Relief Chef Manager

Thomas Franks Ltd.; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading contract caterer in the UK is seeking a Relief Chef Manager to support operations across Cambridge and surrounding areas. The ideal candidate will bring previous experience as a Head Chef or Chef Manager in a fast-paced environment, focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients and creativity in menu development. This role involves covering for holidays, ensuring food quality standards, and adhering to health and safety guidelines. The position offers excellent training, career progression, and a supportive team environment.

Benefits

Discounts at major retailers

Free meals on duty

Volunteers leave

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Cycle to work scheme

Recommend a friend bonus

Training and development opportunities

Social events

Employee assistance programme

Career progression

Qualifications

• Previous experience in fast-paced kitchens at Head Chef or Chef Manager level.
• Experience within contract catering (ideally Independent Schools or B&I).
• Ability to prepare bespoke seasonal menus from fresh ingredients.

Responsibilities

• Cover head chef/chef manager during holidays and sickness.
• Support with mobilisations and troubleshooting.
• Produce food for service using fresh ingredients.
• Ensure company food standards and health & safety policies are followed.

Skills

Customer service skills

Client relationship skills

Leadership

Attention to detail

Financial understanding

Verbal English skills

Written English skills

Cooking qualification

Education

Recognised cooking qualification such as City & Guild 706/1 & 2

Job description

Relief Chef Manager - Cambridge and surrounding areas

Hook Norton

Our head offices based in the beautiful village of Hook Norton near Banbury. Here you will find our teams of finance, HR, purchasing, marketing & creative that support all of our locations across the Thomas Franks family. There is ample parking space available when visiting.

We are looking for a talented Relief Chef Manager to join our team to support our business across the Cambridge region and surrounding areas.

You will have previous experience of working within fast-paced kitchens at either Head Chef or Chef Manager level within contract catering (ideally Independent Schools or B&I).

You will be excited to work with fresh seasonal ingredients & regularly changing bespoke menus which YOU create! You will be creative and have the opportunity to showcase your skillset every day.

Key responsibilities:

• To cover Head Chef| Chef Manager holiday and sickness
• To support with mobilisations
• To support with troubleshooting at locations which require additional support
• To cover a vacancy
• To produce food for service using fresh ingredients, cooking from scratch and following the companies brand standards
• Creating bespoke seasonal menus from regional and local suppliers
• Completing food costings as required
• Completing company bookwork
• Ensuring company food standards are adhered to and wastage controlled.
• Ensuring all Food Hygiene and Health & Safety policies and allergen control procedures are followed.

You will have the following skills:

• A genuine interest in food & excellent customer service skills
• Excellent client relationship skills
• An all-round team player and leader
• Innovation and passion for great food
• An organised Relief Chef Manager with attention to detail
• Sound financial understanding
• Ability to demonstrate a good understanding and use of verbal English.
• Ability to demonstrate a good standard of written English and reading skills.
• Similar experience of customer and / or food preparation environment is essential.
• Hold a recognised cooking qualification such as City & Guild 706/1 & 2 or equivalent.
• Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers, restaurants, gyms etc).
• Free meals on duty
• Volunteers leave - up to one day per year.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Recommend a friend bonus.
• Unrivalled individual training and development.
• Well established apprenticeship programme.
• Team & company social events.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Excellent career progression within a leading independent contract caterer.

About us

Thomas Franks is a founder led, fresh food catering business with a focus on excellence and service delivered with individuality, passion and style. We are unique in every approach and our clients, and our people are paramount to our daily success.

Disclaimer

All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for this role.

An enhanced DBS, Identity & reference checks (covering the last five years) will form part of the selection process. As an organisation using the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure service to assess applicants' suitability for positions of trust, Thomas Franks Ltd complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure based on conviction or other information revealed. However, for any post in a school please be aware that any application is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such any criminal conviction, caution or bind-over must be declared.

Diversity and Inclusion at Thomas Franks

We actively encourage applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds and continue to develop a culture of growth and inclusion and would like to invite applications from groups who are currently under-represented, because we believe greater diversity leads to exceptional results and provides a better working life.