Head Chef/ Cook

Also known as: Chef de Cuisine, Kitchen Manager, Executive Chef, Food Service Director, Food Service Manager

As a head chef within food service management you could be working in a range of establishments that require food service. You will oversee the preparation of the food to ensure it is compliant with the organisation’s requirements, and manage the kitchen team.

Your day-to-day duties may involve:
• food preparation
• managing budgets
• maintaining health and hygiene procedures
• allocating tasks to junior team members
• ordering stock

As head chef you will manage the kitchen team while they cook large quantities of food for the customers. It is your duty to create the menu, ensuring the content is healthy and there is plenty of choice for all religious, cultural, and health considerations. Working as a team, you will maintain good working relationships with colleagues, and assist the kitchen staff with their personal development and training.

You will supervise all the kitchen staff with the production of food, ensuring recipes are followed and a strict portion control so everyone is fed. You will also maintain health and hygiene standards in the kitchen and check that the team members are adhering to them. As many ingredients have a low shelf life, you will monitor the stock so the fresh food is not contaminated. 

The head chef also has the responsibility of ordering new stock for service. As there is a high quantity of food that is used very quickly, this will need to be done weekly. The head chef will work closely with the kitchen manager to co-ordinate the budget allocated to the food service department.