Head Chef

We are looking for a passionate and knowledgeable Head Chef to join our team at Chepstow Racecourse.

About us

Arena Racing Company does so much more than lead the UKs largest horse racing group. We have 21 racing venues showcasing horse racing, greyhound racing, golf courses, hotels and events. In short, leisure, entertainment, media production and global distribution are at the heart of what we do, making it an exciting and diverse place to work!

Our success is a team effort which is why we offer great opportunities for growth, development and career progression. After all, its our employees that enable us to offer first class service and create an electric atmosphere, all within an industry we love.

What is ARC?

We embrace diversity

We develop our people

We care for our visitors

We think about our impact

We are proud of our sport

Work Perks of being a Head Chef...

• Annual passes to attend any of our 21 venues
• Discounted food & ARC days out
• Cycle to work scheme
• Holiday allowance increasing with length of service up to 28 days
• Company life assurance scheme
• Discretionary group annual bonus schemes to reward your hard work
• Support with study through our study assistance schemes

And so much more

About the role:

Youwill organise and supervise all kitchen operations across the sites, maintaining high food quality and complyingwith hygiene regulations. Controlling costs in general and maintaining good staff relations as well as maintaining all legal and company health, safety & HACCP standards.

You will be responsible for managing Chefs, Trainees, and Kitchen Porters, both full time, causal & agency. The remit will encompass all food preparation across all areas for both for racedays and non racedays.

Alongside a variable working week pattern to meet the needs of the business. Managing racedays both on site, or remotely, EVH functions & events.

Responsibilities

• Liaise closely with the Head of Catering and Events & Group Head Chef regarding revenue budgets and cost targets. Ensure targets are met and provide explanations for deviancies.
• To ensure targets are met and provide explanations for any deviancies.
• To purchase within agreed parameters, ensuring the budgeted food GP is achieved & nominated spend targets met.
• To oversee and maintain the Indicater catering platform, ensuring it is utilised fully, monitoring hub spends, finance reporting, stock takes, menu planning & allergens.
• To implement and adhere to the Company Food Safety Management System across all areas within remit.
• To ensure all menu planning and specs set by head office are correctly replicated across all areas within remit.
• Coordinate stock takes as required.
• Develops and implements strategies for procuring, storing, and distributing goods or services and maintaining stock levels
• To collect and view the weeks function sheets for racing and non-racing and to plan the kitchens time and resources.
• Ordering of the food, chemical and disposable stock for multi outlets.
• Preparing and Cooking of foods during both non-race day and race day events.
• Supervising the cleaning down of the kitchens, by chefs & porters.
• Instructing both full time and casual chefs in the correct Health & Safety and food safety procedures.
• Pre-sale package opportunities across business and standardizing offerings
• Kitchen build consultations, catering improvements across group, assessing capex needs.
• Improvements to group restaurants, creating brands/flagships & how to increase repeat booking.
• Ensure all EHO food safety and production requirements are met and maintained to current standards. To collate all HACCP documentation from all sites within remit and to ensure correctly followed, documented & stored. To ensure temperature controls are monitored, recorded & checked.
• Ensure quality control at all times throughout production process from raw material to ready plated end product.
• Control portion size and waste factors at all times, directly influencing GP.
• To ensure a safe working environment at all times.
• Observe, maintain and drive all Health & Safety and Hygiene policies.
• To meet clients when required to assist in menu planning alongside the Catering and Events Manger.
• Maintain good communication between Kitchen and other departments.
• In liaison with the Catering and Events Manager to arrange training for staff as appropriate.
• Coordinating and assisting with technical training and overall competency to management and employees with regards to the operational aspects of the food safety program, pest control, environmental, operational methods and personnel practices, and maintenance for food safety and hygiene /cleaning practices.
• To liaise with Local Authority Inspectors and enforcement officials as required.
• Manage the Kitchen staff rota across all sites in remit & deliver promptly to the staffing managers. Ensuring set cost targets are met.
• Allocate daily workload appropriately to staff, maintaining effectiveness and operational control. Including record absence/sickness of all direct reports
• Complete regular job and performance reviews with your team in line with company guidelines.
• Future nutrition law changes & allergen changes, getting the company ready for change. Ensuring all areas of business has correct allergen information displayed and updated as needed.
• Jockeys nutritional audits and working alongside the BHA to ensure conformance.

The person we are looking for as a Head Chef has..

• Minimum of 5 years experience as a Head Chef in high quality multi-site operations environment
• Strong understanding in food safety, HACCP, nutrition & allergens
• Good understanding of purchasing systems, technical packages & I.T.
• Ability to work under pressure with strong leadership to lead the kitchen team in a professional manner.
• Must have a demonstrated understanding and achievements in managing and improving cost of goods.
• Demonstrate a strong back ground in planning & control of variable Labour to budget.
• Experience in training & team development
• A strong eye for detail
• Experience in banqueting, retail & fine dining
• Full & clean UK driving licence
• Excellent communicator
• Passionate about the kitchen environment and about our product
• Works well under pressure. Organised systematic and process driven

We are on a thrilling journey. So, to join us at our next destination, be part of a winning team and to learn more about our company and this exciting opportunity apply today.

At ARC, we believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace makes us a more relevant, more competitive, and more resilient company. We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. We are an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability or age. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you have a disability that requires reasonable adjustments, please let us know; we will ensure that individuals with additional needs are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

We understand the value that diversity brings to our business and we are striving to create a working environment that is inclusive, psychologically and physically safe and ensures everyone can be heard and valued for their contributions. We are committed to making a consistent, top-down effort to be role models on what diversity, inclusion and belonging means in society.

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