Craft Chef - South & South West

Elior Support Services – The People Behind Every Plate Are you a passionate chef who enjoys developing others, raising standards and bringing great food to life? We have an exciting opportunity for a Regional Chef Craft Trainer to support our United Learning schools across the South and South West. Covering a portfolio of 18 schools (9 primary and 9 secondary) across Oxford, Swindon, Southampton, Portsmouth, Bognor and Brighton , you'll play a key role in developing catering teams, enhancing food quality and driving operational excellence across the region.

This is a field-based role with Company Car or Car Allowance Included Working pattern: Monday to Friday | Term time only Salary: £37,500 Job ID: 8156 What you’ll be serving up… This is a practical, field-based role where you will be out in schools coaching teams, improving kitchen standards and showing colleagues “what good looks like” in food preparation, presentation, service and organisation.

Coach and support new and existing cooks and catering managers through hands-on training and guidance. Help teams deliver menus, recipes, production sheets and portion control consistently and confidently. Support sites with ordering, stock control, waste reduction and kitchen processes to improve operational and financial performance.

Deliver practical craft training in knife skills, preparation, cooking techniques, flavour, presentation and kitchen organisation. Work with Area Managers to identify schools that need targeted support and put practical improvement plans in place. Support mobilisations, new business openings and newly onboarded sites.

Help teams deliver added value activity such as theme days, pop-up counters, pupil engagement sessions and school events. Use your craft expertise to support retention by improving food quality, consistency, confidence and customer care. The ingredients you'll bring... You will be a strong chef with great people skills, bags of energy and a genuine passion for helping others succeed.

You will know how to build confidence in kitchen teams, spot where support is needed and make improvements in a positive, practical and encouraging way. A confident chef who can inspire, coach and develop others. Practical, organised and comfortable working across multiple sites. Commercially aware, with an understanding of stock control, waste, ordering and gross profit.

Passionate about food quality, presentation, compliance and great service. A natural communicator who can build positive relationships with teams, schools, pupils and stakeholders. Comfortable using menu management and financial systems. Why this role? This is a brilliant opportunity for a chef who is ready for a new challenge away from a single kitchen, but still wants to stay close to food, teams and service delivery.

You will have the chance to make a real difference across the region by raising standards, developing people and helping schools deliver food experiences pupils enjoy. If you are ready to use your chef skills to inspire others, improve standards and bring great food to schools across the Midlands, we would love to hear from you.

What's on the menu for you… At Elior, we believe people do their best work when they feel supported, valued and able to thrive . That's why we offer a benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, career, finances and life outside of work. Here’s a taste of what you can expect when you join us: Free lunches provided Flexible and part-time working opportunities 31 days holiday, increasing to 33 days after 2 years' service, with the option to buy up to an additional 10 days per year Enhanced family, personal and compassionate leave policies Paid volunteering days Training, development and career progression opportunities Pension scheme, life assurance and financial wellbeing support Salary Advance, giving you access to a portion of your pay before payday A supportive, inclusive culture where everyone can thrive Plus access to Elior Spark, our enhanced wellbeing platform, offering support for you and your immediate family, including: 24/7 virtual GP appointments Mental health support, counselling and therapy sessions Physiotherapy services and second medical opinions Online gym and workout programmes Legal and financial advice Nutrition, fitness and lifestyle guidance Meditation and mindfulness resources Dedicated wellbeing helplines and expert support whenever you need it Fancy being part of the recipe?

At Elior, over 10,000 colleagues come together every day with one purpose: to enrich lives everywhere, every day. We're proud that 87% of our colleagues are proud to work here — and we think that's because people are given the support, trust and opportunities they need to thrive. Don't tick every box? Don't rule yourself out.

We're looking for people with potential, passion and the right attitude, not just a checklist of experience. We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels they belong. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, just let us know. Ready to join us? Hit ‘Apply Now’ and let’s chat!