Chef Manager

Start date: September 2026

Salary: Ark Support Staff (Inner London) Band 7: Full time equivalent circa £35,368 - £41,010 (pro‑rated salary based on experience and calibre of candidate)

Hours: 36 hours per week Monday – Friday, term time plus two weeks during school holiday periods (41 weeks per year)

Location: Ark Atwood Primary Academy, Westminster, London (postcode W9 2JY)

Contract: Term time + 2 weeks (41 weeks per year)

Job Summary

As Chef Manager you will lead the catering team, ensuring the highest quality of lunches and after‑school refreshments for around 450 pupils, staff and visitors daily, within pre‑agreed budgetary terms. You will continuously develop the catering service, create innovative menus, and lead the food education across the school, promoting a healthy well‑balanced lifestyle.

Key Responsibilities

• Meal Service: Continuously develop the catering service at school through innovative planning, prioritising the health and well‑being of students and the promotion of a healthy well‑balanced lifestyle. Be the lead chef when catering for meals, including special events or functions. Draw up a three‑weekly menu cycle for each term based on suitability for 4–11 year olds, seasonality, fresh ingredients, nutritional balance and market initiative. Create individual menus for specific hospitality events. Order all items required for the production of these menus. Manage costs and stock of all areas of food production, in keeping with the academy’s catering budget, recording monthly stock counts and calculating food costs accordingly. Keep a record of all kitchen (not plate) wastage and cost this wastage at the end of each week. Calculate the percentage wasted to total food consumption monthly (target 5%).
• Finance Management: Ensure that the Catering Department operates at maximum efficiency within budgetary targets to deliver the required level of service at all times. At least one term in advance of the start of the budget financial year, draw up a draft catering budget in conjunction with the Headteacher for discussion. Make revisions and agree final budget against which targets will be set. Monitor financial performance monthly and in a format agreed with the Senior Leadership Team. Any overspends to be either justified or an action plan produced which rectifies the overspend in the following reporting period. Evidence of catering financial best practice to be in place such as recipe/dish costings, cost per head calculations, wastage monitoring and minimum monthly stock‑takes. Arrange the working rota cover effectively ensuring that all areas are fully covered and that the labour force is used to best effect both operationally and financially.
• People Management: Act as the primary point of contact for the catering team and be responsible for all matters relating to the welfare, motivation, achievement of best practice and development of this team. Assist with all interviews for the catering team, appointing new employees as necessary, ensuring induction training, setting early objectives and acting as a guardian/mentor for new team members. Conduct annual and mid‑year appraisals for the Catering Team, identifying areas for improvement, setting new targets and formulating training plans. Produce Individual and Group Training Plans and conduct internal training accordingly, noting all training on the Individual Training Record Cards. Organise all internal training for the catering team, producing a comprehensive Training Plan three months prior to the beginning of the following academic year, from the training needs identified at the annual appraisals. Update personnel files accordingly.
• Operational: Promote exceptional standards of customer service, ensuring that all services operate in a friendly and efficient manner at all times. Complete daily pre‑service checks to ensure that all areas are fully sourced and ready for service. Ensure that all members of the kitchen team are aware of their duties, especially during service periods, and the kitchen team are motivated and work closely to run smoothly. Establish and maintain systems and procedures in all operational areas under your control to monitor, maintain and improve the standards of the product and service. Interact with customers at every service period ensuring that the service is running smoothly and that the customers are happy. Operate a customer feedback system that allows constructive feedback to be gathered and suggestions to be implemented if practically or financially possible. Acknowledge and respond to all customer feedback. Introduce new service innovations on a regular basis including special days and school‑related themes. Ensure that all members of the catering team are aware of their duties throughout the day, especially during service periods, and that the kitchen team work very closely together to run as smoothly as possible.
• Food Safety: Ensure all food is prepared and cooked in accordance with food safety policies. Ensure that all records relating to the safe storage, preparation and storage of food are maintained and accessible for inspection at any time. Ensure that all kitchen equipment, work and service areas are maintained and spotlessly clean at all times and that appropriate cleaning schedules are in place, completed and archived. Carry out deep cleans of the kitchen, food storage and dining areas as directed by the Headteacher. Ensure that all food handlers are food safety trained and understand their responsibilities.
• Health and Safety: Be responsible for all legislative requirements including health, safety, fire and hygiene legislation. Ensure that all staff members are trained and follow safe working practice at all times. Ensure that all catering equipment is safe to use and that all maintenance issues are reported as they arise.
• Education: Lead the food education for the school, engaging directly with pupils in assemblies, cooking classes and staff meetings. Engage all children in food education through interesting and relevant displays in the hall and other appropriate spaces. Manage an effective communication strategy between all departments and the catering department. Ensure all marketing, menus and emails are correct in tone and language.
• Other: Carry out other tasks as directed by the Senior Leadership Team. Attend external meetings or training courses as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Right to work in the UK.
• Educated to O Level/GCSE standard or equivalent with passes in English and Maths (high standard of literacy and numeracy).
• Relevant catering qualification is essential.
• Health & Safety and Food Hygiene L2, desirable.
• First Aid qualification, desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience of cooking in large quantities.
• Experience managing kitchen staff, desirable.
• Experience working with children, desirable.
• Experience of cultural diversity, with particular reference to food preparation and dietary preferences, desirable.
• Knowledge of healthy eating and nutrition and creating related menus.
• Excellent communication skills with children and adults, verbally and in writing.
• Strong and demonstrable experience in providing first‑class customer care.
• A working knowledge of booking, stock management or financial IT packages.
• A diverse career portfolio to include culinary experience, front of house management and catering management, desirable.

Personal Characteristics

• Genuine passion for and a belief in the potential of every student.
• Deep commitment to Ark’s mission of providing an excellent education to all students, regardless of background.
• An innovator with a creative flair, up to date with modern food trends.
• Conscientious, detail‑orientated and highly organised.
• Good people management with the ability to delegate and motivate.
• Excellent team player, helpful, friendly and willing to undertake extra tasks as necessary.
• Good role model for students and staff, with high expectations for self and others.
• Genuine interest in and willingness to help children learn how to eat healthily.
• Enthusiasm for high nutritional standards.
• Hard‑working, flexible and able to work with minimal supervision.
• Calm and approachable, even under pressure.
• Commitment and enthusiasm for environmental issues.
• Smart and well‑presented at all times.

Other

• Commitment to equality of opportunity and the safeguarding and welfare of all pupils.
• Willingness to undertake training.
• The post holder will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Benefits

• Salaries 2.5% higher than main pay scale.
• Twice as many training days as standard.
• Generous pension scheme.
• Access to Ark rewards – a scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers.
• Interest‑free loans – up to £5,000 available for season ticket or to buy a bicycle.
• Gym discounts – offering up to 40%.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing free, confidential counselling, legal advice and a range of support.

Safeguarding and Legal Statements

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non‑disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment – this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred.