Summary About us: Aspens Services Ltd is a market-leading contract catering company specialising in school food. By combining our understanding of the education sector and our knowledge of what's on trend in the food world, we encourage creativity and excitement in our kitchens, allowing our teams to do what they do best and provide fantastic food experiences for the children. By providing excellent care and services to both clients and children, we have ensured the successful growth of the company and to keep up with the rapid pace of this growth, we are now looking for a Craft Engagement Manager to join the team. The role: As an Executive Chef, you will serve as a culinary ambassador for Aspens Services. In this key role, you'll inspire, train, and empower our catering teams to consistently deliver high-quality, innovative food offerings. You'll work closely with chefs and unit managers to ensure that our food standards are exemplary, compliant, and aligned with our company's vision. This position is: 40 hours per week 52 weeks per year £42,000 per annum Your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to): Quality & Compliance: Collaborate with chefs and unit managers to maintain exceptional standards of quality, presentation, and adherence to all food policies, health & safety regulations, and hygiene practices. Team Development: Mentor and develop culinary talent, ensuring all team members meet our high standards and regulatory requirements. Innovation & Menu Development: Assist the central development team in launching innovative, on-trend dishes and menus. This may involve project work and travel to other regions. Communication & Client Engagement: Deliver and communicate new food offers and initiatives to your regional teams and support the presentation of our food portfolio during client tenders. Operational Excellence: Work with on-site teams to optimise portion control, manage stock, and drive improvements in gross profit and sales volumes. Event Leadership: Lead and support hospitality events, including parent taster evenings and other value-added initiatives that showcase the best of Aspens Services. Collaboration: Partner with regional development chefs on large-scale projects, which may require nationwide travel and overnight stays. About you: We are looking for a culinary expert with a passion for excellence and innovation. The ideal candidate will have: Extensive Culinary Expertise: A strong command of diverse cooking techniques, ingredients, and cuisines. Qualifications: A recognised culinary qualification (e.g., NVQ Levels 1/2/3 or equivalent). Creativity & Innovation: The ability to develop new recipes and innovative dishes in line with Government Food Stand Guidelines and Aspens' high standards. Menu Planning Skills: Proficiency in designing menus that consider dietary restrictions, cost-effectiveness, and seasonal availability. Technical Proficiency: Expertise in food preparation, advanced cooking methods, and kitchen equipment operation, with an emphasis on food safety and hygiene. Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively instruct and collaborate with kitchen staff, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Time Management & Attention to Detail: The capability to manage multiple tasks under pressure while ensuring that every dish is visually appealing and meets our company standards. Adaptability: A flexible approach to adjusting recipes and menus to accommodate various dietary needs and cultural preferences. Leadership: A proven ability to lead and motivate a team, delegate tasks, and foster a positive, collaborative work environment. Why join us? As one of the UK's fastest-growing independent businesses you'll be joining a company where people are at our core and the opportunity to develop your career is endless. We offer fantastic learning and development programmes and the ability to gain qualifications whilst supporting you all the way We understand that the health and wellbeing of our employees is vital so as well as a competitive salary and car allowance/car, we've just launched our brand new benefits programme which includes important things like private healthcare and enhanced parental leave, ways to save money and the opportunity to spend your birthday doing something special to you rather than working Please note, we expect all staff to share our commitment of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people so an enhanced DBS disclosure will be sought by the company