Head Chef – Care Home
£15.68 per hour | 30–40 Hours Per Week | Full-Time, Permanent
We’re recruiting for an experienced Head Chef to lead the kitchen at a well-established nursing home, providing nutritious, well-balanced meals for up to 80 residents.
This is a hands-on role combining daily food preparation, menu planning and kitchen management, with a strong focus on quality, dietary requirements and resident wellbeing. You’ll manage a small kitchen team, ensuring meals are prepared to a high standard and kitchen operations run smoothly throughout the year.
The Role
- Plan, prepare and cook nutritious, well-balanced meals, providing three hot meals daily with two choices at each sitting.
- Create weekly menus and order ingredients and provisions accordingly.
- Ensure all meals are well-presented, appetising and consistently high in quality.
- Cater for residents with special dietary requirements, allergies and modified food consistencies.
- Lead and support a small kitchen team, including a cook and kitchen porters.
- Organise rotas and ensure adequate kitchen cover across seven days a week, 365 days a year.
- Maintain high standards of food hygiene, health and safety, infection control and kitchen cleanliness.
- Manage stock, minimise waste and ensure safe food storage and preparation.
- Liaise with the Home Manager and work collaboratively with care staff to meet residents’ needs.
- Report any equipment faults, hazards, accidents or incidents promptly and follow all relevant policies and procedures.
About You
- Previous experience as a Head Chef, Chef Manager or in a similar kitchen leadership role.
- NVQ Level 2 in Catering.
- HACCP qualification.
- Strong knowledge of food hygiene, health and safety and safe food handling.
- Experience catering for special diets and modified food consistencies, ideally within a care home or healthcare setting.
- Good organisational and leadership skills, with the ability to manage a small team and maintain consistent standards.
- A caring, professional approach with a genuine commitment to residents’ wellbeing.
- Flexible and reliable, with the ability to work a rota covering seven days a week.
Hours & Working Pattern
- 30–40 hours per week.
- Shifts between 7:30am and 5:30pm.
- Rota-based working across seven days a week, including weekends and bank holidays as required.
If you’re an organised, hands‑on chef who takes pride in producing quality food and making a positive difference to residents’ daily lives, we’d like to hear from you.
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Head Chef in Darwen employer: Perfect Recruitment Ltd.
Join a well-established 4-star countryside hotel in Wigan, where you'll be part of a professional and friendly kitchen team dedicated to delivering high-quality dishes for various events. Enjoy an excellent work-life balance, free meals on shift, and ongoing training opportunities that foster your career growth in a supportive environment. This is a stable, long-term opportunity with a respected employer that values your contributions and encourages a positive team spirit.
