Chef Manager

Gather & Gather; City of London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading catering company is seeking a Chef Manager for the London University College Hall. The role demands overseeing kitchen operations, managing a team, and developing menus while ensuring high standards of food quality. The ideal candidate should possess strong leadership and communication skills, with experience in managing kitchen operations for large groups. This full-time position offers a competitive salary between £38,000 - £40,000 per annum, primarily Monday to Friday with some weekend flexibility.

Benefits

Personal development and training opportunities

Private medical eligibility

Eye care

Wellbeing support

Family-friendly support

Regular social events

Qualifications

• Experience in managing kitchen operations for large groups.
• Ability to develop diverse menus according to seasonal availability.
• Strong leadership skills to manage and support kitchen staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations ensuring high food quality.
• Lead and manage a team of 16 kitchen and front-of-house staff.
• Develop menus while maintaining nutritional balance and cost control.
• Manage staff rotas to ensure compliance with labor regulations.
• Conduct stock takes and manage inventory effectively.

Skills

Leadership

Food quality management

Menu planning

Staff management

Communication

Job description

At Gather & Gather, we are known as one of the UK & Ireland’s most distinctive workplace catering experts. We are passionate about great food and great coffee and putting our employees and customers at the heart of everything that we do.

We are currently recruiting for a Chef Manager at London University College Hall.

Location: University of London, College Hall, WC1E 7HZ

Rate of pay: £38,000 – £40,000 per annum

Working pattern: Predominately Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week, weekend flexibility

Shifts: 7 am – 3 pm & 12 pm – 8 pm

Key responsibilities

• Oversee daily kitchen operations, focusing on breakfast, brunch, and dinner services, ensuring high standards of food quality, presentation, and timeliness for up to 300 covers.
• Lead, manage, and support a team of 16 kitchen and front‑of‑house staff, fostering a positive working environment and ensuring consistent performance through active supervision and engagement.
• Develop and plan menus in line with seasonal availability, customer preferences, and budgetary guidelines, while maintaining variety, nutritional balance, and cost control.
• Manage staff rotas and scheduling, ensuring appropriate coverage across all services and monitoring working hours to comply with labor regulations and operational needs.
• Conduct regular stock takes and maintain stock levels, placing timely orders, minimising waste, and ensuring cost‑effective use of resources.
• Facilitate effective communication within the team through regular meetings and clear, timely updates to ensure alignment on daily operations, service expectations, and kitchen priorities.

Benefits

• Personal development and training opportunities
• Private medical eligibility
• Eye care
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme and salary finance
• Family‑friendly support
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders
Professional subscriptions

Seniority level

Not applicable

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Management