Head Chef

What you'll be doing:

Great food in the workplace isn’t simply about fuel.
It’s about increasing productivity and improving performance; it’s about happy, motivated people and inspiring environments. Our customers are at the heart of everything we do – we live to bring food and people together. 

We are brave, bold and curious adventurers in food and drink. Never shy of being different, always challenging the conventional. 

Our passionate team of chefs, baristas, servers, nutritionists and much more, love nothing more than creating memorable moments that enrich the everyday. Come and join our award-winning teams – we are currently recruiting for a Head Chef to join our team at the Bradfield Centre in Cambridge.

Salary: £34,000 per annuum

Shift Pattern: 37.5 hours per week, Monday–Friday (7AM - 3PM)

Location: Cambridge, BC4 0GA

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day kitchen operation within a busy café and hospitality environment.
• Deliver high-quality food service for approximately 80-90 covers per day, with a strong focus on lunch service and hospitality catering.
• Prepare and cook fresh, high-quality food while maintaining excellent presentation standards.
• Manage stock control, food ordering, deliveries, and kitchen specifications.
• Support the Catering Manager with the smooth running of the operation.
• Supervise and support a small kitchen team of 1-2 team members.
• Ensure all food hygiene, health & safety, and compliance standards are maintained.
• Work closely with the hospitality team to deliver meeting catering and events to a high standard.
• Remain hands-on in the kitchen, leading by example and ensuring an excellent customer experience.

Our Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience as a Head Chef, Sous Chef, or Senior Chef within workplace catering, hospitality, or a café environment.
• Confident delivering high-volume lunch service while maintaining exceptional food quality.
• Strong knowledge of ordering, stock management, and kitchen administration.
• Experience managing or mentoring small kitchen teams.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Comfortable working closely with and reporting to a Catering Manager.
• Passionate about fresh food, customer service, and delivering a great dining experience.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to prioritise effectively in a busy environment.
• Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to respond to changing business and hospitality demands.

What's in it for you? 

Working with Gather and Gather has its perks! People are at the heart of everything we do, so we've developed a range of benefits to keep you happy. 

• Personal Development and Training opportunities 
• Life assurance scheme 
• Pension scheme 
• Holiday allowance 
• Access to Healthcare Support App which includes Annual health check, Digital GP, Mental Health Consultations, Nutritional Consultations, Second Medical Opinion
• Eye care 
• A great wellbeing strategy – including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, salary finance 
• Family friendly support 
• Regular social events and communication with our leaders 
• A holiday purchase scheme 
• Volunteering days 
• Professional subscriptions 
• Recognition schemes and people awards 
• Long service awards 
• Access to some great high street discount vouchers 

Job Reference: com/0510/48091001/52820703/R/BU #Gather and Gather

CH&CO, a part of Compass Group UK&I, is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!