Section Chef

Cambridge University Press Ltd.; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic publisher is seeking a skilled Section Chef for their kitchen team in Whittlesford, Cambridge. The role includes 35 hours of work weekly, focusing on food production and exceptional customer service. You will ensure adherence to safety regulations, deliver high-quality meals, and work as part of a dynamic team. Benefits include 28 days of annual leave, private medical insurance, and a discretionary bonus. Join a collaborative team dedicated to maintaining excellent service standards.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary

Green travel schemes

Qualifications

• Experience working in food production and catering.
• Ability to work in a high-pressure environment.
• Strong focus on customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Execute day-to-day food production operations.
• Ensure food safety and health regulations compliance.
• Deliver excellent customer service to staff and guests.

Skills

Level 2 Food Safety

Knowledge of catering services

Proven experience in a catering role

Strong teamwork and communication skills

Job description

Job Title: Section Chef

Contract: Full-time, permanent,

Salary: £24,900-£28,650 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35 hours per week, Mon-Fri (No weekends)

Location: Whittlesford, Cambridge

We are currently seeking a skilled and motivated Section Chef to join our kitchen team.

If you are a talented and dedicated chef seeking to advance your career, we would be delighted to hear from you.

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

About the role

As a section chef primarily based at Whittlesford, Cambridge, you will be part of a dynamic and customer-focused Catering team, ensuring delivery of excellent food and delivering a first-class service to all our staff, guests, and visitors

You will execute day-to-day food production operations at the Cambridge sites, providing customers with a high level of customer service, coordinating team members to deliver an overall excellent customer experience.

Ensuring that all food production operations are conducted in line with agreed-upon food safety, health and safety, and any other statutory requirements.

You will thrive in a changing environment, be motivated by delivering excellent customer service and will enjoy being part of a high-performing team that epitomises customer satisfaction.

About you

You are a strong team player with excellent knowledge of the catering industry, good communication skills, and a passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Level 2 Food Safety
• Knowledge of catering services
• Proven experience in a catering role
• Strong teamwork and communication skills

If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached at the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.

We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion, ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.

Rewards and benefits

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits, including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Group personal pension scheme
• Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary
• Green travel schemes

Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.

We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 15th February 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, and shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place shortly after the closing date/on a rolling basis throughout the advertising window.

As part of the recruitment process, you may be invited to an introduction interview followed by a short trial shift.

Why join us

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You'll belong to a collaborative team that's exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where everyone has a voice, and where we learn continuously to improve together. Ensuring that everyone feels they belong is essential to who we are, and to the contribution we make to society and our planet.

We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.