Head Chef

Overall Purpose

To manage all aspects of the Catering function at Canford ensuring that a high standard of catering is provided for pupils, staff and visitors to the school.  During term-time the kitchens prepare food for up to 1000, over 7 days per week.  This includes breakfast and evening meals for boarding pupils and staff on duty and midday meal for all pupils and staff.   The catering team also prepare and present food for various internal events and occasions as well as for external lets and weddings, usually outside of term-time.

Core Objectives

• To ensure that you and your staff adhere to the Schools Allergen and Anaphylaxis Policy and Food Safety Management System (FSMS).
• To ensure your team remain professional and produce the highest possible standards in all aspects whether through catering output or conduct.

Duties

Management

• To show strong transformational leadership and management skills by enthusing, inspiring and motivating your brigade of chefs to achieve the highest possible standards.
• To demonstrate a management style that enables an ability to multitask, delegate and coordinate multiple daily commitments.
• To look strategically ahead and able to analyse, plan and deliver to meet the schools future needs, whilst providing an efficient and cost effective service.
• To performance manage your staff to enable them all to reach their potential. This involves carrying out 1:1’s, mentoring and coaching and producing annual appraisals on the Standards Tracker.
• To ensure rotas are completed monthly for your Brigade and submit to the delegated assistant manager.
• To manage your monthly food budget and to keep within budget at all times.
• To be competent and confident in placing food orders and using the ordering/stock management system
• To manage and work in a collaborative manner with the Senior Storeman by ensuring stock, food orders are maintained. Cover when applicable.

Service Quality

• To deliver a consistently high standard of food service to the Canford Community or to any other external site responsibilities that may come under our remit.
• Ensure that the catering staff have the necessary resources and training to meet and exceed standards on a day-to-day basis.
• To oversee and lead your team on the delivery of all services, internal and any external functions.
• To generate cost effective and seasonal dishes that is innovative and appealing whilst conforming to allocated budgets.
• To keep abreast of industry best practice and trends. 

Staff

• To manage day-to-day staff activities for your brigade of chefs
• To implement new ideas and transfer skills to the catering team by focusing on higher culinary skills
• To manage and report any breaches of staff conduct to the Head of Catering

Resources

• To place orders only with approved suppliers and monitor their product quality and food safety controls
• To receive and sign for deliveries
• To report variances in supplier prices to the Head of Catering
• To minimise resource wastage, including food, disposables, and energy
• To manage stock control on a monthly basis

Community Liaison

• To engage and respond constructively to feedback from colleagues and management and members of the Canford Community.

Health & Safety

• To ensure that any food allergies and intolerances are catered for and that food contamination risks in production and service are minimised or eliminated where possible through effective policies and staff training.
• To supervise on-going, daily cleaning activities in adherence to the cleaning schedule
• To ensure that the departments Food safety management system and Health and Safety policy is adhered to.
• To maintain the safe operation of the working environment including equipment, fixtures and fittings, in conjunction with the school’s maintenance staff

General

• To carry out any other tasks reasonably requested by the Head of Catering
• To report at regular intervals to management team, relevant food forums/meetings

Knowledge / Experience

• NVQ/BTEC qualified (City & Guilds NVQ 7083 Level 3 or equivalent (E)
• Advanced Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 4)  (D)
• Management of Allergens (Level 3)  (D)
• Considerable trade and food production management experience in a fast temp and high footfall environment.  (E)
• Experience of working in the independent schools sector  (D)
• Experience of managing high profile catering events  (E)
• Experience of managing a team of staff and of dealing with difficult staffing situations  (E)
• Experience of stock management software  (D)
• Effective communication skills  (E)
• Demonstrable effective management and delegation skills  (E)
• A creative passion for good food and excellence in food delivery  (E)
• A desire to pass on knowledge and skills to develop the team, whilst  ensuring that development of chefs through coaching and mentoring is maintained.  (E)
• High level of numeracy and problem-solving ability.  (E)
• Excellent ICT and organisational skills
• Well-presented appearance and manner  (E)
• An open and supportive but strong and assertive leadership style  (E)
•  High standard of spoken and written English  (E)
• Locally based  (E)
• Available to work evening and weekends as required  (E)

Canford School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our Community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

Canford School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo child protection screening.