Head Chef - Care Home
About this role
Job Title: Head Chef – Care Home
Client Location: Cheverton Lodge Care Home, 30A Cheverton Road, Islington, London, N19 3AY
Agency: Supportive Bridge Staffing
Pay Rate: £20.50 per hour
Hours: 40.00 hours per week (Permanent)
Shift: Day Shifts (Alternate Weekends, No Split Shifts)
High Hourly Rate (£20.50/hr). Premium Hospitality. Outstanding Work-Life Balance.
At Supportive Bridge Staffing, we specialize in connecting exceptional culinary and hospitality leadership talent with top-tier care providers across the UK. On behalf of our client, Barchester Healthcare, we are currently recruiting an experienced and passionate Head Chef to lead the catering operations at Cheverton Lodge Care Home in Islington, London.
If you are a qualified chef looking to escape late night shifts and split shift patterns while maintaining restaurant-quality, hotel-standard dining using fresh seasonal produce, this permanent 40-hour day-shift contract offers high autonomy, incredible creative freedom, and sector-leading rewards.
About the Role
As Head Chef, you will take full culinary and operational ownership of the kitchen and front-of-house hospitality, creating nutritious, flavoursome, and tailored menus that enrich the daily lives of residents.
Your key responsibilities will include:
Culinary Leadership & Scratch Cooking: Preparing wholesome, high-quality dishes using fresh produce, including baking fresh breads, cakes, and pastry from scratch.
Person-Centred Menu Design: Engaging with residents to design tailored, appetising, and balanced menus, accommodating modified diets (IDDSI framework).
Team Leadership & Performance: Leading, motivating, and upskilling kitchen and front-of-house staff, managing shift schedules, recruitment, and ongoing retention.
Kitchen Management & Compliance: Managing kitchen budgets, regular stock audits, HACCP, and COSHH compliance while maintaining immaculate hygiene standards.
Dining Presentation: Partnering with front-of-house teams to ensure dining spaces are set to hotel-level presentation standards.
About You
We are seeking a warm, personable, and dedicated culinary leader who combines a passion for fresh ingredients with strong team leadership capabilities.
Key Requirements & Qualifications:
Qualifications: Formal professional culinary qualifications (City & Guilds / NVQ / SVQ or equivalent).
Leadership Experience: Proven track record in leading, inspiring, and managing kitchen teams and front-of-house standards.
Culinary Expertise: Strong knowledge of fresh seasonal cooking, nutrition, HACCP, COSHH, and budget management. Experience with IDDSI modified diets is ideal (full training provided if new to care).
Personal Qualities: Warm communication style, creative flair, high attention to detail, and genuine care for resident well-being.
Rewards Package & Benefits
Competitive London Pay: £20.50 per hour (40 hours/week permanent contract).
Work-Life Balance: Day shifts only across 4 or 5 days per week, with alternate weekends and no split shifts.
CQC Performance Bonus: 'Rewarding Excellence' bonus offering up to £500 for a Good or Outstanding CQC rating.
Professional Growth: Access to the renowned Barchester Chef Academy, accredited apprenticeships, and specialized L&D qualifications.
Perks & Wellbeing: Free access to medical second opinions, legal/counselling support services, tax code review services, retail/leisure discounts, and an unlimited £500 'Refer a Friend' bonus scheme.