HOOKE PARK CHEF / CATERING MANAGER

The Architectural Association

HOOKE PARK CHEF / CATERING MANAGER

Salary:
Location:
Department:
Reporting to:
Contract Type:
Hours of work:

 £30,000 to £32,250
Hooke Park, Beaminster, Dorset
Hooke Park
Head of Hooke Park
Permanent
  Full time, 35 Hours, Monday – Friday.

Hooke Park is the AA’s woodland site in Dorset owned by the AA since 2002. The 150-hectare
working forest is owned and operated by the AA and contains a growing educational facility
for design, workshop, construction and landscape-focused activities. It is used by visiting
groups of London-based students. The site has a team of staff on site consisting of academics,
administration, technicians, catering and cleaning staff.

Role Overview

The Hooke Park Chef / Catering Manager is an experienced Chef able to take responsibility for
managing a busy kitchen, cooking tasty and nutritious vegetarian meals for staff, student and
visitors in a vibrant and exciting education environment.

Main Responsibilities

•  To manage all catering staff involved in the preparation and serving of food, including
preparing  rotas  to  ensure  adequate  cover  and  make  any  backup  arrangements  as
required.

•  To  liaise  with  the  Hooke  Park  Coordinator  on  visitor  numbers  and  the  schedule  of

groups, and to ensure catering is provided for our guests as required.

•  To act as Chef and prepare fresh nutritious vegetarian meals, both independently and

in collaboration with other catering staff.

•  To devise weekly healthy and nutritious vegetarian menus for residents and visitors,
taking into consideration any requests from students and staff as well as any allergies
or food intolerances.

•  To provide high-quality catering at Hooke Park events as required.
•  To be responsible for health and safety in the kitchen including keeping health and
safety  documentation  up  to  date  and  ensuring  processes  and  procedures  are
followed. To liaise with the Health and Safety staff of the AA and external food safety
consultants on health and safety obligations.

•  To  stay  current  in  health  and  safety  and  legislation  affecting  catering,  undertaking

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training, and ensuring all Catering staff are trained as required.

•  To ensure that portion control is observed consistently.
•  To  ensure  organisation  of  quality  food  service,  including  procurement  of  food  and

non- food stock,

•  To  manage  the  agreed  Catering  budget,  operating  within  budgetary  constraints,
making cost savings where possible and reporting as required to the Head of Hooke
Park on costs.

•  To process catering related invoices with accounts and maintain records.
•  To ensure the equipment is maintained and faults reported and to liaise facilities and

maintenance team on repairs.

•  To ensure that the kitchen is always kept clean and tidy.
•  To maintain food safety, during both preparation, and production.
•  To remain current in food safety and allergen training.
•  Taking regular inventories of stock.

The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder will be required
to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the
post.

All staff must:

•  Comply with all legislative and regulatory requirements (e.g. Finance, HR, Health &

Safety)

•  Adhere to the requirements set out in the AA Code of Behavioural Expectations and

other institutional policies.

Person Specification

•  The  post  holder  must  be  confident  and  experienced  in  producing  nutritious,  fresh

vegetarian food for a wide range of international tastes.

•  They must work well with others and be able to manage a team.
•  They must be enthusiastic and willing to adapt to using seasonal and local ingredients.
•  The  successful  candidate  will  be  cooking  for  groups  of  between  15-45,  sometimes

working alone and at other times working alongside others.

•  Relevant  catering  experience  and  current  food  safety  and  hygiene  certificates  are

required.

•  Own transport is necessary due to the remote location

Creative thinking and problem-solving are essential skills for AA employees. Ideal candidates
will be high-energy individuals and team players.

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