Regional Development Chef

Reach for Remarkable REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHEF - Scotland & Northern Ireland

Location: Multiple military sites across Scotland & Northern Ireland
Salary: £Competitive
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Job

Inspiring Chefs. Elevating Standards. Serving Those Who Serve.

We're looking for a talented and passionate Regional Development Chef to lead, develop and elevate culinary standards across our catering operation on military sites across Scotland and Northern Ireland. If you're a hands-on leader, a creative culinary professional, and someone who thrives in fast-paced operational environments, this is an exciting opportunity to shape the food experience for service personnel every day.

This is a regional role across Scotland & Northern Ireland; regular travel is a pre-requisite for this position.

• Inspire Culinary Standards & Innovation
  • Develop, refine, and roll out high-quality menus tailored to military site needs.
  • Ensure consistent delivery of food quality, presentation, and portion control across all units.
  • Lead culinary innovation, seasonal menu changes, and recipe development.
• Support & Train Site-Based Chef Teams
  • Provide coaching, mentoring, and on‑the‑job training to chefs at multiple sites.
  • Identify skills gaps and deliver training sessions to upskill teams.
  • Support with onboarding new chefs, ensuring they meet food safety and service standards.
• Drive Operational Excellence
  • Conduct regular kitchen audits to ensure compliance with HACCP, H&S regulations, Defence Catering standards and company policy.
  • Oversee food cost management, waste reduction, stock control and supplier product usage.
  • Support mobilisation of new contracts, menu rollouts, and special projects.
• Champion Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build effective relationships with military clients, catering managers, site leads and senior officers.
  • Support and deliver VIP visits, ceremonial functions and high‑profile dining events.
  • Represent the culinary team at meetings, tastings and reviews.
• Lead Events & Function Support
  • Plan and oversee delivery of bespoke dining events, themed menus and regimental dinners.
  • Work closely with site teams to ensure seamless delivery of formal and informal catering functions.

• Experienced Head Chef, Development Chef, or similar multi‑site culinary role.
• Strong knowledge of large‑scale catering, ideally in Defence or similar environments.
• Excellent culinary skills with a passion for quality and innovation.
• Confident trainer, communicator, and motivator of diverse teams.
• Strong understanding of food safety, allergens and compliance (HACCP essential).
• Flexibility to travel across the region and support multiple sites.
• Full UK driving licence.

• Employee perks (GP access, discounts, EAP), pension and life assurance.
• Generous holiday allowance with option to buy more.
• Access to training, qualifications and clear career progression routes.
• Be part of a Forces Friendly, Disability Confident organisation with strong values.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re passionate about food, leadership and delivering excellence across military catering, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and bring your expertise to our team.