Executive Head Chef

Overall Purpose

To manage all aspects of the Chef Brigade, Kitchen, and Catering provision 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 lunch for all pupils and staff. The catering team also prepare and present exemplary food for various internal events and occasions as well as for external lets and weddings, usually outside of term-time.

This will involve close collaboration with the Catering Services Manager to ensure the Department is excelling on all aspects of service.

Catering Department Structure

Executive Head Chef will be responsible for Back of House (Brigade of Chefs) which includes all aspects of compliance and management of the Chef Brigade. Ability to be hands on and assist/support the team will be required. Executive Head chef will report directly into the School Services Manager.

Both Catering Services Manager and Executive Head Chef must work in a collaborative manner for Front of House and Back of House to ensure that a high standard of operational deliverance is always achieved.

Duties

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 Chef Brigade remain professional and produce the highest possible standards in all aspects whether through catering output or conduct.
• To ensure your Brigade operatives efficiently and drives forward income generation opportunities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

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 conducting 1:1’s, mentoring and coaching and producing annual appraisals.
• To ensure rotas are covered and completed monthly for your Brigade and submitted to the delegated assistant manager for processing.
• To manage your monthly budget and to always keep within budget.
• 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 Chef Brigade 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. This will include revolutionising the menus seasonally/periodically.
• To collaborate with Catering Services Manager.
• To continually look for improvement for the Catering function by collaborating with the Catering Manager and School Services Manager to keep abreast of industry trends and standards.

Staff

• To manage day-to-day staff activities for your brigade of chefs
• To implement innovative ideas and transfer skills to the catering team by focusing on higher culinary skills
• To manage and report any breaches of staff conduct to School Services Manager/HR

Resources

• To work with the Senior Storeman and 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 Catering Services Manager
• To minimise resource wastage, including food, disposables, and energy
• To manage stock control monthly

Community Liaison

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

Health & Safety (in collaboration with the Catering Services Manager)

• 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 School Services Manager or Senior Leadership
• To always work constructively and collaboratively with the Catering Services Manager
• 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)
• Level 4 CTH Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts  (D)
• 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 school or University sector.  (D)
• Experience of managing multiple 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  (E)
• To show strong transformational leadership and management skills by enthusing, inspiring and motivating your brigade of chefs to achieve the highest possible standards.  (E)
• To demonstrate a management style that enables an ability to multitask,  delegate and coordinate multiple daily commitments.  (E)
• High standard of spoken and written English  (E)
• Well-presented appearance and manner  (E)
• Locally based  E)
• Available to work evening and weekends as required  (E)

"Canford is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all areas of our community and encourages applications from all suitably qualified candidates.  We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  All successful job applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening.