Head Chef

Are you looking for your next challenge? Are you food and service focused and with a keen eye for detail? We are looking for an enthusiastic person to join our Catering team as a Head Chef supporting our Chefs and Catering Team for the School.

Nottingham High School is rich in tradition and has been educating children for more than 500 years. Most important, it is a community and the people who work here believe that they can make a difference to children at the school. If you would like to join a dynamic and inclusive environment, where we enable all of our staff to be the best that they can be, then we would love to hear from you.

The salary is £34,000 plus competitive employee benefits.

The hours are 7am – 3pm, Tuesday to Saturday (37.5 hours per week) with Christmas Closure

To apply you must complete our application form, CVs alone will not be accepted.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Primary Purpose

The Head Chef’s primary role is the leadership of the chefs and catering team in order to provide first class catering support to all activities at the School including the School’s external site at Valley Road and all of the internal and external functions. The post oversees all aspects of the kitchen operation from production planning, menu development, cooking and staffing.

Principal Objectives

· To plan, prepare, cook and present food to the standards required by the school.

· To work alongside the Catering Manager to prepare, in advance of the start of each term, a well-planned, fully costed, nutritional and healthy rotational menu for the coming term.

· Provide guidance to catering staff on service and portion control, ensuring that all food is safe and served at an appropriate temperature.

· To devise and cost menus for functions (internal and external)

· To control and monitor waste.

· To ensure all allergies are identified and recorded.

· To ensure supplies are correctly issued, used and accounted for to carry out stock takes and food rotation procedures.

· To maintain records relating to food production activities and supplier information as required by the Catering Manager.

· To ensure Health and Safety and Food Safety Standards are maintained in line with school policy and legislation.

· To set objectives and be responsible for the day to day running of the kitchen including supervising the recruitment and selection process to ensure that it effectively meets the needs of the school.

· To assess employee performance and recognise training needs and potential as appropriate.

· To hold team meetings on a regular basis to communicate targets, standards required

· To ensure compliance with the school’s policy on safer recruitment and safeguarding children and young adults at all times whilst at work.

· To interact with pupils both on a daily basis in the dining room and at school council meetings.

People Management

· To assess kitchen team performance and recognise training needs and potential as appropriate.

· To ensure training is carried out to meet the needs and requirements of the individual.

· To ensure that all employees are knowledgeable and motivated about their roles and the business through effective induction, accurate job descriptions and on the job training.

· To motivate lead and develop the team by empowering, supporting, and encouraging them and maintaining an “open door” policy that will create a culture of pride in the work of the department.

Financial Management:

· To ensure that all standards of food preparation and service are established and achieved in line with school budget.

· To consistently look at ways of ensuring best value through effective purchasing via suppliers and creative merchandising.

· To maintain budgetary records and ensure that appropriate controls are in place

· To order all necessary food, dry goods and equipment, obtaining best buys in line with directives from Catering Manager.

· To undertake stock checks on a termly basis and supply other information as requested

· To be involved in all catering aspects of the school’s income generation

and lettings program. Examples of this include formal dinners, national chess tournaments, Alumni reunions and other small to large events which require catering.

Health & Safety, Food Safety, the Environment:

· To ensure that the kitchen meets statutory and school requirements of Health and Safety, Food Safety and environmental legislation and procedures.

· To conduct Food Safety and Health and Safety Risk Assessments and ensure that all standards and procedures with regard to Hygiene and Safety are established and maintained.

· To ensure all kitchen staff are trained to the appropriate standard and that where necessary staff are trained on the use and cleaning of dangerous equipment.

· To ensure all equipment is well maintained and is in good working order.

· To make recommendations for renewal and replacement of equipment when required.

· To establish and maintain kitchen cleaning schedules.

· To ensure that all procedures and work instructions are fully understood and practised by all employees.

· To attend all health and safety training courses as required.

· To promote and encourage environment improving initiatives, as appropriate within the school.

Additional Responsibilities:

· To assist / deputise for Catering Manager.

· To take responsibility for contributing towards your own development with the guidance of your Manager and attending training courses as identified.

· To show commitment to school values in all aspects of the role.

· To act as a positive ambassador for the school.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Minimum Requirements

• NVQ qualification or equivalent
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to plan and prioritise
• Organised and motivated
• Ability to work on own initiative
• Numerate and literate
• Computer literate
• Effective time management
• Positive and flexible approach to work and willingness to undertake work outside of normal hours
• Basic and Intermediate Food Hygiene Certificate
• Allergen training
• Successful progressive background in catering

Nottingham High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and any appointment will be subject to an Enhanced DBS disclosure as well as any other pre-employment checks. In addition, Nottingham High School does not hold a sponsor licence and does not have current plans to obtain one. Applicants must be aware of their individual responsibility to provide the necessary documents to confirm the right to work in the UK as a part of our pre-employment checks.