Chef Manager - Contract Catering

Are you an experienced Chef Manager looking for your next challenge within a high-volume contract catering environment? We're looking for a passionate and commercially minded Chef Manager to lead a successful catering operation in Gravesend. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious catering professional who combines strong culinary skills with proven leadership experience and a genuine passion for delivering exceptional food and service. Working within a prestigious contract catering environment, you'll have full responsibility for the day-to-day management of the kitchen, team development, customer satisfaction, financial performance, and operational excellence. As Chef Manager, you'll be responsible for: Leading and developing a team of chefs, cooks, and front of house colleagues Planning and delivering innovative, fresh, and engaging menus Managing food preparation and presentation to the highest standards Controlling food costs, stock levels, ordering, and kitchen budgets Monitoring wastage and implementing cost-saving initiatives Building strong relationships with customers and stakeholders Ensuring full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and company standards Driving customer satisfaction through excellent food and service delivery Supporting continuous improvement and menu development initiatives Previous experience as a Chef Manager, Catering Manager, or Head Chef within contract catering Strong people management and leadership skills Demonstrable experience managing kitchen budgets, stock, and food costs A sound understanding of food safety and health & safety regulations Experience managing teams in a fast-paced catering environment Excellent communication and customer service skills 28 days holiday including bank holidays Your birthday off every year Free meals whilst on shift Enhanced maternity and family leave benefits Apprenticeship and development opportunities Pension and life assurance Employee Assistance Programme Wellbeing support hub Cycle to Work Scheme High street, travel and cinema discounts via Perkbox 40 hours per week Flexibility to support both day and night shift operations as required If you're an experienced Chef Manager with a background in contract catering and are ready to take ownership of a thriving operation, we'd love to hear from you. Applicants must have previous management experience within a catering environment and be able to commute to Gravesend (DA11) on a daily basis. Blue Arrow is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to helping find great work opportunities for great people.