Head Chef - Schools & Care Homes

Basingstoke & Surrounding Areas

£17.00 - £25.00 per hour | Temporary Ongoing Assignments | Weekly Pay

Looking for Flexible Head Chef Work?

We're currently recruiting experienced and dedicated Head Chefs to support a range of schools, care homes, and education and healthcare catering environments across Basingstoke and the surrounding areas.

These are fantastic opportunities for chefs who enjoy leading teams, managing kitchen operations, and producing high-quality, nutritious meals in rewarding environments. We have ongoing temporary assignments available, offering flexibility, competitive pay rates, and excellent work-life balance.

Whether you're between permanent roles, looking for additional hours, or enjoy the variety of temporary work, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and motivate kitchen teams to deliver exceptional food and service.
Plan and oversee the preparation of fresh, nutritious, and balanced meals.
Ensure all meals meet dietary, allergen, and nutritional requirements.
Manage stock control, ordering, food costs, and kitchen budgets.
Prepare staff rotas and maintain appropriate staffing levels.
Ensure food safety, HACCP, health & safety, and compliance procedures are followed at all times.
Maintain accurate records and kitchen documentation.
Train and support kitchen staff in food safety and best practices.
Monitor food quality, presentation, and portion control.
Build positive working relationships with care teams, school staff, residents, and pupils.
Provide cover and leadership during periods of absence, annual leave, or increased demand.

Skills & Experience

Previous experience as a Head Chef, Kitchen Manager, or senior Sous Chef.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Excellent knowledge of food safety, nutrition, and kitchen operations.
Experience within schools, care homes, healthcare, contract catering, or education catering environments is highly desirable.
Ability to manage budgets, stock, and kitchen resources effectively.
Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
Comfortable adapting quickly to different kitchen environments.
Excellent communication skills and a customer-focused approach.

Essential Requirements

Level 3 Food Safety Certificate (or equivalent).
Minimum 2 years' experience in a senior catering role.
Good knowledge of HACCP and allergen management.
Enhanced DBS Certificate is essential for school assignments and highly desirable for care home placements.
Full UK driving licence and own transport beneficial due to varying site locations.

Desirable Qualifications

NVQ Level 3 Professional Cookery or equivalent.
City & Guilds Catering qualifications.
Experience with specialist diets, IDDSI frameworks, and nutritional menu planning.
Knowledge of COSHH and health & safety regulations.
Previous experience managing teams within education or healthcare settings.

What's On Offer?

✅ £18.00 - £25.00 per hour

✅ Weekly pay

✅ Ongoing temporary assignments

✅ Monday to Friday opportunities available on many sites

✅ Flexible working patterns to suit your availability

✅ Opportunities across schools, academies, and care homes

✅ Supportive recruitment and account management team

✅ Immediate starts available

✅ Potential for long-term and temp-to-perm opportunities

If you're an experienced Head Chef looking for flexible temporary work within schools and care homes, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today to discuss the opportunities available across Basingstoke and the surrounding areas.

Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people.