Hitchin Nub News Job of the Week: Head Chef

Job Title Head Chef - Full Time - 35 hours per week - apply here

Department Operations

Reporting to Director of Operations

Line manages Chefs (x3), Kitchen Assistant

Key relationships Food & Beverage Manager

Hours Full Time – 35 hours per week

Indicative Salary £28,000-£30,000 per annum

PURPOSE

Responsible for the kitchen administration, menu planning, costings, budgets and stock control, ordering, preparation, production, adhering to food safety and hygiene legislation and best practices. Whilst supporting the Director of Operations on all matters relating to the running of the Kitchen function.

MAIN DUTIES

• To prepare, cook and garnish food for service to guests and staff during courses, meetings and other functions. Taking account of any special dietary requirements, on religious, medical or moral grounds

• To control and rotate all kitchen stock (except alcohol), ensuring that products are in date and correctly stored

• Maintain agreed budgets on food and other kitchen costs

• To maintain good working practices, in keeping with the Trust's policies and procedures

• Menu planning and costing for courses, private functions, private lettings, as well as events and functions that Benslow arranges

• Rota writing of the kitchen staff, ensuring there is suitable cover for the needs of the business.

• Kitchen administration, ensuring the extractor system is annually cleaned, that the various fridges and freezers are inspected and maintained

• Ensure that a high standard of kitchen cleanliness is maintained, and that any repairs / maintenance is brought to the attention of the Director of Operations

• Ensure that the Health and Safety manual and policy are adhered to by the department, as well as ensuring the members of the kitchen team have completed any assigned training (example WorkNest e-learning, on Fire, CoSHH, Manual Handling)

• Have an understanding of the SFBB (Safer Food Better Business) programme, ensuring that the guidelines and procedures in place and being followed so that we retain our food hygiene rating with the EHO via the FSA (Food Standards Agency)

• Conduct monthly food stock takes with the assistance of the Food and Beverage Manager/Supervisor

• That the recording of food costs are maintained

• Ensure that food ordering is carried out based on forthcoming business and working with the Food and Beverage Manager/Supervisor

• Line management responsibility for the kitchen staff

• Work flexibly with the Food and Beverage Manager/Supervisor relating to food production and service

• Work flexibly and support as required to ensure continuity within the kitchen team

• To be involved in the selection, hiring and training of new kitchen staff members

• Other kitchen related duties which from time to time may be assigned by the Director of Operations

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

You will have:

• Ability to produce excellent high-quality food

• An eye for attention to detail along with diligence

• Level 2 and 3 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering

• City and Guilds Catering 706/1 and 706/2 or NVQ Level 3 Food Preparation and Cookery OR equivalent qualifications OR Relevant experience

• Minimum 2 years relevant kitchen experience

• Awareness of manual handling techniques

• Awareness of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and chemical safety

• Experience of kitchen equipment

• Experience of dangerous equipment such as knives

• Good communication and listening skills, with competent level of spoken and written English (C3) 

• Experience of using Microsoft Office, in particular a good working knowledge of Excel, Word and Outlook

• Demonstrate working knowledge of food costing 

• Multi-tasking, problem-solving and organisational skills to manage different duties, including the ability to prioritise tasks in order to meet deadlines

• Have the ability to develop the menus with creativity and flair, this may involve developing skill and knowledge for the whole team

• The ability to deal with and find solutions for everyday and one off problems

• Team player qualities – willingness to adapt and get involved as situations require 

You are also likely to have:

• Experience of working in a Busy Kitchen

• Excellent knowledge of all sections of the kitchen

• Team management skills

• Good level of numeracy

• Motivation and ability to take responsibility for own performance

• Enthusiasm to develop your own skills and knowledge plus that of those around you

• Adaptability to change and willingness to embrace new ideas and processes

• Ability to work unsupervised and deliver quality work

• Positive and approachable manner

APPLICATIONS:

Please send applications to Tim Sharp, [email protected] (telephone: 01462 459446), who will be happy to answer queries. 

Candidates should include a full CV, the names and contact details of at least two referees and a covering letter outlining how they meet the personal specification criteria of the role.

Closing Date: 13 May 2024 – 12 noon

Benslow Music operates an equal opportunity policy and commits to treating all candidates and job-seekers fairly. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.

About The Benslow Music Trust (see also www.benslowmusic.org )

Benslow Music is a unique charity which inspires musicians of all ages and abilities to develop and express creativity throughout their life.

Beginnings

The first Rural Music School (RMS) was established in Hitchin in 1929 by Mary Ibberson to provide teaching for beginners and those wanting to continue musical involvement after their school years. The RMS Association (RMSA) was incorporated in 1947 to act as a focus for music teaching in rural areas and as a pressure group to address what was seen as a deficiency in the general educational system. This grew rapidly to some 20 centres in England devoted to making available good music teaching in country towns and villages, with its headquarters in Hitchin.

Little Benslow Hills, a substantial Victorian house, was bequeathed to RMSA by Esther Seebohm in 1952 'to be used in perpetuity for the support of music-making' and became the operational hub of the organisation. A recital hall was added in 1976.

Benslow Music Trust

Benslow Music Trust was established in 1986 'to promote music education for social benefit through the study and practice of music, especially in its social and co-operative forms, amongst students of all ages' with membership open to anyone willing to pay a subscription, and thus was established a substantial programme of short residential courses for adults, with a welcoming ethos.

The Instrument Loan Scheme – a separate charity – was brought to Benslow Music Trust at about this time. It had been set up to lend quality, mainly string, instruments to students up to the age of 25.

To accommodate increased activity, the Lodge was converted to bedrooms in the early 1990s and a new wing (Waldeck) – with a recital hall, practice rooms and bedrooms – was opened in 2001 with the help of a Millennium Lottery Grant of £1.1Mn. More accommodation and playing space was added with the Fieldfares extension, and by the conversion of the Coach House and other out-buildings in 2009. The Aston Building, which houses the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme, was opened in 2020.

Today and into the Future

Constant upgrading, refurbishing and rebuilding of facilities, and a new corporate identity have contributed to an unending quest to widen the scope of Benslow Music's work and to improve access. There is now a fully professional staff running approximately 150 residential music courses annually. Good quality accommodation and in-house catering are available for up to 50 guests at any one time; some 35 public concerts and events are given during the year; and there is an extensive and well-used music library.

Our trading company, Benslow Music Enterprises, supports the core music education offer by providing Bed and Breakfast facilities for the general public, and by facilitating various third-party events.

Plans for the future include ongoing development of creative music activities for all ages, an expanded online offer, additional collaborative and partnership working, and further development of our site facilities and accommodation. In short, Benslow Music Trust weathered the pandemic and is now poised for continued evolution and diversification to reach new audiences in each area of activity. This is an exciting time at which to be joining the Trust, as we look towards our centenary celebrations in 2029.