At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a passionate kitchen team to create top-notch breakfast and lunch items.
- Company: Join a vibrant food production company dedicated to quality and teamwork.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible hours, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and a positive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the culinary world while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in food production and strong leadership abilities required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
The Kitchen Lead role is a hands-on position that leads by example, suited to someone with a genuine passion for quality, consistency, and great food. Based across our production kitchens, you will play a key role in overseeing the production of best-in-class savoury breakfast and lunch items for our Houses, ensuring every item is produced and presented with care, precision, and attention to detail. You will be fully involved in daily operations, managing a high-performing team to maintain exceptional product quality, consistency, and efficiency across all production lines. Alongside this, you will uphold high storage, dispatch, cleanliness, and food safety standards, while fostering a positive, engaged team culture built on honesty, empathy, and accountability. Directly reports to our Head of Food.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and hold the kitchen team to account throughout your shift.
- Ensure all shifts are opened and closed to the correct standards.
- Perform daily checks accurately and record them in Trail.
- Create weekly shift rotas and obtain approval from the Bakery Manager.
- Ensure each shift’s volume is prepared and packed fully and on time.
- Resolve production issues and optimise workflow and labour usage.
- Supervise health and food safety, ensuring full compliance with WatchHouse’s operating procedures.
- Uphold product quality standards, ensuring all items are produced to the correct recipe and specification, maintaining consistency across all product lines.
- Address any product quality issues (weights, finish, etc.) within shifts and elevate as required.
- Drive food safety compliance, keeping the bakery and all processes at the highest standards of cleanliness and traceability.
- Monitor ingredient inventory, coordinate efficient and accurate stock management.
- Escalate to Kitchen Lead if ingredient stock levels are too high or too low, and support adjustments to reduce wastage.
- Manage kitchen stock, ordering items correctly through Market Man, completing weekly stock takes, and controlling stock levels.
- Ensure all team members take correct breaks, holidays, and start/finish shifts on time.
- Maintain a positive culture and engaged team, upholding standards with honesty and empathy to ensure consistent quality.
Key to this role:
- Genuine passion for food and drive to deliver best-in-class products to our Houses.
- Available 40 hours per week, any 5 days out of 7.
- Strong leadership abilities with a positive, can-do attitude.
- Level 3 Food Hygiene knowledge of HACCP and ability to implement and manage food safety practices to remain compliant.
- Interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships while showing empathy to your team.
- Level 3 Health & Safety certification or successful completion by end of probation.
- Demonstrated experience leading a team in a production environment, with the ability to provide effective feedback and hold the team to account.
- Attention to detail, ensuring all product lines are consistent with the product specification.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work well at pace under pressure.
Kitchen Manager employer: WatchHouse - Kitchen.
As a Kitchen Manager at our production kitchens, you will thrive in a dynamic environment that values quality, teamwork, and personal growth. We offer a supportive work culture where your passion for food is celebrated, alongside opportunities for professional development and leadership training. Located in a vibrant area, our commitment to excellence ensures that you will be part of a team dedicated to producing best-in-class culinary delights while maintaining high standards of food safety and cleanliness.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Kitchen Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture! Before your interview, check out their social media and website to see what they're all about. This will help you connect with the team and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their kitchen family.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your leadership stories! Think of times when you've led a team or solved a problem in the kitchen. Be ready to share these experiences during your interview to demonstrate your strong leadership abilities and how you can maintain that positive team culture.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for food! Bring some ideas to the table about how you would ensure quality and consistency in the kitchen. This not only highlights your expertise but also shows that you're excited about the role and ready to contribute from day one.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity. It’s a great way to keep yourself on their radar and show that you’re keen on joining their team.
We think you need these skills to ace Kitchen Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food:When writing your application, let your love for food shine through! Share any experiences or stories that highlight your genuine passion for quality and consistency in the kitchen. We want to see that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you truly care about delivering the best products.
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:Make sure to emphasise your leadership abilities in your application. Talk about times when you've successfully led a team, resolved issues, or maintained high standards. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and engage their team, so show us how you’ve done this in the past!
Be Detail-Oriented:Attention to detail is key in our kitchens. In your application, mention specific examples where your attention to detail made a difference, whether it was in food preparation, maintaining cleanliness, or ensuring compliance with safety standards. We appreciate candidates who take pride in their work!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of success. It’s the easiest way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and keen to join our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at WatchHouse - Kitchen.
✨Show Your Passion for Food
Make sure to express your genuine love for food during the interview. Share specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to ensure quality and consistency in your previous roles. This will demonstrate that you align with the company's values and are committed to delivering best-in-class products.
✨Highlight Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your leadership style and provide examples of how you've successfully managed a team in a production environment. Talk about how you hold your team accountable while fostering a positive culture, as this is key to the Kitchen Manager role.
✨Know Your Food Safety Standards
Brush up on your Level 3 Food Hygiene knowledge and HACCP practices. Be ready to discuss how you've implemented food safety measures in past positions. This shows that you take compliance seriously and can maintain high standards in the kitchen.
✨Demonstrate Attention to Detail
Prepare to give examples of how you've ensured product consistency and quality in your previous roles. Discuss any systems or processes you've used to monitor and maintain these standards, as attention to detail is crucial for this position.
