Head Chef - NHS

Job overview

The Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton requires a full time a Head Chef within the catering department providing food for patients, staff and visitors. Experience in similar role essential.

Main duties of the job

Ensure that food for staff, patients, visitors and functions is of the highest possible standard on the NHS Wards, Private care Wards, Crèche (Sutton Only) and all Retail areas commensurate with financial constraints.

Working for our organisation

We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The Responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient catering service in the absence of management.
• Manage all operational aspects of the catering service in the kitchen on a day-to-day basis including the distribution of all foodstuffs produced and provided.
• Implement and review with the management all control systems for the service, using appropriate recognised techniques, to ensure that good practices prevail and exercises sufficient monitoring and controls to ensure that the HACCP plan and all others are adhered to.
• Ensure appropriate recruitment and selection of staff and the compilation of cost-effective staff rotas.
• Formulate and implements appropriate monitoring packages for the business of the service. Highlights any cost improvement, income generation and change of practice ideas. Maintain good security practices with reference to cash handling and stock controls.
• Take action when necessary, in accordance with the Trust’s disciplinary and grievance procedures.
• The preparation, presentation and service of food items for patients, crèche, staff and functions, using standardised recipes, to quality standards set by the Deputy Catering Manager, Operational Manager and Head Chef, for the numbers determined by the Catering Office and to a skills level determined by a minimum of C&G 706 1 and 2 or NVQ equivalents (Level 3 will need to be attained). HACCP L3 and advance food hygiene L3 food safety

Person specification

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of fresh food production
• Ability to write/speak clearly.
• Evidence of intermediate IT skills and data entry accuracy
• Knowledge of numeracy and financials

• Knowledge of fresh production

Personal Qualities

• Ability to undertake a support role
• Able to follow written instructions
• Attention to detail & accuracy
• Good communication skills and be able to use initiative

Specific Experience

• Recognised qualifications in Maths & English, good education
• Certified Knowledge of Advanced Food Safety
• Certified Knowledge of HACCP (Level 3 or 4)
• Certified Cookery Qualifications (L1, 2 & 3)
• Demonstrable experience of working within catering
• Experience & knowledge of duties required to support senior staff gained by experience in a similar role
• Able to understand and follow Operating Procedures
• Awareness and ability to follow food safety, hygiene, allergen awareness, risk management and H&S practices for handling or a willingness to undergo training in these areas
• Good understanding of task prioritisation & demonstration of practice
• Understanding of quality management & experience of delivering good quality service
• Experience of managing a team of catering staff

• Dietary, Nutritional & Allergen Training

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.