Head Chef

Job summary

At Signature Senior Lifestyle, we believe dining should be an experience to savour. From beautifully presented plates to exceptional service, our award-winning care homes offer restaurant-quality dining every day. We’re now looking for an inspiring Head Chef to lead our kitchen team and deliver culinary excellence to our residents and guests at our luxury new care and nursing home in Hornchurch.

What Signature Offer

• Up to £46,000 per annum 
• Up to 30 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays, depending on length of service
• Workplace pension 
• Free meals on shift for staff working 6+ hours
• Private medical insurance and company sick pay
• Life Assurance Scheme
• ‘Blue Light’ discount scheme eligible
• Refer A Friend Incentive £50 voucher and up to £1,000 cash bonus
• Staff recognition scheme – Purple Heart Award
• Ongoing career training and development
• Employee Assistance Programme, occupational health support and wellbeing services
• Plus cycle to work scheme, study support, long service awards and more

Your Role at Signature

As Head Chef, you’ll be at the heart of our hospitality experience, leading a talented team to create fresh, seasonal dishes that are as nutritious as they are delicious. You’ll manage all aspects of food production and kitchen operations—ensuring every meal meets our high standards for taste, presentation and safety.

You’ll have the autonomy to design menus that celebrate seasonal ingredients, meet individual dietary needs and reflect the preferences of our residents—many of whom are true food lovers. Working closely with the General Manager, Hospitality Manager and Care Services teams, you’ll make sure every dining experience supports both wellbeing and joy.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, train and inspire your team, including Sous, Chef de Partie and Commis Chefs.
• Develop and deliver creative, seasonal menus in line with residents’ tastes and nutritional needs.
• Maintain the highest standards of hygiene, food safety and kitchen cleanliness.
• Ensure compliance with all Health & Safety and Food Hygiene regulations.
• Manage stock levels, budgets and supplier relationships, ensuring cost-effective procurement and minimal waste.
• Collaborate with care and activities teams to support special events and themed dining experiences.
• Continuously drive quality, consistency and innovation within the kitchen.

What we’re looking for

• NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Professional Cookery or Catering.
• Proven experience in leading a kitchen team within a high-quality hospitality, restaurant or care environment.
• Strong understanding of food hygiene and health & safety legislation.
• Passion for fresh, seasonal, beautifully presented food.
• Excellent leadership, organisation and communication skills.
• A team player with creativity, energy and a genuine desire to make a difference to residents’ lives.

About Signature

When you join Signature, you become part of a company that invests in its people. From bespoke training and development opportunities to delicious meals on shift, wellbeing support and recognition programmes, we believe our team deserves to be as well cared for as our residents.

If you’re an accomplished chef with a passion for fresh, beautifully crafted food and the leadership skills to inspire excellence, we’d love to hear from you.

Bring your creativity, skill and care to Signature Senior Lifestyle—where dining is an experience to be proud of.

 Apply now to join our culinary team.