Community chef jobs
How's your job search on our site?
Coin Street Nursery is seeking an experienced and passionate Head Chef to join our friendly and dedicated team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who takes pride in creating fresh, nutritious meals from scratch and is committed to promoting healthy eating for young children.
While experience in a nursery or similar setting is desirable, it is not essential. We welcome candidates with strong catering experience in preparing meals at scale who share our values around nutrition and quality.
We operate a busy nursery, preparing meals for up to 80 children and staff daily. The successful candidate will be highly organised, able to manage their own workload, and committed to maintaining high standards across all areas of the kitchen.
We are proud of our 5-star food hygiene rating and our excellent standards of cleanliness. Maintaining health and safety, food hygiene, and compliance will be central to your role. Working within a set budget, you will also be responsible for effective menu planning, stock control, and food purchasing, ensuring meals remain fresh, healthy, and varied.
You will play a key role in meeting the diverse dietary needs of our children. A strong understanding of allergies, intolerances, and special diets is essential to ensure every child receives safe, high-quality meals.
You will be supported by a part-time kitchen assistant; however, you will retain overall responsibility for the kitchen, including end-of-day cleaning and organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Plan and prepare nutritious, balanced meals for children and staff
- Manage kitchen operations, including ordering, stock control, and budgeting
- Maintain high standards of food hygiene, cleanliness, and safety
- Cater for a range of dietary requirements, including allergies and cultural preferences
- Lead and organise daily kitchen activities effectively
We are looking for a Head Chef who can demonstrate:
- A current Food Hygiene Certificate
- Significant experience preparing a wide range of meals in a non-domestic setting for large groups, ideally including young children
- Experience in menu planning, ordering, and stock management
- Strong knowledge of dietary requirements, food hygiene, and health & safety
- Good literacy, numeracy, and budget management skills
- The ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with colleagues and children
- A proactive approach to contributing to service development, including diverse and culturally inclusive menus
Creating an inspirational neighbourhood
We provide the opportunities and spaces for people to lead their own change.
Our activities are wide and far reaching. From giving families and children the best start in life through our childcare and family support, to creating and maintaining high quality live, work and play spaces on land which we own.
We promote enterprise, creativity and lifelong learning whether that’s through providing employment, volunteering opportunities, nurturing enterprise or delivering programmes and activities. We provide housing that supports our community; we champion co-operative housing and influence local and national housing policy.
From sports and dance to healthy eating and gardening, we offer a range of facilities and activities accessible to everyone to support health and wellbeing in our community.
In return, we can offer you:
- 35 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays) pro rata for part time staff
- 8% contributory pension scheme (5% employer contribution, 3% employee contribution)
- Health and wellbeing support, including online mental health therapy sessions
- Free gym membership at Colombo, annual flu jabs
- Commitment to training and development
Contract
Permanent, 37.5 hours per week
Salary
£33,000 per annum
To Apply
To apply, please download and complete the application form. Once completed, submit your application via email. Please visit our website if you require more info.
Due to Safer Recruitment guidance, please note that additional documents, such as CVs, will not be considered.
Successful candidates will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check.
Closing Date
Please send your application by midnight on 21 June 2026
Registered Charity
51 - 100
As an organisation, we are passionate about creating an inspirational neighbourhood - powered by social enterprise.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title: Head Chef
Reporting To: Kitchen Manager
Salary Range: £40,000 - £45,000
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Felix’s Kitchen, Unit 12 & 14 Thomas Road Industrial Estate Poplar E14 7BN
Hours/Days per week: 37.5 hours per week, 5 days out of 6, between Monday to Saturday. Any 8.5 hours between 07:30 and 20:00
Our Vision: A UK where “No good food goes to waste”.
The Felix Project and FareShare have recently merged to form the UK's largest food redistribution charity. Its vision is a UK where good food is never wasted, and nobody goes hungry.
The organisation rescues high quality edible surplus food, from across the food industry and gets it to over 8,000 organisations across the UK who are working to strengthen communities and improve lives.
The charity manages seven depots across London, Suffolk, Merseyside and Hampshire and works with 16 network partners who operate a further 26 regional depots across the UK.
Over the next year our ambition is to rescue enough food nationally to provide nearly 200 million meals, turning an environmental problem into social good with measurable impact for people, planet, and the economy.
Purpose of the Job
We are looking for the Head Chef to play a key role leading the team at Felix’s Kitchen to continue and grow on the success of the last four years of operations.
Felix’s Kitchen opened in 2021 and has grown its impact and output since then, to now be a one-of-a-kind kitchen producing 4.5-5 thousand ready meals 6 days a week made entirely from surplus ingredients.
No two days will ever be the same, we work with surplus ingredients meaning each dish is unique and based on the incredible seasonal surplus ingredients we have received into out Poplar Depot based next to the kitchen. We have a core team of staff who run the operation but our work force in made up volunteers who support all aspects of our kitchen operations.
The new Head Chef will line manage the chef team of roughly 10 people and be working in our main production kitchen every day, leading the team from the front, setting the standards and organising the days production.
Whilst managing, planning and leading are the core of the role it is a hands-on role working in the kitchen to achieve the daily production targets and cooking new recipes each day.
