Head Cook

The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust; Gillingham; On-site; GBP 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A care home for veterans in Gillingham is looking for a Head Cook to oversee kitchen operations and ensure high-quality nutritional meals. Responsibilities include preparing diverse menus, maintaining hygiene standards, and managing kitchen staff training. The ideal candidate is compassionate, dependable, and passionate about food. In addition to a competitive salary, the role offers generous benefits including a health plan and holiday allowance. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

Benefits

Medicash Health Plan

Employee Assistance Program

6 weeks holiday

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free on-site parking

Blue Light Card eligibility

Qualifications

• Experience in kitchen production and supervision.
• Knowledge of food hygiene and safety regulations.
• Ability to manage budget effectively.

Responsibilities

• Co-ordinate all kitchen production aspects.
• Implement and supervise kitchen control standards.
• Supervise staff training and development.
• Maintain HACCP records.

Skills

Dependability

Compassion

Trustworthiness

Empathy

Patience

Understanding

Passion for food

Job description

Salary: £36,379.20 plus comprehensive benefits package

Job type: Permanent, 40 hours per week

The Head Cook is responsible for providing a high standard of varied and nutritional diets to the care home residents while maintaining budgetary control of the processes as per CQC standards. To oversee the kitchen operation at Pembroke House.

To ensure all statutory Hygiene and Health & Safety Regulations are adhered to and records are kept up to date.

Pembroke House is a purpose built care home for veterans of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in Gillingham. We have been serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines veterans and their dependants for over 70 years. Our residents and staff enjoy a varied yet familiar way of life to encourage independence and give each day meaning and purpose. The home has a ‘family run’ feel and we have carefully created a supportive, friendly and close knit team, making it a unique and very special place to work.

Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• To co-ordinate all aspects of kitchen production so that food is prepared to the agreed standard and that time deadlines are met.
• To implement and supervise all aspects of kitchen control e.g. menus, hygiene, health and safety, staff, cleaning and waste control.
• To supervise and develop staff training.
• To attend statutory training.
• To order catering consumables from nominated suppliers.
• To maintain computerised stock accounting.
• To prepare menus for the Home taking into account the content, balance, colour and nutritional values.
• To prepare special diets for Service Users as directed by the nursing staff.
• To maintain the agreed stock levels of food.
• To implement, record and maintain an agreed cleaning schedule for the kitchen.
• To carry out stock takes at the end of each month as directed by the Home Manager.
• To organise and control kitchen working hours.
• To work within agreed budget guidelines on staff costs and consumables and co-operate in any action necessary to keep to the budget.
• To account for food supplied to staff.
• To maintain HACCP records.

The Person

This role would suit someone who is naturally dependable, compassionate and trustworthy. They should be able to empathise with the needs of the residents, have patience and understanding and above all be kind and caring. They should have a passion about food and wanting to make a difference.

What we offer

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a generous suite of benefits to our employees including:

• Medicash Health Plan & Employee Assistance Program
• 6 weeks per annum pro-rata holiday
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Free on-site parking
• Eligibility for Blue Light Card

IMPORTANT: Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.

As a Silver accredited Armed Forces Covenant signatory, we are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community and recognising the value that serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and military families bring to our organisation. We welcome applications from all members of the Armed Forces community and are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer.

If you would like to find out more about working for The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust please contact us at [e-mail] or visit www.rnbt.org.uk

Closing date for applications is Friday 6 February 2026