Area Support Chef

Impact Food Group (IFG) is one of England’s fastest-growing school food providers, serving around one million students every day across more than 1,500 schools. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious meals that support student wellbeing and enjoyment. 

Our brands include Innovate, Cucina, Chapter One (Independent Schools), Hutchison, and Dolce, reflecting our breadth of experience and reach across the school catering sector. 

We’re recruiting for a Central Support Chef to join our fantastic team, supporting a portfolio of schools. This is a varied and rewarding role where you’ll assist with training and developing onsite chefs, provide cover across sites, and play a key role in new site mobilisations.

Please note: As this is a mobile, area-based role, you must hold a full UK driving licence and have access to your own vehicle.

The role…

Job Title:                                           Central Support Chef

Area Covering:                                 North Kent, South East London and East Sussex 

Working Days:                                  Monday to Friday

Shifts & Working hours:                  45 hours per week

Working Weeks:                               42 weeks per year (Term time, inset days and 3 additional weeks))

Pay Details:                                       £38,000 per annum, & mileage expenses

Benefits:                                            Free meals on shift, uniform, pension and other great company benefits

What’s this all about?

Due to continued growth, we have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Chef Manager to step into a broader, multi-site role.

You’ll work closely with the Operations Manager, supporting a group of schools by:

• Covering chef manager absences across sites
• Supporting with the training and development of onsite catering teams
• Assisting with the mobilisation of new contracts
• Maintaining high standards of food quality, service, and compliance
• Providing hands-on kitchen support when required

We’re looking for someone with:

• Previous Chef Manager experience (ideally within secondary education)
• A genuine passion for food and customer service
• Strong craft skills and the ability to lead by example
• Excellent organisation, flexibility, and resilience
• The ability to prioritise and adapt across multiple sites

What’s in it for you?

This role offers a fantastic work-life balance - no evenings, no weekends, no late nights, and all school holidays off.

You’ll also benefit from:

• Free meals on shift and provided uniform
• Paid mileage for travel between sites
• Access to a company pension scheme
• Ongoing training, development, and career progression opportunities
• Free qualifications to support your growth
• A staff discount scheme across 850+ retailers
• Monthly team incentives, including the chance to win shopping vouchers

We’ll give you the opportunity to build a career you can be proud of, within a supportive and growing business.

Next steps

If this sounds like the perfect role for you, we’d love to hear from you!

Please note: An interview and kitchen visit will be required as part of the recruitment process.

IFG are committed to the safeguarding of children, and our employees share this commitment. Successful candidates are required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure and children’s barred list check, which IFG will pay for.

We are a committed equal opportunities employer - if you require any assistance for the interview process, please detail within your application. All information is kept confidential and in compliance with GDPR requirements.