Duties and Responsibilities
· Lead the Kitchen side of the operation on a day-to-day basis, setting the prep and cooking schedules for the day(s) ahead
· Support the team from the front in delivering the days output objectives and problem solving across the kitchen operation
·Line Manage the Kitchen team, focussed on the daily management but also working on people and team management alongside the kitchen manager
· Work alongside the kitchen management team to ensure all H&S, Food Safety and HACCP standards are met
· Participate in all external Health & Safety and Food Safety audits and carry out internal audits/checklist
· Be responsible for all safety paperwork and monitoring information from the kitchen operations
· Be accountable for the creation of unique recipe and spec sheets every day and managing the team to do so
· Create and monitor the packing list for the packing team to produce the final meal products, ensuring accurate labelling and allergen information is given
· Monitor and control inbound food supplies, ensuring the ingredients are used effectively and safely
· Maintaining cleanliness standards throughout the kitchen and food storage areas
· Working alongside the kitchen manager on improving quality, quantity and consistency of Felix Meals
· Ensure the team can provide a hot lunch for the staff at Poplar each day from our surplus ingredients
· Working to support the volunteers in the kitchen, with hands on instructions and overall experience management
· Support the Chef Trainer in the execution of our Commis Chef Apprenticeship Programme
Your normal duties and responsibilities will be set out in your job description. However, the charity may require you to perform other duties from time to time.
Recruitment timeline
We reserve the right to close advertisements early and we might assess candidates and arranging interview as applications come in, so please apply as soon as possible, to avoid missing out on this opportunity.
Due to the anticipated large number of applicants, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of your application, we regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful. Consequently, will not be able to provide feedback.
Registered Charity
21 - 50
We deliver this surplus food to charities and schools so they can provide healthy meals and help the most vulnerable in our society.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Chef – The Granary at Caring For Life
Share great food. Serve with purpose. Be part of a Christian mission that changes lives.
At Caring For Life, everything we do flows from our Christian mission of servanthood, seeking to bring glory to God through the way we care for people. In our social enterprise restaurant, The Granary, that mission is lived out daily through excellent food, genuine hospitality, and a warm welcome that reflects the love of Jesus in a practical way.
We are looking for a Chef who is passionate about food, people, and purpose. Whether you are starting out in your catering career, building experience, or already working at Sous Chef or Deputy Head Chef level, this is an opportunity to grow your skills in a supportive environment where excellence and service go hand in hand.
Our aim is simple: to serve outstanding food, offer outstanding care, and create a place where every customer feels valued and welcomed.
Line Management
This role is supported and supervised by the Head Chef.
Role Purpose
To prepare and deliver high-quality food for customers of The Granary, while contributing to a team environment that reflects the Christian mission of Caring For Life through excellent service, care, and hospitality.
You will play a key part in maintaining high standards in food preparation, hygiene, and customer service, while helping to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all who visit.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and present dishes to a consistently high standard in line with recipes, dietary requirements and allergen procedures
- Support the kitchen team in maintaining excellent food hygiene, safety, and cleanliness standards
- Ensure all food is prepared, stored, and served safely and correctly, including regular date and quality checks
- Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organised kitchen and restaurant environment at all times
- Assist with soups, daily specials, and menu items, contributing ideas where appropriate
- Support special events, functions, and private bookings when required
- Work collaboratively with the Head Chef to develop new dishes and products, including promoting Caring For Life farm produce where possible
- Provide a welcoming and friendly service to all customers, including elderly and vulnerable visitors, creating space for conversation and care
- Take part in team prayer times and contribute to the spiritual life of Caring For Life as appropriate
- Where appropriate, share personal testimony of Christian faith in a natural and respectful way with customers, volunteers, or the wider community
- Occasionally assist in representing Caring For Life at church or supporter events
About You
We welcome applicants from a range of experience levels. You may be:
- Starting out in your catering career and keen to learn
- Building solid kitchen experience and looking to grow
- Already working at Chef, Sous Chef, or Deputy Head Chef level
You will be:
- Passionate about food and delivering high standards
- A team player with a positive and flexible attitude
- Committed to cleanliness, hygiene, and food safety
- Willing to learn, develop, and take responsibility
- Supportive of Caring For Life’s Christian mission
Training & Development
You will receive full induction and ongoing training, including:
- Food hygiene and safety (minimum Level 2 CIEH)
- Manual handling
- Health and safety procedures
- Ongoing in-house training and development opportunities
Place of Work
Crag House Farm, Otley Old Road, Leeds LS16 7NH
Hours
5 days per week working between Monday and Saturday, 9-hour shifts
The Granary is open Monday to Saturday (9am–4pm)
Weekend working on a rota basis is essential
Some evening work may be required for functions, this fairly infrequent
Annual Leave
30 days per year (including bank holidays, which may be required as working days depending on rota)
Other Information
Caring For Life is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. An enhanced DBS check will be required for this role.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Please go to the charity website to view the vacancies and then click to "enquire today". This role requires an assessment and interview. References will be sought prior to appointment, but only for the successful candidate at the job offer stage.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.