Job Title:Head Chef Specialist Training Hotel & College
Location: Minehead, Somerset
Salary: £37,752 £38,730 per year
Job type: Full-time, Permanent
Hours: 40 hours per week (52 weeks)
We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Head Chef to lead a professional kitchen within a specialist training hotel and college for young people with learning disabilities. This is a unique opportunity to combine high-quality hospitality standards with meaningful teaching and mentoring.
You will oversee kitchen operations while helping students develop the culinary, life and employability skills they need to become independent and work ready, life ready.
Responsibilities
Kitchen Leadership
- Lead daily kitchen operations to a consistently high standard
- Maintain excellent food presentation, hygiene and safety
- Ensure compliance with allergen management and health & safety regulations
- Manage stock control, ordering, storage and waste reduction
- Ensure the kitchen is always audit-ready and legally compliant
- Promote professionalism, teamwork and a positive working culture
Teaching & Student Support
- Deliver practical cooking sessions and learning activities
- Provide feedback to support individual student progress
- Work closely with tutors and Learning Support Practitioners
- Use recognised frameworks (e.g., RARPA) to track learner development
- Create a supportive and safe environment for students to gain confidence
Collaboration & Quality Assurance
- Work with hotel management and senior leaders to integrate learning with real hotel operations
- Support quality assurance in both hospitality and education
- Contribute to curriculum planning and staff development
- Complete risk assessments, activity planning and safeguarding reviews
What Were Looking For:
Essential:
- Proven experience as a Head Chef or Senior Chef
- City & Guilds 706/1 & 2 or NVQ equivalent
- Strong kitchen leadership and team management skills
- Experience delivering structured training or teaching sessions (or willingness to learn)
- Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate (or willingness to complete)
- Relevant catering qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 3)
- Level 2 English and Maths (or willingness to work towards)
Desirable:
- Experience supporting young people or adults with additional needs
- Understanding of safeguarding practices
Benefits
- Extensive training & development opportunities
- Discounts on shopping, groceries, phone plans, eating out, gyms & more
- Cycle to Work and Car Scheme
- Enhanced annual leave
- Company sick pay
- Enhanced pension
- Life assurance
- 24/7 GP access for you and your household
- UK Health Cash Plan (includes children, with partner upgrade option)
- Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 counselling
- £1,000 Refer a Friend bonus (Terms apply)
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