Group Head Chef

Job Description

Are you a dynamic and innovative culinary leader ready to take your career to the next level? We are looking for a passionate Group Head Chef to lead and inspire our culinary teams across multiple sites within the University of East London contract. This is a high-impact role where you will shape and elevate the food offer, drive operational excellence, and deliver outstanding dining experiences for our diverse university community.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will combine creativity with commercial expertise to enhance food quality, maximise performance, and ensure best-in-class service delivery. If you thrive in a fast-paced, multi-site environment and are motivated by leading teams, influencing strategy, and delivering results, we want to hear from you.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all employees and workers to share this commitment. All roles are subject to safer recruitment checks, including references and an enhanced DBS check, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).

What's in it for you:

• Competitive salary of up to £45,000 depending on experience
• Generous annual leave that increases in line with service, with the opportunity to buy extra
• Life assurance and pension scheme
• Benefits app: access to 100s of discounts, free mortgage advice, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, online GP appointments, and our Employee Assistance Programme
• FOOD! Opportunities to attend in-house events and try the culinary genius of our teams (we are a food business after all!)

Job Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership for all culinary operations across the University of East London contract, ensuring food quality, consistency, and innovation align with the service level agreement.
• Develop and deliver innovative menus and food concepts, responding to market trends while meeting client expectations, brand standards, and commercial objectives.
• Ensure strong operational and financial control, including food costs, payroll, purchasing compliance, waste management, and accurate P&L forecasting.
• Maintain full compliance with food safety, hygiene, health & safety, and labour regulations, ensuring Aramark standards and nominated supplier policies are strictly followed.
• Lead, manage, and develop Senior/Head Chefs and teams, driving performance, training, succession planning, and effective workforce engagement.
• Build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships, supporting reviews, contract negotiations, retention, and growth opportunities.
• Oversee implementation of new products, procedures, and initiatives, managing key projects from concept through to successful delivery.
• Support regional and business objectives, including mobilisation of new contracts, HR processes, sustainability initiatives, and wider regional management support.

Key Requirements:

• Strong leadership and people management skills, with proven experience managing and developing high-performing culinary teams.
• Excellent financial acumen, including experience managing budgets, controlling costs, and delivering against profit targets.
• Solid experience within catering, food services, or retail environments, ideally in a multi-site or contract setting.
• Comprehensive knowledge of food safety, hygiene, and health & safety regulations, with a minimum Level 3 Food Hygiene certification.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Commercial and innovative mindset, with the ability to develop food concepts that drive customer engagement, sales, and business growth.

About Aramark

If you are applying for this role and you already work for Aramark, you must notify your line manager before submitting your application.

At Aramark UK, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone is valued and empowered to thrive. As a proud Disability Confident and Forces Friendly employer, we actively encourage applications from individuals of all abilities and are dedicated to supporting employees with disabilities throughout their career journey.

We ensure our recruitment process is accessible, and reasonable adjustments are available at every stage, from application to interview and employment. If you require any accommodations or have any questions, please reach out to our recruitment team – careers@aramark.co.uk

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.