Site Head Chef

What you'll be doing:

Site Head Chef - Bassingbourn Barracks

£36,000 per annum | 40 Hours per Week | Overtime Available for Functions & Events

Meet Your Recruiter

Have a question before you apply? This opportunity is being managed by Alina Swiatek, Talent Acquisition Partner.

Connect with Alina on LinkedIn to learn more about the role, the team and life at Compass Group UK&I  - Alina Świątek | LinkedIn

We're looking for an experienced and motivated Site Head Chef to lead the catering team at Bassingbourn Barracks.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a chef who enjoys leading people, maintaining high standards, and delivering great food within a structured and supportive environment. You'll oversee a well-established catering operation, working alongside a team of chefs and kitchen colleagues to provide a quality dining experience for the military community on site.

If you're looking for a role that offers stability, a sensible work-life balance, and the opportunity to develop your team while still remaining hands-on in the kitchen, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

As Site Head Chef, you'll be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the catering operation across the site. You'll work closely with your team to ensure food quality, service standards, compliance, and customer satisfaction remain consistently high.

The role offers variety, with responsibility for both daily catering services and occasional functions and events, where additional overtime is available.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the day-to-day catering operation across the site
• Inspire, coach and develop a team of chefs, kitchen assistants, and apprentice chefs
• Ensure high standards of food quality, presentation, and customer service
• Manage stock control, ordering, and food cost management
• Minimise waste and maximise efficiency within the kitchen operation
• Maintain excellent Food Safety, Health & Safety, and compliance standards
• Ensure kitchens remain clean, organised, and audit-ready
• Build positive relationships with site stakeholders and customers
• Lead by example with a hands-on and positive approach

What We're Looking For

• Previous experience as a Head Chef, Senior Sous Chef, Chef Manager, or similar leadership role
• Strong people management and team development skills
• Experience working within a busy catering, hospitality, defence, education, healthcare, or contract catering environment
• Good understanding of food safety legislation and HACCP procedures
• Experience managing stock, budgets, and food costs
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• A passion for delivering quality food and developing others
• A positive, adaptable, and proactive approach to leadership

Qualifications

• City & Guilds 706/1 & 706/2, NVQ Level 3 Professional Cookery, or equivalent culinary qualification

Why Join Us?

• £36,000 per annum
• 40-hour contract
• Overtime opportunities available through functions and events
• Stable, long-term contract catering environment
• Opportunity to lead and shape a well-established kitchen team
• Support the development of Apprentice Chefs and future culinary talent
• Access to ongoing training and career development opportunities
• A role offering responsibility, autonomy, and the chance to make a real impact on site

Ready for your next challenge?

If you're a passionate chef with strong leadership skills and a desire to build and develop high-performing teams, we'd love to hear from you. Join us at Bassingbourn Barracks and play a key role in delivering quality food and service to the military community.

We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

Part of Compass Group UK&I, ESS is the Defence, Government, and Energy services sector of Compass Group UK & Ireland. We support 250+ UK military establishments, high profile police, secure environments and government sites, along with a range of onshore and offshore facilities including platforms, drilling rigs, floatels and offices for the energy sector. We know that a friendly face makes all the difference, so we look for people who are passionate about delivering excellent customer service, at all levels, to join our teams.

Job Reference: com/1310/96047001/52685958/R/SU #Defence

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!