Support Chef Manager

Wilson Vale; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - GBP 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading contract catering company in the UK is seeking a passionate Support Chef Manager to join their team. The role involves working across sites, including Oxford and Milton Keynes, focusing on delivering quality restaurant-style food. Ideal candidates will possess strong cooking and leadership skills, have experience in fresh food kitchens, and a desire for a balanced work-life. The company values creativity, quality ingredients, and offers a supportive environment to foster personal and professional growth.

Benefits

Work-life balance

Career development opportunities

Paid training

Employee Assistance Programme

Online employee benefits scheme

Birthday off after 1 year

Enhanced Maternity Pay

Qualifications

• Proven experience in fresh food kitchens, ideally as a chef manager or head chef.
• Flexible and willing to travel to various sites.
• Positive attitude and commitment to delivering consistent quality.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and serve imaginative, fresh, seasonal food.
• Lead and motivate kitchen teams.
• Manage budgets, stock, ordering, and menu planning.
• Maintain high standards of presentation and service.

Skills

Strong cooking skills

Leadership and communication skills

Proactive and organized

Knowledge of food trends

Calm under pressure

Job description

Overview

We are recruiting a passionate, friendly, and experienced Support Chef Manager to work as part of our Support Team for our sites based in Oxford and Milton Keynes, with occasional travel into London and Cambridge. Your standard work week will be based around 40 hours.

Do you love creating stunning restaurant-quality food and want a role with variety, stability, and a work-life balance you won’t find in hotels or restaurants?

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. We work in office restaurants, independent schools, and conference venues with the same high-end ethos throughout.

Our culture unites us. We stand for craft, quality, creative freedom, forward thinking, and integrity. We never compromise on our commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and the fantastic people that make it all happen!

The ideal candidate will have worked in a fresh food environment, ideally as a chef manager or head chef, and will enjoy the variety of working at different sites. Hotel or restaurant chefs looking for a better work-life balance often thrive in this role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cover for chefs and chef managers across various sites, ensuring seamless service and quality
• Prepare and serve imaginative, fresh, seasonal food to exceed expectations
• Lead and motivate kitchen teams with a “nothing is too much trouble” attitude
• Maintain high standards of presentation, service, and food safety
• Manage budgets, stock, ordering, and menu planning
• Build excellent relationships with clients, customers, and on-site teams
• Implement themed events, promotions, and innovative food ideas during cover periods
• Ensure all due diligence, hygiene, and health & safety records are maintained to the highest standard

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience in fresh food kitchens, ideally as a chef manager or head chef
• Strong cooking skills with the ability to adapt to different kitchens and teams
• Flexible and willing to travel to a variety of sites
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Proactive, organised, and calm under pressure
• Positive attitude and a commitment to delivering consistent quality
• Knowledge of food trends, service styles, and premium hospitality standards

OUR CULTURE

• 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.

WILSON VALE PERKS

• 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.
• Fuel, Accommodation, and food expenses policy
• 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 at has a voice.