Head Chef

Norwood Ravenswood Limited; Crowthorne; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A compassionate community organization in Crowthorne is looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the catering team at Ravenswood Village. This hands-on role demands strong leadership skills to deliver high-quality, nutritious meals that meet Kosher requirements. Responsibilities include team management, meal planning, compliance with health and safety regulations, and menu design. The role offers comprehensive benefits including enhanced parental pay and a supportive team environment.

Benefits

Fully funded induction and training

25 days annual leave + 8 Bank Holidays

Enhanced parental pay

Employee Assistance Programme

Health cash plan

Cycle to Work scheme

£300 refer‑a‑friend bonus

Free on‑site parking

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a professional kitchen, including leadership.
• Strong knowledge of food hygiene, health and safety standards.
• Ability to work within Kosher food preparation standards or willingness to train.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the kitchen team, providing support and development.
• Plan and deliver meals in line with health and safety regulations.
• Design balanced, nutritious menus that accommodate dietary needs.

Skills

Team leadership

Food hygiene knowledge

Meal preparation for large groups

Communicative skills

Experience in care setting

Job description

Salary: £34,000 to £38,000
Hours: 39 hours per week (rota based, includes weekends)
Contract: Permanent

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Head Chef to lead the catering provision at Ravenswood Village. This is a hands‑on leadership role, responsible for delivering high‑quality, nutritious meals that meet Kosher (Kashrut) requirements, food hygiene regulations, and the individual needs of the people we support.

You will lead and develop a catering team, maintain high standards across kitchen operations, and work closely with care teams to ensure food provision supports health, wellbeing, dignity, and choice.

This is a role where leadership, structure, and care come together every day.

Your Day to Day

• Lead and manage the kitchen team, providing supervision, support, and development.
• Plan, prepare, and deliver meals in line with Kosher laws, food hygiene standards, and care plans.
• Ensure food is purchased, stored, prepared, and served safely and in appropriate quantities.
• Design balanced, nutritious menus that accommodate dietary needs, vegetarian options, and medical requirements.
• Maintain full compliance with Food Standards Agency and Health & Safety regulations.
• Oversee stock control, cleaning schedules, waste disposal, and kitchen maintenance.
• Complete and record all required checks including temperatures, opening and closing procedures.
• Liaise with care staff, managers, and health professionals regarding individual dietary requirements.
• Support events, functions, and ad hoc catering needs on or off site, working flexibly when required.
• Provide training and guidance to support staff involved in meal provision across other services when needed.

Qualifications, Experience & Training

• Proven experience in a professional kitchen, including team leadership.
• Strong knowledge of food hygiene, health and safety, and kitchen compliance.
• Experience preparing meals for large groups with varied dietary needs.
• Ability to work within Kosher food preparation standards or willingness to train.
• Confident communicator, able to work collaboratively with care teams and volunteers.
• Experience working in a care, education, or community setting.

Reward and Benefits

• Fully funded induction and training
• 25 days annual leave + 8 Bank Holidays (FTE)
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health cash plan covering dental, optical, and therapy treatments, with virtual GP access, private consultations, and wellbeing tools via the My Medicash App
• Cycle to Work scheme
• £300 refer‑a‑friend bonus
• Free on‑site parking
• A supportive, experienced team and management

We are a kind and compassionate community. Empowerment and respect are at the heart of everything we do and believe in at Norwood.

If you are positive and resilient and a force for good, we are for you!

We strive for excellence and to make a real difference to the lives of the people we support. Our team is one of our biggest assets.

We nurture a supportive environment for our people, with tailored training and career development at all levels.

We reserve the right to close this advertisement early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

We actively celebrate everyone's different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender.

Everyone is welcome and supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.