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Newham Finance & Procurement

Head Chef - Care HomeNHS

Forest Gate, E7 9HY Permanent £19
Posted 28 July 2026 Closing date 26 September 2026
Forest Gate Rail Station (0.4 miles away) Park View Road (N17) (4.7 miles away)

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

Main duties of the job

The position of Head Chef at Barchester Healthcare offers an incredible opportunity for passionate and qualified chefs who are seeking a better work-life balance. This permanent role based in Forest Gate is part of a caring company driven by quality and high standards. As the Head Chef, you'll work 40 hours a week with a salary of £19.00 per hour, primarily on working days and alternate weekends, spread across 4 or 5 days a week. This role is designed to bring out the best in culinary leadership, allowing you to lead, motivate, and inspire a team while developing and upskilling them as necessary. You will craft menus around the residents' preferences to deliver person-centred hospitality and work with fresh produce to deliver dishes of high quality. Additionally, you'll be responsible for baking fresh items from scratch and assisting the front-of-house team with setting up dining areas. You'll also be required to work within a budget, ensure ongoing recruitment, and manage the performance of both the kitchen team and front of house.

Job description

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

About us

Barchester Healthcare, recognized for its commitment to quality and high standards, presents a dynamic and rewarding work environment. The organization places a significant emphasis on work-life balance, offering roles that cater to such needs. The Head Chef role exemplifies Barchester's mission to deliver top-tier service and care. Barchester is proud of its vast array of benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development. Employees can engage in our Chef Academy, fostering skill growth and knowledge sharing among peers. Our internal learning system also provides industry-recognized apprenticeships and qualifications, supporting chefs and hospitality team members on their professional journeys. Working with Barchester means experiencing a company culture that values quality, innovation, and empowerment, encouraging staff to craft their paths within the organization.

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