Relief Chef Manager - Cambridge and surrounding areas

Thomas Franks Ltd.; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An independent catering company seeks a talented Relief Chef Manager for the Cambridge area. This full-time, permanent position involves creating seasonal menus, leading kitchen teams, and maintaining high food standards. Ideal candidates have extensive experience in fast-paced kitchens, a recognized cooking qualification, and a passion for great food. The role offers competitive salary and excellent career progression.

Benefits

Wider wallet scheme (discounts at major retailers)

Free meals on duty

Volunteers leave - up to one day per year

Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave

Recommend a friend bonus

Comprehensive training and development

Established apprenticeship programme

Team & company social events

Employee assistance programme

Excellent career progression

Qualifications

• Experience in fast-paced kitchens at Head Chef or Chef Manager level.
• Ability to create seasonal menus using fresh ingredients.
• Experience in contract catering, ideally within Independent Schools or B&I.

Responsibilities

• Cover Head Chef/Chef Manager during holidays and sickness.
• Support mobilisations and troubleshoot at locations.
• Produce food from scratch following company standards.
• Create bespoke seasonal menus from local suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with food hygiene and safety standards.

Skills

Genuine interest in food

Excellent customer service skills

Excellent client relationship skills

Team player and leader

Attention to detail

Sound financial understanding

Good verbal English

Good written English

Customer or food preparation experience

Cooking qualification (e.g., City & Guilds 706/1 & 2)

Education

Cooking qualification such as City & Guild 706/1 & 2

Job description

Relief Chef Manager - Cambridge and surrounding areas

Cambridge

Contract: Full Time , Permanent
Salary: £ 40,000 per annum
Hours: 40 per week

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 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.
• 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.