Head Chef - Care Home

Job summary

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be! Your Benefits and Rewards Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide Your Experience and Qualifications A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques) Your Role and Responsibilities

Main duties of the job

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. You will lead, motivate, and inspire your team, develop, and upskill them where required. Menu development will be tailored around residents to ensure person-centred hospitality, using fresh produce to deliver high-quality and wholesome dishes. This role involves baking fresh cakes, scones, and breads from scratch, assisting the front of house team in setting up dining areas, working within budget, completing regular audits and stock control, and creating a warm, efficient, and fun environment. Ongoing recruitment and retention, along with managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house, is also key. We offer full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome, and well-balanced menus while taking ownership of your kitchen and ongoing team development. Joining our Barchester Chef Academy grants you the opportunity to learn new techniques, further develop skills, and share your knowledge to support others' growth. Our Learning and Development team offers industry-recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications for those looking to build upon their skills.

About us

Barchester Healthcare is committed to providing high-quality care for its residents and fostering a positive working environment for its staff. Known for its high standards and quality-driven approach, Barchester offers a work environment focused on maintaining a high quality of life for both residents and staff. With a strong commitment to professional development, Barchester provides numerous opportunities for its chefs and hospitality team members to further their skills and career through its Chef Academy and Learning and Development programs. The company values excellence and offers financial rewards for staff contributions to achieving high inspection results. By working at Barchester, you join an organisation that prioritises person-centred care and hospitality in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The company is dedicated to ensuring a better work-life balance for its employees, providing benefits such as access to medical specialists, retail discounts, and flexible working patterns. Barchester places a strong emphasis on team collaboration and personal growth, making it an ideal employer for those passionate about delivering high-quality care and hospitality.

Details

• Date posted: 14 July 2026
• Pay scheme: Other
• Salary: £39,000 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
• Reference number: 1526485194
• Job locations: Barchester Healthcare, Oxted, RH8 0NH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be!

Your Benefits and Rewards

• Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week
• Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection
• Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral
• Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies
• Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it
• Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services
• Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax
• Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide

Your Experience and Qualifications

• A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents
• Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent
• Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team
• Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition
• The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes
• Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus
• Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard
• Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH
• Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques)

Your Role and Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required
• Menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality
• Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked of the highest standards
• Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch
• Assist the front of house team with setting up of the dining areas
• Work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control
• Create a warm, efficient and fun environment
• Ongoing recruitment and retention
• Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus, whilst also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development.

We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills, whilst also sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

Our internal Learning and Development team also offer industry recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications to chefs and hospitality team members who are looking to build upon and/or develop their skills.

Interested? If you are a motivated and dedicated chef who is ready to be part of something special, apply today!

*Terms & conditions apply

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