a hands-on as well as management role.

Key Responsibilities

• Food Preparation and Cooking
  • Plan, prepare and cook high quality, innovative meals in a timely manner for staff, volunteers, visitors and the public as well as larger catering events, ensuring variety, nutritional balance, and high standards of taste and presentation.
  • Ensure all food is made according to the recipe and portion control standards.
  • Adapt menus based on seasonality and availability of surplus food.
  • Address any feedback or special dietary requirements to ensure a high level of satisfaction, improving offerings.
• Menu Planning and Development
  • Develop and create new recipes in collaboration with the staff, volunteers and local organisations.
  • Innovate dishes that align with the organisation's concept and demand.
  • Monitor food trends and implement them in the menu, while maintaining FareShare’s brand and ethos.
  • Create and deliver menus for corporate events.
• Training
  • Develop and coordinate the delivery of catering skills and cookery courses to individuals of all ages and abilities within The Coronation Food Project Hub Kitchen, ensuring equipment, resources and ingredients are appropriate to each class.
  • Supervise members of staff & volunteers supporting the delivery of cookery classes.
  • Participate in staff reviews, appraisal and personal development scheme.
  • Undertake further training as required.
• Kitchen Management
  • Oversee kitchen team, including training, scheduling, and managing their daily tasks.
  • Ensure proper stock control, including the procurement of ingredients, maintaining inventory, and minimising food waste.
  • Manage food costs, portion control, and kitchen meeting budgetary requirements.
  • Work to guidelines from key stakeholders such as funders, Public Health etc., keeping up to date with changes in food policy, strategy and dietary advice.
• Health, Safety, and Compliance
  • Implement, manage and monitor all food safety standards, policies and protocols including sanitation, food safety, storage and food handling and distribution.
  • Oversee the cleanliness, organisation, and hygiene standards of the kitchen, ensuring compliance with HACCP, COSHH and food safety regulations, ensuring effective and timely liaison with Environmental Health Officers.
  • Compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, with specific responsibility for the health safety and welfare of all personnel within their control.
  • Reports all accidents and/or incidents and near misses in accordance with the organisation's procedures.
• People Management
  • Working closely with the Head of Operations and Food, provide effective leadership, management and supervision to kitchen staff, volunteers, setting clear priorities and targets.
  • Ensuring that staff and volunteers understand their role responsibilities in line with FSM overall mission and have the resources, capacity and capability to effectively undertake their duties.
  • Ensure and support adequate training and development of staff and volunteers within the team.
  • Participate positively in FSM people management processes ensuring organisation and team development, undertaking all aspects of line management responsibility including supervision, development and appraisals for teams.
  • Ensure the service is delivered by teams in accordance with FareShare Midlands Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Staff Wellbeing Policies and maintain the values and culture of the FSM.
  • Recruit, support and manage volunteers and staff teams.

Person Specification

Essential Experience, Skills & Competencies

• Minimum of 3-5 years in a Chef/Kitchen Manager/CDP or similar role.
• Expertise in various cooking techniques and styles.
• Ability to engage with a diverse range of people including corporate guests with strong customer service skills.
• Strong leadership, time management, and organisational skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple tasks.
• Knowledge of kitchen safety, food hygiene, and sanitation regulations.
• Intermediate food hygiene level 3.
• First Aid Certificate.
• Able to travel and work weekends.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working in a charitable organisation.
• Experience of working with volunteers in a charitable setting.
• Experience of working with surplus food.
• Culinary degree.
• Mentoring/Coaching experience.

Competencies and behaviours

• Creativity and passion for food.
• Attention to detail.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Team-oriented and a strong leader.
• An understanding of, and sympathy with FareShare’s mission.
• Flexibility of approach and ability to work in a team and across other internal teams.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit:

• A supporting statement demonstrating your suitability for the role and explaining your interest in FareShare Midlands.
• Your CV.

We continue to strive to ensure that the profile of our staff and volunteers reflects the diverse communities we serve across the Midlands. As such we encourage and welcome applications from all our communities. We particularly welcome applications from people from ethnically diverse backgrounds as they are currently under-represented within FareShare Midlands.

Right to Work in the UK status is required.

Closing date: Monday 14th July 2025, 9 am.

Interviews: As soon as possible and during week commencing 14th July 2025.