The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Head Chef (Development)

The closing date is 10 September 2025

Job summary

We are looking for a Head chef to work predominantly based on our Sutton site in Surrey, primarily to lead on improvements and efficiencies in our friendly hard-working team. A passion for cooking tasty, fresh, healthy food is a must! The areas of work will include supporting the catering team by helping with service and preparing/serving/cooking items for our patients, staff, and visitors. Ensuring that our high standards are maintained and improved. Assisting in ensuring the smooth operation in all areas of catering services including wards, functions, and retail areas.

Safeguarding our HACCP processes and procedures and monitoring for consistent and continued effectiveness.It would be beneficial if you have worked in a hospital catering environment (or similar) previously (but this is not essential), have great customercare, you have good IT skills, are self-motivated, possess excellent organisational skills and have plenty of experience of working as part of ateam, across two sites. It would be ideal if you have worked in a similar role, bringing experience, knowledge, and proven leadership.

Main duties of the job

To provide and maintain the highest level of catering service possible. Retain the safe production and monitoring of meals and catering services. Ensure that our high standards are maintained and improved. Safeguarding hygienic and safe working practices are carried out by all staff, and to monitor the standards set within the department on a day-to-day basis. Ensure that food for staff, patients, visitors and functions is of the highest possible standard on the NHS Wards, Private care areas, Crche (Sutton Only) and allRetail areas commensurate with financial constraints.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Details

Date posted

27 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

282-F806

Job locations

The Royal Marsden Sutton

Downs Road

Sutton

SM2 5PT


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

The Responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient catering service in the absence of management. Manage all operational aspects of the catering service in the kitchen on a day-to-day basis including the distribution of all foodstuffs produced and provided. Implement and review with the management all control systems for the service, using appropriate recognised techniques, to ensure that good practices prevail and exercises sufficient monitoring and controls to ensure that the HACCP plan and all others are adhered to. Ensure appropriate recruitment and selection of staff and the compilation of cost-effective staff rotas. Formulate and implements appropriate monitoring packages for the business of the service. Highlights any cost improvement, income generation and change of practice ideas. Maintain good security practices with reference to cash handling and stock controls.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

The Responsible for ensuring a safe and efficient catering service in the absence of management. Manage all operational aspects of the catering service in the kitchen on a day-to-day basis including the distribution of all foodstuffs produced and provided. Implement and review with the management all control systems for the service, using appropriate recognised techniques, to ensure that good practices prevail and exercises sufficient monitoring and controls to ensure that the HACCP plan and all others are adhered to. Ensure appropriate recruitment and selection of staff and the compilation of cost-effective staff rotas. Formulate and implements appropriate monitoring packages for the business of the service. Highlights any cost improvement, income generation and change of practice ideas. Maintain good security practices with reference to cash handling and stock controls.

Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Knowledge of fresh food production
  • Ability to write/speak clearly
  • Evidence of intermediate IT skills and data entry accuracy
  • Ability to oversee and manage all operations, prioritising workloads and job tasks

Desirable

  • Knowledge of fresh production

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to undertake a support role
  • Able to follow written instructions
  • Attention to detail & accuracy
  • Good communication skills and be able to use initiative

Specific Experience

Essential

  • Recognised qualifications in Maths & English, good education.
  • Certified Knowledge of Advanced Food Safety
  • Certified Knowledge of HACCP (Level 3 or 4)
  • Certified Cookery Qualifications (L1, 2 & 3)
  • Good working knowledge of catering operations
  • Able to understand and follow Operating Procedures
  • Awareness and ability to follow food safety, hygiene, allergen awareness, risk management and H&S practices for handling or a willingness to undergo training in these areas
  • Good understanding of task prioritisation & demonstration of practice
  • Understanding of quality management & record of delivering good quality service
  • Knowledge of managing a team of catering staff

Desirable

  • Dietary, Nutritional & Allergen Training
  • Understanding & knowledge of duties required to support senior staff
Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • Knowledge of fresh food production
  • Ability to write/speak clearly
  • Evidence of intermediate IT skills and data entry accuracy
  • Ability to oversee and manage all operations, prioritising workloads and job tasks

Desirable

  • Knowledge of fresh production

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Ability to undertake a support role
  • Able to follow written instructions
  • Attention to detail & accuracy
  • Good communication skills and be able to use initiative

Specific Experience

Essential

  • Recognised qualifications in Maths & English, good education.
  • Certified Knowledge of Advanced Food Safety
  • Certified Knowledge of HACCP (Level 3 or 4)
  • Certified Cookery Qualifications (L1, 2 & 3)
  • Good working knowledge of catering operations
  • Able to understand and follow Operating Procedures
  • Awareness and ability to follow food safety, hygiene, allergen awareness, risk management and H&S practices for handling or a willingness to undergo training in these areas
  • Good understanding of task prioritisation & demonstration of practice
  • Understanding of quality management & record of delivering good quality service
  • Knowledge of managing a team of catering staff

Desirable

  • Dietary, Nutritional & Allergen Training
  • Understanding & knowledge of duties required to support senior staff

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Royal Marsden Sutton

Downs Road

Sutton

SM2 5PT


Employer's website

https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/working-royal-marsden (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Royal Marsden Sutton

Downs Road

Sutton

SM2 5PT


Employer's website

https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/working-royal-marsden (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior service catering Manger

Roni Forson

veronica.forson@rmh.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

27 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£32,199 to £34,876 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

282-F806

Job locations

The Royal Marsden Sutton

Downs Road

Sutton

SM2 5PT


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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