Head Chef

Transformationunitgm; Andover; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare institution in Andover is looking for an experienced Head Chef to manage kitchen operations. You will ensure the delivery of high-quality meals, oversee compliance with food safety regulations, and lead a catering team. This role involves menu planning and staff training, while fostering a positive environment. The ideal candidate must have strong culinary skills and relevant qualifications, and will work in a dynamic healthcare setting. The position offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to contribute to patient care.

Benefits

Potential accommodation options

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a kitchen and staff.
• Excellent knowledge of food hygiene, health & safety, and allergen regulations.
• Experience in multiple kitchen environments (e.g. restaurants, hotels, etc).

Responsibilities

• Lead the kitchen team in preparing high-quality meals.
• Oversee special dietary requirements and allergen compliance.
• Monitor food hygiene standards and portion control.
• Develop menus that meet patient dietary needs.
• Supervise and train catering staff.

Skills

Organisational skills

Time-management skills

Strong all-round culinary skills

Ability to manage kitchen operations

Mentoring experience

Education

Professional cookery qualification (NVQ Level 3, or equivalent)

Food Safety Level 3 (or willingness to obtain)

Allergen awareness and HACCP knowledge

Job description

Employer Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Andover Town Andover Salary £31,049 - £37,796 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 16/02/2026 23:59

Head Chef

NHS AfC: Band 5

Our cultural ambition is to have a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where we all belong, and where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Head Chef to join us at Hampshire Hospitals.

The Head Chef is a key leadership role responsible for the operational management of the kitchen and restaurant, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality catering service in line with national standards, legislation, and Trust policies. The post holder will lead and develop the catering team to provide nutritious, well-presented meals for patients, staff, and visitors, maintaining strict compliance with food safety, hygiene, and health regulations. This role includes oversight of menu planning, staff supervision, and daily operational efficiency, while fostering a hands-on, flexible approach to support team performance. The Head Chef will work across early and late shifts as required to meet service needs.

Main duties of the job

Management

• Lead the kitchen team in preparing and cooking high-quality meals for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Oversee special dietary requirements, ensuring allergen compliance and minimal risk of cross-contamination.
• Monitor food hygiene standards, portion control, and presentation, ensuring consistency in quality.
• Ensure all food service processes adhere to NHS Trust guidelines, HACCP protocols, and legal food safety regulations.
• Develop menus that meet patient dietary needs, cultural preferences, and nutritional standards.
• Liaise with dietitians and clinical teams to accommodate special diets.
• Incorporate seasonal and sustainable ingredients into menu planning.
• Supervise, train, and motivate catering staff; manage rotas and performance.
• Support recruitment and mentor staff to build a skilled, motivated team.
• Promote a positive and safe working environment.

Compliance & Safety

• Conduct regular audits and risk assessments; ensure adherence to Trust policies.
• Manage allergen data and labelling in accordance with current legislation.
• Respond to complaints and incidents according to Trust policy.

Budget & Stock Control

• Manage food procurement, stock levels, and waste reduction to maintain cost efficiency.
• Monitor budgets and plan efficient staff rotas.

Working for our organisation

Our vision is to provide outstanding care for every patient. Patient care is at the heart of what we do at our three sites: Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and Andover War Memorial Hospital. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides medical and surgical services to a population of approximately 600,000 people across Hampshire and parts of West Berkshire.

Our cultural ambition is to have a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where we all belong, and where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.

We provide specialist services to people across the UK and internationally. We are one of only two centres in the UK treating pseudomyxoma peritonei (a rare form of abdominal cancer) and we are leaders in the field of tertiary liver cancer and colorectal cancer.

The trust employs more than 9,000 staff and has a turnover of over £500 million a year. As a Foundation Trust, we are directly accountable to our members through the governors. The Council of Governors represent the interests of their constituencies and influence the future plans of the Foundation Trust.

We understand relocating can be a big step. Hampshire Hospitals may be able to provide accommodation options for successful candidates, depending on availability. If this something you would like to explore please contact Southern Housing on 02080 360017

Employer guidance

Detailed job description and main responsibilities should clearly outline headings, ownership of duties, and expectations. This description focuses on role requirements rather than the current postholder. Essential and desirable skills and qualifications are listed below.

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

• Food Safety Level 3 (or willingness to obtain)
• Allergen awareness and HACCP knowledge
• Professional cookery qualification (e.g. NVQ Level 3, or equivalent)
• Advanced culinary qualifications or specialist training
• Experience in multiple kitchen environments (e.g. restaurants, hotels, etc)

Experience

• Strong organisational and time‑management skills
• Ability to manage kitchen operations during service under pressure
• Excellent knowledge of food hygiene, health & safety, and allergen regulations
• Strong all‑round culinary skills with consistent food quality standards
• Experience with menu development and menu planning
• Proven ability to lead, motivate, and develop a kitchen and staff

Team Work

• Experience working with inspections and audits
• Mentoring or coaching experience

Our commitment to you:

We are committed to equality and diversity in both the provision of our services and how we recruit and manage our staff. Applications are encouraged from everyone with the necessary attributes for the job, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.

Happy to Talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible and part time working will be considered.

The paperwork:

• HHFT is committed to putting the safety and care of our patients first – as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues. Therefore, we would recommend that you are vaccinated against COVID-19 and that you understand that we are treating COVID-19 positive patients within our services.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted at least 5 working days before the scheduled interview date. Applications will be submitted directly into our preferred third party recruitment system (Trac). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs via email - please ensure to check your junk/spam folders.
• All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post.
• In compliance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016, all applicants must be able to communicate fluently in English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed as part of the selection process.
• This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. If you intend to apply you are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.
• We believe that using technology wisely reflects strong time management and a commitment to innovation. However, it's essential to personalise your recruitment application to showcase your unique skills and experiences. Over-reliance on generic, AI-generated content may result in rejection if multiple candidates submit applications with similar language or structure. In such cases, recruiting managers may reach out for further clarity where applications appear consistent with others, to better understand your individual strengths.

Tackling Climate Change: Hampshire Hospitals aims to embed sustainability and net zero carbon principles into the delivery of care across all its services. To find out more, search HHFT Climate Action or [e-mail].

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.