Tarve
Start Free Trial →

Verified Skilled Worker sponsor

Head Chef - Care Home

Barchester Healthcare

Waltham Abbey, EN9 3JY £20 a year Permanent Posted 28 August 2026 Apply by 27 October 2026

Home Office register entry: BARCHESTER HEALTHCARE LIMITED, LONDON

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

NHS roles fall under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be! Your Benefits and Rewards Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide Your Experience and Qualifications A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus Experience wor

Main duties of the job

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work-life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be! As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well-balanced menus while also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development. Lead, motivate, and inspire a team; develop and upskill where required, menu development tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality. Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked to the highest standards. Bake fresh cakes, scones, and breads from scratch. Assist the front-of-house team with setting up of the dining areas. Work within budget, complete regular audits, and stock control. Create a warm, efficient, and fun environment. Ongoing recruitment and retention. Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house. We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills while sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

About us

Barchester Healthcare is a dedicated care provider that has established a reputation for delivering high-quality care services across the UK. The company operates a range of care homes and hospitals, providing elder care, mental health, and specialist services. Located in Waltham Abbey for this role, Barchester Healthcare offers a wide variety of roles for those looking to build a career within a compassionate and supportive environment. The organization focuses on ensuring high standards of care and offers unique opportunities for personal and professional growth, facilitated by internal learning and development programs. Barchester Healthcare values its employees and strives to maintain a working environment where each individual can contribute to providing exceptional care for residents. Their attention to staff training and development sets them apart, providing employees with the tools and opportunities needed to excel. They prioritize employee well-being and work-life balance while ensuring that their care systems and procedures are at the top of the industry.

Details

Date posted

28 August 2026

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£20 an hour

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

1542947856

Job locations

Barchester Healthcare

Waltham Abbey

EN9 3JY

United Kingdom


Job description

Job responsibilities

Are you a passionate and qualified Chef looking for a better work life balance? If you are keen to be part of a company that is driven by quality and high standards, Barchester is the place to be!

Your Benefits and Rewards

  • Working days and alternate weekends only, across 4/5 days a week

  • Rewarding Excellence' bonus where you will be financially rewarded up to £500* for a Good or Outstanding CQC inspection

  • Unlimited access to our Refer a Friend' scheme, earning up to £500* per referral

  • Access to a wide range of retail and leisure discounts with big brands, supermarkets and travel companies

  • Free access to medical specialists, who are on hand for a second opinion if you need it

  • Confidential and free access to counselling and legal services

  • Tax Code Review Service to check you're on the right code and paying the right level of tax

  • Option to join our monthly staff lottery alongside your colleagues nationwide

Your Experience and Qualifications

  • A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents

  • Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent

  • Experience in leading, motivating and inspiring a team

  • Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition

  • The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes

  • Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus

  • Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard

  • Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH

  • Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework (If new to care, we will train and develop chefs on these techniques)

Your Role and Responsibilities

  • Lead, motivate and inspire a team, develop and upskill where required

  • Menu development, tailoring around residents to ensure we deliver person-centred hospitality

  • Work with fresh produce to deliver high quality and wholesome dishes cooked of the highest standards

  • Bake fresh cakes, scones and breads from scratch

  • Assist the front of house team with setting up of the dining areas

  • Work within budget, complete regular audits and stock control

  • Create a warm, efficient and fun environment

  • Ongoing recruitment and retention

  • Managing the performance of the kitchen team and front of house

As a Head Chef at Barchester, you will have the chance to deliver hotel/restaurant standards without the split shifts and long hours. Our chefs have full autonomy in creating nutritious, flavoursome and well balanced menus, whilst also taking ownership of their kitchen and ongoing team development.

We are exceptionally proud of our Barchester Chef Academy, where chefs have the opportunity to learn new techniques and further develop their skills, whilst also sharing their knowledge to support the growth of others across the business. This fantastic academy experience is held throughout the year and is offered to all of our chefs.

Our internal Learning and Development team also offer industry recognised apprenticeships and further qualifications to chefs and hospitality team members who are looking to build upon and/or develop their skills.

Interested? If you are a motivated and dedicated chef who is ready to be part of something special, apply today!

*Terms & conditions apply

8765

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • A personable and warm approach with a genuine interest in the wellbeing of residents. Hold City & Guilds/NVQ/SVQ or equivalent. Experience in leading, motivating, and inspiring a team. Experience of working with fresh seasonal food with a good understanding of nutrition. The ability to create a warm and welcoming environment within our homes. Confidence engaging with residents to create appetising and nutritious menus. Experience working with a front of house team to ensure the restaurants are set up to a high standard. Good understanding of HACCP and COSHH. Knowledge around modified diets using the IDDSI framework.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Barchester Healthcare

Address

Barchester Healthcare

Waltham Abbey

EN9 3JY

United Kingdom


Employer's website

https://www.barchester.com/

Apply now

Last verified against our ingestion on 31 August 2026; sponsor register dataset 2026-08-25.