Executive Chef

Compass Group; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A global food services company is seeking an experienced Executive Chef based in Oxford. You will oversee all culinary aspects of catering, manage kitchen operations, and ensure high-quality food and service. Responsibilities include menu development, staff management, and budget control. The ideal candidate will have extensive culinary experience, strong leadership skills, and relevant qualifications like a City & Guilds diploma. A benefits package is offered, including travel discounts and pension schemes.

Benefits

Exclusive travel discounts

Pension scheme

Wellness and mindfulness classes

Qualifications

• High level of culinary & retail experience.
• Effective interpersonal skills and clear leadership style.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement menus aligning with client preferences.
• Supervise all aspects of kitchen operations including food prep.
• Manage a team of 15+ kitchen staff.

Skills

Culinary experience

Communication skills

Analytical problem-solving

Leadership skills

Organisational skills

Education

City & Guilds diploma or equivalent

Food safety L3

IOSH certification

Job description

Overview

Whoweare…

Compass Group Plc is a £20 billion turnover, global organisation and the world’s leading provider of food and support services. With operations across seven key business areas (Foodservice; Support Services; Business & Industry; Healthcare & Seniors; Education; Sports & Leisure; and Defence, Offshore & Remote), Compass serves customers in offices and factories; schools and universities; hospitals and senior living communities; major sports and cultural venues; remote mining camps and even offshore platforms.

We are looking for an experienced Executive Chef to oversee all culinary aspects of catering provided on site for both retail and hospitality, including menu planning, food preparation, staff supervision, and ensuring high-quality food and service. We are looking for an Executive Chef to manage kitchen operations, budgets, and team performance.

Responsibilities

• Menu Development & Execution: Creating and implementing menus that align with client preferences, dietary requirements, and event themes.
• Kitchen Operations: Supervising all aspects of kitchen operations, including food preparation, presentation, and service.
• Staff Management: Hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating kitchen staff. Managing a team of 15+
• Budgeting and Financial Management: Managing kitchen budgets, controlling food costs, and ensuring profitability.
• Quality Control: Ensuring consistency, quality, and presentation of all culinary offerings.
• Health and Safety Compliance: Upholding all health, safety, and sanitation standards.
• Contract Compliance: Ensuring compliance with contract terms and conditions, including service level agreements (SLAs).

Our Ideal Candidate

• High level of culinary & retail experience
• Highly effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Clear and effective leadership style
• Ability to analyse problems analytically, develop opportunities and implement innovative solutions/approaches
• Excellent organisational skills and time management
• Ability to adhere to all health & safety practices
• Food safety L3, & IOSH
• City & Guilds diploma or equivalent

What you get

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Regular emails filled with the best discounts and savings available
• Receive Wow Points every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways programme
• Compass exclusive offers on PerksAtWork