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 a competitive salary, flexible hours, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Great opportunity for career growth in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in food quality while leading a dynamic team.
- Qualifications: Passion for food, leadership skills, and food safety knowledge 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 Head of Food.
Key Responsibilities
- Responsible for the daily operation of the production kitchen.
- Lead and hold the kitchen team to account throughout your shift.
- Ensure all shifts are opened and closed to the correct standards.
- Conduct daily checks accurately and record them on Trail.
- Produce weekly shift rotas for approval by the Bakery Manager.
- Prepare and pack each shift volume in full and on time.
- Solve production issues and optimize workflow and labour usage.
- Supervise health and food safety, ensuring full compliance with WatchHouse’s operating procedures.
- Uphold standards to maintain product quality and ensure items are produced to the correct recipe and specification, ensuring consistency across all product lines.
- Address any product quality issues (quality, weights, finish) within the shift and escalate as required.
- Drive food safety compliance to keep the bakery and all processes held to the highest standards of cleanliness and traceability.
- Monitor ingredient inventory and coordinate efficient and accurate stock management.
- Escalate to Kitchen Lead if ingredient stocks are too high or low, and support adjustments to reduce wastage.
- Ensure all items required are ordered correctly through MarketMan, control wastage, complete weekly stock takes, and maintain appropriate stock levels.
- Ensure all team members take correct breaks, holidays and start and finish shifts on time.
- Maintain a positive culture and an engaged team, upholding standards with honesty and empathy to ensure consistent quality.
Qualifications
- Genuine passion for food and a 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 the ability to implement and manage food safety practices to remain compliant.
- Interpersonal skills, the ability to build and maintain relationships whilst showing empathy to your team.
- Level 3 Health & Safety certification or successful completion by the end of probation.
- Demonstrated experience leading a team in a production environment, with the ability to deliver effective feedback and hold the team to account.
- Attention to detail; diligence in ensuring all product lines are consistent and meet product specifications.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to work well at pace when under pressure.
Production Kitchen Lead (CPU) employer: WatchHouse
As a Production Kitchen Lead at our vibrant 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. Join us to be part of a dedicated team that prioritises excellence and fosters a positive atmosphere built on honesty and empathy.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Kitchen Lead (CPU)
✨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 specific examples where you've led a team or solved a problem in a production environment. Being able to share these experiences will demonstrate your strong leadership abilities and passion for quality food.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your attention to detail! During the interview, mention how you ensure consistency and quality in your work. Bring up any relevant experiences where you maintained high standards in food safety and cleanliness – it’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to ask questions! Prepare some thoughtful questions about the team dynamics and kitchen operations. This shows that you’re engaged and ready to contribute to a positive team culture. And remember, apply through our website for the best chance at landing the job!
We think you need these skills to ace Production Kitchen Lead (CPU)
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 food production. We want to see that you care about what you do!
Highlight Your Leadership Skills:Make sure to emphasise your leadership abilities in your application. Talk about times you've led a team, how you’ve motivated others, and how you handle challenges. We’re looking for someone who can inspire and engage their team!
Be Detail-Oriented:Attention to detail is key in this role, so don’t forget to showcase your meticulous nature in your application. Whether it’s about maintaining product quality or managing stock levels, give us examples of how you ensure everything is up to standard.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at WatchHouse
✨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 resonate well with the interviewers, as they’re looking for someone who truly cares about what they produce.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you’ve successfully managed teams in a production environment. Think of instances where you’ve motivated your team or resolved conflicts. Highlight your ability to hold team members accountable while fostering a positive culture.
✨Know Your Food Safety Standards
Brush up on your knowledge of food safety practices, especially HACCP. Be ready to talk about how you’ve implemented these standards in past roles. Showing that you can maintain high cleanliness and safety standards will be crucial for this position.
✨Be Ready to Solve Problems
Think of examples where you’ve had to solve production issues or optimise workflows. The interviewers will want to see your problem-solving skills in action, so prepare to discuss how you approach challenges and ensure efficiency in a fast-paced kitchen environment.
