Full Time Chef

Job Title: Full-Time Chef

Location: Café in Harlow

Employment: Full-Time

Salary: Competitive

Role Purpose

The Full-Time Chef is responsible for preparing, cooking and presenting food to Café Belle Vie’s required standards while ensuring the kitchen operates safely, efficiently and consistently.

The Chef is expected to take ownership of their responsibilities within the kitchen and contribute to delivering excellent food quality, efficient service, strong hygiene standards and effective cost control.

Key Responsibilities

Food Preparation & Cooking

• Prepare and cook all dishes according to Café Belle Vie recipes, specifications and presentation standards.
• Complete all required preparation before service.
• Ensure ingredients are fresh, correctly prepared and ready for service.
• Maintain correct portion sizes and presentation.
• Ensure food is cooked and served at the correct temperature.
• Check the quality of ingredients before use.
• Ensure no food that does not meet Café Belle Vie’s standards leaves the kitchen.

Service

• Work quickly and efficiently during busy breakfast, brunch and lunch services.
• Manage multiple orders while maintaining quality and presentation.
• Communicate effectively with other kitchen staff and the front-of-house team.
• Ensure orders are prepared accurately and within appropriate service times.
• Inform management immediately of any problems that could affect service or food availability.

Food Quality & Consistency

Consistency is a fundamental requirement of the role.

The Chef must ensure that customers receive the same standard of food regardless of who is cooking, how busy the café is or what time of day they visit.

This includes following agreed:

• Recipes
• Cooking methods
• Portion sizes
• Plating specifications
• Garnishes
• Presentation standards

Unauthorised changes to recipes, portions or presentation should not be made without management approval.

Food Safety & Hygiene

The Chef is responsible for maintaining excellent food safety and hygiene standards at all times.

Responsibilities include:

• Following all food hygiene procedures.
• Following HACCP and food safety procedures.
• Correctly recording required temperature and safety checks.
• Ensuring food is correctly labelled and dated.
• Following FIFO stock rotation.
• Maintaining correct refrigeration and storage procedures.
• Preventing cross-contamination.
• Following allergen procedures at all times.
• Keeping workstations, equipment, fridges and storage areas clean.
• Following opening and closing cleaning procedures.
• Reporting food safety concerns immediately.

All allergen requests must be treated seriously and handled according to company procedures.

Stock & Waste Control

The Chef is expected to help protect the profitability of the business by controlling stock and reducing unnecessary waste.

Responsibilities include:

• Correct portion control.
• Proper storage of ingredients.
• Correct stock rotation.
• Monitoring stock levels.
• Informing management when stock is running low.
• Reporting damaged, spoiled or unusable stock.
• Minimising unnecessary food waste.
• Recording waste where required.
• Avoiding excessive preparation that results in unnecessary wastage.

Kitchen Cleanliness

The Chef is responsible for maintaining a clean, organised and professional kitchen.

This includes:

• Cleaning as you work.
• Maintaining clean preparation areas.
• Keeping equipment clean and properly maintained.
• Maintaining clean fridges, freezers and dry-storage areas.
• Completing daily cleaning schedules.
• Completing deep-cleaning tasks when required.
• Ensuring floors and working areas remain safe.
• Correctly disposing of waste.

Cleaning is considered part of the Chef’s role and not a separate responsibility.

Organisation & Preparation

The Chef should ensure their section is organised and prepared for service.

This includes:

• Completing mise en place.
• Checking stock before service.
• Identifying shortages early.
• Preparing for anticipated busy periods.
• Maintaining an organised workstation.
• Replenishing ingredients throughout service.
• Preparing appropriately for the following day’s service.

Equipment

The Chef is responsible for using kitchen equipment correctly and safely.

Any damaged, unsafe or malfunctioning equipment must be reported immediately.

Equipment should be cleaned and maintained according to company procedures.

Teamwork & Communication

The Chef is expected to:

• Work positively with other members of the kitchen team.
• Communicate professionally with front-of-house staff.
• Support colleagues during busy periods.
• Follow reasonable instructions from management.
• Help train and support less experienced team members where required.
• Maintain professional behaviour at all times.
• Contribute to a positive and respectful working environment.

Personal Standards

All chefs are expected to:

• Arrive on time and ready to work.
• Wear the correct uniform.
• Maintain excellent personal hygiene.
• Be reliable and dependable.
• Maintain a professional attitude.
• Take responsibility for their work.
• Raise problems rather than ignore them.
• Treat colleagues, management and customers respectfully.

Ownership & Accountability

Café Belle Vie expects its chefs to take ownership of their responsibilities.

The role is not limited to simply cooking orders.

If something is running low, needs preparing, requires cleaning or could affect the quality of service, the Chef is expected to take appropriate action or inform the relevant manager.

The Chef should continuously consider:

Is the kitchen ready?

Is the food correct?

Is the section clean?

Is stock under control?

Are we delivering the standard expected by Café Belle Vie?

Key Performance Expectations

Performance within the role will be assessed against:

• Food quality
• Consistency
• Presentation
• Speed of service
• Food hygiene
• Allergen compliance
• Kitchen cleanliness
• Portion control
• Food waste
• Stock management
• Preparation and organisation
• Reliability and punctuality
• Teamwork
• Professional conduct
• Ability to follow recipes and company procedures

Flexibility

This job description outlines the principal responsibilities of the role but is not exhaustive.

The employee may be required to undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to their position and to support the effective operation of the café.

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Free parking
• Gym membership

Work Location: In person