At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a kitchen team, serving fresh meals to students and ensuring high standards.
- Company: Join Impact Food Group, a top school food provider in England.
- Benefits: Enjoy daytime hours, free meals, and ongoing training opportunities.
- Other info: Work-life balance with no evenings or weekends, plus team incentives.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in students' lives while developing your culinary career.
- Qualifications: Experience in kitchen management and a passion for cooking required.
The predicted salary is between 24053 - 24053 £ per year.
Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England's fastest-growing school food providers, serving around one million students every day across more than 1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment.
The role is based at St Johns C of E Academy, Wantage, OX12. Working days are Monday to Friday, with shifts from 7.30am to 3pm (35 hours per week) for 39 weeks per year (term time, inset days). The pay details are £24,053 per annum.
This is a fantastic opportunity to start at a new build school, initially catering for around 250 students. As a Chef Manager, you'll take full responsibility for running the kitchen, serving fresh, seasonal meals to students every day. This is a hands-on, leadership role where you'll manage your team, maintain high standards, and ensure smooth, efficient service.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading, motivating, and developing your catering team
- Preparing and serving fresh, seasonal meals
- Managing stock and controlling budgets
- Ensuring all food hygiene, safety, and compliance standards are met
- Building strong relationships with onsite clients and stakeholders
- Overseeing the smooth running of service, from prep to finish
We are looking for an experienced Chef Manager with a passion for cooking and strong leadership skills. The ideal candidate will have:
- Previous experience managing a kitchen, ideally in schools or contract catering environments
- Proven ability to cook fresh, seasonal food for around 250+
- Strong people management and team leadership skills
- Experience managing kitchen operations, stock, and compliance
- Excellent organisational and communication skills
- A proactive, hands-on approach and pride in maintaining high standards
If you thrive in fast-paced environments and enjoy leading teams to deliver great food, this could be the role for you.
We offer a fantastic work-life balance with daytime hours, no evenings or weekends, all school holidays off, free meals on shift, and uniform provided. Additionally, you will benefit from ongoing training, development, and career progression opportunities, access to free qualifications, a staff discount scheme across 850+ retailers, and monthly team incentives with the chance to win shopping vouchers.
This is your opportunity to lead a high-volume kitchen, develop your career, and make a real difference in students' lives.
If you think you've got what it takes, we'd love to hear from you! Please note: An interview, trade test, and kitchen visit will be required as part of the recruitment process. IFG are committed to the safeguarding of children, and our employees share this commitment. Successful candidates are required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure and children's barred list check, which IFG will pay for. We are a committed equal opportunities employer - if you require any assistance for the interview process, please detail within your application. All information is kept confidential and in compliance with GDPR requirements.
Chef Manager in Wantage employer: leisurejobs
Impact Food Group (IFG) is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work environment where you can thrive as a Chef Manager at St Johns C of E Academy in Wantage. With a focus on work-life balance, you will enjoy daytime hours and all school holidays off, alongside opportunities for ongoing training and career progression. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a positive impact on students' lives through high-quality, nutritious meals, while benefiting from free meals on shift and a staff discount scheme across numerous retailers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Chef Manager in Wantage
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the school and its values before your interview. Research St Johns C of E Academy and understand their mission. This will help you connect your passion for cooking with their commitment to student wellbeing.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your leadership skills! Prepare examples of how you've motivated and developed your team in previous roles. We want to see how you can inspire others to deliver great food and maintain high standards.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready for a trade test! Brush up on your cooking skills and be prepared to showcase your ability to whip up fresh, seasonal meals. This is your chance to shine and show us what you can do!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Chef Manager in Wantage
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food:When you're writing your application, let your love for cooking shine through! Share any experiences that highlight your passion for creating fresh, seasonal meals and how you can bring that enthusiasm to our kitchen.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:As a Chef Manager, you'll be leading a team, so make sure to showcase your leadership experience. Talk about how you've motivated and developed teams in the past, and how you plan to do the same with us at IFG.
Be Specific About Your Experience:We want to know what you've done! Include specific examples of your previous kitchen management roles, especially in schools or contract catering environments. This will help us see how your background fits with our needs.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to apply through our website! It's the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you get all the latest updates about the role. We can't wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at leisurejobs
✨Know Your Menu
Before the interview, familiarise yourself with the types of meals that Impact Food Group serves. Be ready to discuss how you would incorporate fresh, seasonal ingredients into your menu and how you can cater to the needs of students.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Chef Manager, you'll need to lead a team effectively. Prepare examples of how you've motivated and developed your team in previous roles. Highlight any specific challenges you've faced and how you overcame them.
✨Understand Compliance Standards
Brush up on food hygiene and safety regulations relevant to school catering. Be prepared to discuss how you ensure compliance in your kitchen and how you maintain high standards of food safety.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Building strong relationships is key in this role. Think about how you would communicate with onsite clients and stakeholders. Prepare to share examples of how you've successfully managed client relationships in the past.
