Chef Manager

Role

Modern Art Oxford occupies a former Victorian brewery designed in 1892 by architect Harry Drinkwater, with characterful spaces replete with industrial features including exposed brick, iron columns and girders, and barrel-vaulted ceilings. A £1.2m programme of redesign and refurbishment of the ground/lower-ground floor public spaces is taking place this Summer 2024 and as part of this programme, there will be a new artist-designed destination café at the lower-ground level. British artist Emma Hart has created an exciting concept for the new café originating in her interest in nightclubs as hedonistic, inclusive spaces for joyful self-expression. Working alongside this concept, we are looking for a passionate, creative individual to create a menu that will reflect the design and continue to be accessible to our visitors.

The Modern Art café is currently open Tuesday to Sunday 11am-6pm and we work as a team to produce a clear menu offering paninis, soups, and seasonal specials as well as a wide range of cakes and pastries. Devising dishes to limit wastage and working to strict budgets is a very important part of our menu planning.

Our café is an important part of the gallery, and our Chef Manager is responsible for providing a welcoming, friendly environment, serving a high quality menu with excellent customer service. This is an operational and hands on role where the large majority of time is spent planning and preparing the café food and drinks and interacting with the general public. The Chef Manager is also responsible for the supervision and the rota management of our café staff, and will collaborate closely with our Commercial Manager to maximise profits and further develop the Café in line with the Gallerys aims and objectives.

Responsibilities

Customer Service

• Provide excellent customer service to a wide variety of customers both external and internal (staff, artists etc.).

• Resolve all customer complaints in a calm professional manner.

• Record complaints.

• Review Customer Service Standards on a regular basis and refresh staff training accordingly.

• Train new staff to MAO Customer Service Standards.

• Ensure that all Café staff are kept up to date with the artistic programme and brief them weekly about events.

Food & Drink

• Plan and update weekly menus and prepare orders for the following week.

• Create high quality seasonal dishes in design and taste that reflect the Gallerys exhibition programme.

• Ensure that all café food and drink is prepared and presented in accordance with the standards, recipes and procedures agreed upon with the Commercial Manager.

• Ensure that Café displays are attractive, well stocked and menus are produced according to plan.

• Take pride in maintaining our hygiene rating we all clean and a strict schedule is adhered to.

• Work with the Commercial Manager on menu development.

• Ensure that all alcohol is sold according to the Licensing Act 2003.

• Develop good relationships with existing suppliers and explore new options with the Commercial Manager.

• Maintain stock levels, place orders and regularly evaluate pricing and procurement options.

• Enthusiasm to develop and engage with wider management to grow the business.

Health & Safety and Daily Operations

• Carry out daily opening and closing checks, ensuring our Safer Food Better Business Diary is completed daily.

• Adhere to Hygiene Policies and ensure the kitchen meets all regulations Allergens, Manual Handling, CoSHH, HACCP, Fire, Knife handling

• Ensure high levels of hygiene are maintained in the kitchen and café areas according to procedures set out in the Safer Food Better Business Manual. Regularly review food hygiene procedures.

• Ensure that all health and safety requirements are met in the kitchen and café area and carry out risk assessments for all activities.

• Manage maintenance of all equipment in the kitchen and oversee and carry out cleaning schedules.

• Act as main contact for scheduled and unscheduled visits by Local Authority officers concerning food hygiene and standards.

• Complete all other training assigned by the Gallery, including Safeguarding Children Level 2.

• Work with the Commercial Manager to ensure all waste and procurement activities of the cafe comply with the Environmental objectives in accordance with the Gallerys Environmental and Sustainability Strategy and Targets.

Staff

• Carry out induction training for all new staff.

• Work with the Commercial Manager to create Sequence of Service documents and schedules for all areas of the cafe operations and carry out the training of staff to follow these procedures

• Ensure all Café Staff are regularly trained on coffee making, food hygiene and that training is recorded in Safer Food Better Business Diary.

• Assist the Commercial Manager with the recruitment of new café staff.

• Manage all café staff, including drawing up rotas, arrange cover for staff who are ill/absent.

• Monitor and manage any issues with Cafe Staff and escalate them to the Commercial Manager when necessary, always following the Gallery Policies.

• Attend regular gallery staff meetings.

Commercial Activities

• To manage the P&L budget of the cafe reporting monthly to the Commercial Manager

• To meet income targets set by the Commercial Manager and discuss ideas to increase revenue.

• Ensure strict control on stock to minimise wastage and maintain budgeted margins.

• Ensure the till is accurately programmed with new prices and offers including correct vat codes.

• Ensure sales are tracked as instructed by the Commercial Manager, in order to produce high quality data.

• Process all orders and authorise invoices for approval. This includes signing off deliveries, matching all incoming invoices and credit notes to orders, authorising invoices and passing invoices to the finance department for payment. It also includes resolving errors and queries with suppliers.

• Assist the Commercial Manager with planning and implementing change in the Café regularly.

Essential Skills & Experience

• A passion for preparing good quality fresh food with the drive to create new recipes and experiment with new ideas that respond to the Gallerys programme.

• Menu development experience, with the ability to change and adapt depending on visitors feedback.

• Excellent eye for detail and food presentation.

• A flexible, innovative and proactive approach to sales strategies and solutions.

• Experience of working in a similar café environment including exposure to the duties outlined above (specifically food preparation, cooking, stock ordering and management, cash handling and till usage).

• Level 2 or over NVQ Qualification or equivalent.

• Qualifications in Level 2 Hygiene, Food Allergens Awareness and Working in Licensed Premises. Willingness to train to Level 3.

• Barista experience, making a range of coffees and hot drinks.

• Understanding of Allergens and dietary requirements.

• Experience of negotiating prices with new suppliers.

• A high regard for customer service and satisfaction.

• Self-motivated and able to work on own initiative and without supervision.

• Staff management experience.

• You need to be enthusiastic, approachable and above all an absolute team player.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Rota management experience.

• Flexibility to work some weekends & evenings.

• An interest in contemporary art.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Line Manager

Commercial Manager

Salary

Range £33,500 to £35,000 Per annum

Tenure

Permanent, on successful completion of probation

Probation

3 months

Hours

Full time

Place of work

Modern Art Oxford, 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP

Holiday

25 days plus 8 public holidays

Notice period

2 months in writing

Pension

An auto-enrolment pension scheme is in place with Legal & General.Under pension auto enrolment legislation, the employee will pay 5% (before tax relief) and the employer will pay 3% of qualifying earnings to the Legal and General plan. A salary sacrifice scheme is available after 3 months employment.

Other benefits

Employees are entitled to a staff discount in the Modern Art Oxford Shop and Café. There is an Employee Assistance Programme through Gemelli, and a series of discounts and salary sacrifice schemes through BHN Extras.

Disclaimer

This document does not constitute an offer of employment nor forms any part of any contract.

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