Head Chef & Kitchen Lead – Creative Seasonal Menus in Thames Ditton

We have an exciting opportunity to become our new Chef Manager at one of our workplace restaurants in Thames Ditton, KT7. Do you love creating stunning restaurant food and are looking for work hours that give you a work-life balance like no other sector in the hospitality industry? Wilson Vale is an established, quality-led contract caterer. We work with amazing clients across the UK who place huge value on great food as a key part of their culture and community.

This is a permanent position working 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 7am to 3:30pm. Some flexibility may be required to cater for occasional events. We are a fresh food-led operation, giving you full autonomy over menu creation to deliver a high-quality breakfast and lunch service using local, seasonal ingredients. Catering for around 100 staff daily, the offering includes hot mains, a daily salad bar, baked desserts, and hospitality catering.

We place a strong emphasis on customer interaction, so you’ll need to be personable, professional, and confident during service. You’ll also oversee two General Assistants, so strong leadership and organisational skills are essential to successfully manage this busy operation.

• Oversee the day-to-day operation of the kitchen, including the preparation and cooking of all food offerings
• Cater to the needs and expectations of all customers
• Lead, support, and motivate the team to ensure smooth daily operations
• Deliver consistently high food standards in line with Wilson Vale brand standards
• Create fresh, seasonal, and innovative dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world
• Maintain high standards of food safety, hygiene, and Health & Safety, including accurate record keeping
• Manage allergen reporting and ensure clear signposting for customers
• Take responsibility for budgeting, ordering, and stock control
• Support the training and development of team members

• LOVE food, and love working in a team.
• Positive attitude
• Have good customer service skills and strong communication skills.
• Be able to work in a high-pressured environment.
• Strong premium hospitality experience in another venue
• Local knowledge and experience working in the area
• A passion for exceptional service is essential
• Strong understanding of service styles, food trends
• Innovation and creativity
• A passion for training and development
• Exceptional presentation skills
• Articulate and very well organised
• Proactive and reliable

• Craft at our core – we pride ourselves on our craft-skilled chefs who create wonderful fresh food from scratch.
• It’s all about the food – the menu is the most important document our chefs write every week.
• Quality, seasonal ingredients – 300+ British suppliers and our chefs can source locally.
• Freedom to create – our teams love to cook up exciting food themes and pop-ups to keep the food fun.
• Support like no other – our business was founded by family and we have stayed true to those same family values of nurturing development, protecting our values and building trust and loyalty.
• Making food that not only tastes great but is good for the planet. We have always had a strong environmental ethos and are dedicated to our social and environmental commitments.
• We believe in tailored training and opportunities to build your career with us.

• Our working hours are some of the best you'll find in catering - we are strong believers in work-life balance
• Our working environment is fun and inspiring, with excellent career development opportunities
• Craft Works – Free craft-focused career development training programme
• Paid training bespoke to you
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme - your wellbeing is very important to us
• Online employee benefits scheme - monetary savings on everyday items!
• Your Birthday off every year after 1 years’ service.
• Enhanced Maternity Pay

Wilson Vale is an equal opportunities employer that strives to create an inclusive working environment for all. We are committed to supporting our people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. From each and every person in our catering teams, to our operations and central support teams – everyone has a voice.