At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic kitchen team and create innovative menus for multiple outlets.
- Company: Join the University of Bath's vibrant Hospitality Team.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Diverse workplace celebrating inclusivity and offering excellent career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while shaping culinary experiences.
- Qualifications: Proven experience as a Head Chef with strong leadership and menu development skills.
The predicted salary is between 31236 - 37694 € per year.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Hospitality Team at the University of Bath as the Head Chef of our West Central Production Unit (CPU). We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Head Chef with exceptional staff management skills, strong menu development experience, and a proven track record of maintaining excellent food safety and due-diligence standards.
The CPU is the central hub for our back-of-house production, supplying freshly made food to several busy outlets across campus, including Fountain Canteen, 4 West Café, Claverton Rooms, Food Direct, and the rapidly growing Nourish @ Parade. This high-volume kitchen is supported by a dedicated brigade of Sous Chef, Chef de Parties, Commis Chefs and General Porters.
In this role, you will:
- Lead, motivate, and develop a diverse kitchen team, fostering a positive, professional, and high-performing culture.
- Oversee the creation and delivery of varied, innovative, and cost-effective menus tailored to multiple outlets and service styles.
- Ensure exemplary food safety, due diligence, and HACCP compliance, including monitoring, recording, and upholding all statutory standards.
- Manage production planning, stock control, allergen processes, and operational efficiency across the CPU.
- Play a key role in supporting large-scale events and high-demand periods throughout the academic year.
This is an ideal role for a Head Chef or senior kitchen leader who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment and takes pride in delivering high standards through strong leadership and meticulous organisation. If you are passionate about leading teams, shaping menus, and maintaining rigorous operational standards, we would be delighted to hear from you.
This role is offered on a full time (36.5 hours per week) permanent basis.
We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equity and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university.
We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment. We are continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:
- Free counselling services through Health Assured
- Cycle to work scheme
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Staff discount at Team Bath gym
- Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
- Staff discount on language courses
- Generous employer contributory pension schemes
- Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
- A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
- Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
- An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
Right to Work in the UK: We do not assess immigration or right to work status until offer stage. Being invited to interview does not guarantee you are eligible for visa sponsorship and all offers are conditional on meeting right to work requirements. Further information is available on our application support webpage.
Anonymous shortlisting: We are constantly seeking to reduce the unconscious bias that enters any assessment process, with the goal of creating an inclusive and equal assessment process. To support this, personal details such as your name, may be removed from application forms at the initial shortlisting stage.
Head Chef employer: University of Bath
The University of Bath is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that celebrates diversity and fosters professional growth. As the Head Chef at our West Central Production Unit, you will lead a talented kitchen team in a dynamic environment, with access to generous benefits including a robust pension scheme, extensive personal development opportunities, and a commitment to work-life balance. Join us in creating innovative menus while enjoying the support of a community that values your contributions and encourages inclusivity.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head Chef
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the hospitality industry, especially those who might know about openings at the University of Bath. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider info or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you have the chance, organise a tasting session or a demo of your menu ideas. This is a great way to showcase your culinary creativity and leadership style directly to potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by researching the university's dining services. Knowing their outlets and current menu trends will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at the University of Bath.
We think you need these skills to ace Head Chef
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Experience:When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your experience in kitchen management and menu development. We want to see how you've led teams and maintained high food safety standards in your previous roles.
Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor it to the Head Chef role by mentioning specific skills and experiences that match the job description. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their background with what we’re looking for.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read through your qualifications and achievements. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the good stuff!
Apply Through Our Website:Make sure you apply through our website to ensure your application gets to us directly. It’s the best way to make sure we see your application and can consider you for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at University of Bath
✨Know Your Menu Inside Out
As a Head Chef, you'll need to showcase your menu development skills. Research the types of dishes served at the University of Bath and think about how you can innovate or improve them. Be ready to discuss your ideas during the interview!
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
This role requires strong staff management abilities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a kitchen team in the past. Think about challenges you've faced and how you motivated your team to overcome them.
✨Understand Food Safety Standards
Food safety is crucial in this position. Brush up on HACCP compliance and be prepared to discuss how you've maintained food safety standards in previous roles. Showing your commitment to due diligence will impress the interviewers.
✨Showcase Your Organisational Skills
With responsibilities like production planning and stock control, it's essential to demonstrate your organisational prowess. Prepare to talk about systems you've implemented to enhance operational efficiency in a high-volume kitchen.