Regional Development Chef

Salary: £45,000 – £50,000 + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage

Location: M3/M25 Corridor (Brighton, Horsham, Guildford)

Contract: Permanent, 52 Weeks per year

Working Hours: Monday - Friday - 40 Hours per week

The Opportunity

Our client is a market-leading and successful school contract caterer, dedicated to providing nutritious, on-trend, and exciting food experiences for children across the South East. By combining deep education sector knowledge with high-street culinary innovation, they empower their kitchen teams to deliver fantastic dining experiences.

To support their rapid growth, they are seeking a dynamic Regional Development Chef. This is a high-impact culinary leadership role focused on driving food quality, mentoring kitchen teams, and spearheading innovative food concepts across the Brighton, Horsham, and Guildford regions.

Main Responsibilities

• Food Quality & Standards: Collaborate with site chefs and unit managers to ensure consistently high standards of food quality and presentation. Ensure absolute compliance with all company food policies across the business area.

• Innovation & Development: Create and implement new, on-trend food offerings and marketing initiatives that are both innovative and profitable.

• Coaching & Mentorship: Act as a culinary mentor to site-based chefs, developing their skills and ensuring they maintain 5-star standards in food health, safety, and quality.

• Sales & Growth: Support business retention and new business growth by assisting in the development of fresh, innovative culinary approaches for bids and client presentations.

• Operational Compliance: Ensure rigorous adherence to all statutory regulations and company policies, including Health & Safety, food hygiene, fire safety, and COSHH.

• Service Excellence: Guarantee that exceptional levels of service are consistently delivered to all students and staff members.

The Ideal Profile

• Experience: A proven background in a Development Chef or Senior Culinary leadership role (Head Chef/Executive Chef level).

• Craft Skills: Exceptional culinary skills with a passion for using fresh, raw ingredients to create modern, "on-trend" dishes.

• Industry Insight: Strong awareness of external catering developments and food innovations to keep school menus competitive and exciting.

• Financial Acumen: A solid understanding of budget management, GP targets, and cost-control within a commercial kitchen environment.

• Communication: Highly effective communication skills, with the ability to engage, motivate, and influence staff at all levels.

• Compliance Focus: Experience working within a highly regulated environment where standards and safety are paramount.

What’s On Offer

• Financials: Competitive salary up to £50k + Car Allowance + Paid Mileage.

• Work-Life Balance: 40 hours per week with no late nights, plus an extra day of leave for your birthday.

• Health & Family: Private Medical Insurance and Enhanced Parental Leave.

• Career Potential: A foundational role in a fast-growing, ambitious company with "unlimited" career trajectory.

• Professional Growth: Access to a dedicated Learning & Development team offering advanced apprenticeships and training courses.

Note: As this role is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children, an Enhanced DBS disclosure will be required.

Pineapple Recruitment is acting as a Recruitment Agency on behalf of our client for this vacancy.