Head Chef

Westward Care

Leeds

JOB TITLE : Head Chef -

Location: Cedars Care Home - Methley LS26 9BH

This role offers great work life balance with alternative weekend off.

Shift pattern: 7.30am - 5pm - 5 Days out of 7

RESPONSIBLE TO : Group Catering Manager (see attached organisational chart)

You will be working with fresh ingredients & we will encourage your creativity! You would be responsible for helping create menus for our care homes & luxury retirement apartments which would include fresh soups, cakes & sweet treats, daily.

If you have experience with dietary needs this would be a big advantage. You must be personable and a good communicator as a crucial part of the role will involve your liaison with the residents. You will need to show drive, ambition and an ability to motivate and nurture talent within the team. Ideally, you will come from a similar role, or a role working within a hotel or restaurant.

As one of Leeds most respected providers of supported living and social care for older people, Westward Cares Residential Homes are built and run to a very high standard and will provide the opportunity for you to grow and develop.
The ethos of Westward Care is to provide excellent individualised care and support from an experienced happy team. If you believe in older people being in control of their lives and maintaining their independence, then we would like to hear from you.
This is an incredibly rewarding position with high levels of job satisfaction.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES:

To consistently deliver appetising high quality food and beverages, using fresh locally sourced ingredients wherever possible and within agreed budget.
To assist in the management of food and beverage provision whilst building excellent relationships with the Head Chef, colleagues, customers and suppliers.
To contribute to the professional standard of the dining facilities by assisting in the management of the catering and waiting staff, the quality of the service, the appearance and cleanliness of the surroundings.
To contribute to an ambience within the setting that is appropriate to the customer profile and in line with the vision and values of Westward Care Ltd.
To contribute to the success of events and marketing activities by providing food and beverages that demonstrate the high standard of catering available at Westward Care.
What we offer
Employee Development programme
Career progression opportunities
Free parking
Referral Bonus
Employee of the Month
Free Uniform
Company Pension Scheme
Competitive Hourly rate

Employee Assistance Programme

About The Role

MAIN DUTIES:

Delivering the Vision

To contribute to the management of the food and beverage provision at Westward care to deliver a high quality, appropriate, restaurant standard service to customers within approved budgets.
To lead by example to ensure that all customers and employees are treated with equality, dignity and respect and every individual feels they can challenge discrimination and harassment in employment practice and service provision.
To contribute to an ethos of ‘right first time and on time’ for food and beverage provision and service.

Quality Management

To demonstrate a sense of pride for the job and the organisation.
To ensure a professional appearance of all catering staff and self in accordance with uniform standards.
To understand the dietary requirements of all customers and visitors and to have systems and procedures in place to ensure this information is up to date and correct.
To proactively manage relationships with suppliers to ensure good value, reliability and consistent quality.
To ensure compliance with all relevant organisational, legal and financial procedures and policies in order to protect customers and employees and minimise risk and financial loss.
To ensure health and safety of self, team and customers through best practice in all aspects of work and in line with Westward Care Health and Safety guidelines.
To ensure all documentation is completed accurately and to the required standard within agreed timeframes.

Setting Standards

To contribute to a set of standards for the food and beverage provision in agreement with the Head Chef & General Manager.
To contribute to the systems and procedures to ensure that the quality of food and beverage provision is consistent throughout the day and week and meets the high standards agreed.
To ensure the standards for food and beverage are implemented and reinforced through the satisfactory training of teams and individuals at all stages of the employee lifecycle.

Managing the Team .

To lead in a way that inspires and empowers individuals to be the best they can.
To contribute to the development of others through the sharing of knowledge, skills and information to enhance the experience of the customer.
To participate in training and development to meet mandatory requirements and identified needs.
To manage the succession plan for the catering and waiting staff team to ensure all employees reach their potential.

Communication

To assist in providing relevant and timely information and feedback on food and beverage provision to the General Manager at agreed intervals and in an agreed format.
To establish effective communication on all aspects of food and beverage provision with all Westward care employees by participating in departmental and team meetings.
To contribute to an environment that encourages and values feedback on food and beverage provision from all employees, customers and visitors to Westward Care.
To maintain confidentiality as appropriate.

Customer Service

To delight the customer by exceeding their expectations in creative and fun ways. E.g. surprise treats, birthday meals, asking for favourite meals, seeking out someone’s favourite brand etc.
To ensure standards are reinforced through the satisfactory training of teams and individuals at all stages of the employee lifecycle.
To ensure that employees are engaged and motivated to anticipate customers’ needs and empowered to deliver them.
To lead by example in all aspects of food and beverage provision and to be proactive in addressing issues identified by customers, employees and visitors to a satisfactory conclusion.
To be proactive in getting customer feedback on food and beverage provision, identifying changes if required and to present a case for change to the Head Chef or General Manager.
To create an ethos that anticipates customer needs and puts the customer first that is understood and adopted by all team members.
To promote an understanding that internal customers are to be treated with the same respect and understanding as external customers.

Profitability and Growth

To assist in communicating relevant targets and budgets to the team in a manner that empowers them to contribute to success.
To minimise waste and loss through good management practice, training and planning.
To manage stock levels and date rotation effectively to ensure availability without excessive stock.
To manage portion size consistently and appropriate to the customer.
To have excellent knowledge of Westward Care Ltd’s services and facilities and to promote these at every opportunity.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: :

The post holder will be expected to work when required to cover for sickness and holidays.

You will be required to work unsocial hours, weekends and Bank Holidays as necessary to meet the needs of the service.

The service operates 24 hours per day, seven day per week and flexibility is essential to meet the needs of the service.

This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of duties but is intended to reflect the range of duties that the post holder will perform. The job description will be regularly reviewed and may be changed in accordance with the needs of the home and organisation – in consultation with the post holder.

Level of DBS disclosure required: Enhanced

Required Criteria

Advanced DBS check

Skills Needed

About The Company

Passionate about making a difference

Here at Westward Care, we all share the same ambition – to deliver the very best care and support. It’s our aim to make a real difference, always prioritising health and happiness in everything we do. And with our on-going training and development, we’re always learning new ways of meeting the changing needs of older people.

Company Culture

Trust - Trust is built through consistent actions, honest care, and mutual respect. Across our services, delivering care with integrity will develop meaningful connections and empower us to act with confidence, knowing we’re all accountable for each other’s well-being. Without trust, we are just providing a service. With trust, it’s a relationship that transforms lives.

Kindness - Each day we will lead with small, simple acts—a smile, a kind word, a supportive action —that make a big impact. Kindness builds trust, comfort, and belonging. It creates an atmosphere where everyone feels valued, seen and cared for. We believe every interaction is an opportunity to turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones, filling our communities with love, warmth, and genuine care.

Respect - Respect goes beyond polite gestures. It’s about treating everyone with fairness and dignity. It’s about truly appreciating the humanity in everyone we connect with and celebrating individuality. By embracing diversity and supporting choices we will deliver compassionate care and create a community where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued.

Teamwork - We know we are stronger when united as a team to provide exceptional care and every contribution is important, no matter how big or small. By sharing responsibilities, solving challenges, and celebrating collective achievements we will foster a sense of community where everyone has a voice and a place. This will ensure that every task is tackled with care, efficiency, and an unwavering commitment to quality.

Company Benefits

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Posted 2026-04-02