Chef

Performance Chef

Headingley Stadium, St Michaels Lane, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3

£38,000pa + excellent benefits

40hrs pw 5/7

Food safety level 3 essential

Free parking

Fuel Performance. Inspire Excellence. Shape the Future of Elite Cricket

At Sodexo Live!, we create extraordinary moments through exceptional food. An exciting opportunity has arisen for a talented Performance Chef to join our team at Headingley Stadium, home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, where you'll play a vital role in supporting elite athletes through high-performance nutrition.

You'll be responsible for delivering innovative, performance-focused cuisine that directly supports the preparation, recovery and wellbeing of professional cricketers competing at domestic and international level. Working closely with sports science, nutrition and medical teams, you'll help ensure that every meal contributes to success on and off the field.

If you enjoy working in high-performance environments and want your culinary skills to contribute directly to elite sporting success, we'd love to hear from you.

This unique opportunity is suited to an ambitious chef who appreciates the important connection between great food, wellbeing and athletic performance.

You'll combine exceptional culinary skills with strong leadership, creativity and a genuine desire to help athletes perform at their best. You'll be equally comfortable developing innovative menus, leading a kitchen team, collaborating with medical professionals and engaging directly with players.

Most importantly, you'll be motivated by excellence and thrive in an environment where your work has a measurable impact.

What You'll Do:

Lead the planning, preparation and delivery of high-quality meals designed to optimise performance and recovery.
Develop creative, nutritionally balanced menus aligned to training schedules, match demands and recovery strategies.
Work closely with the Club Nutritionist, Performance Coaches and Science & Medicine teams to deliver world-class catering provision.
Cater for individual dietary requirements, allergies, cultural preferences and performance goals.
Inspire athletes through engaging food experiences and education around nutrition and healthy eating.
Manage kitchen operations, food standards, hygiene compliance and stock control.
Lead, motivate and develop kitchen teams, creating a positive and high-performing culture.
Continuously research culinary and nutritional trends to keep menus fresh, innovative and performance focused.
Support wider stadium and hospitality operations when required.

For a full list of responsibilities please view the attached job description

What You Bring:

Essential

Experience catering within professional sport, elite performance environments, or high-level athlete programmes
Strong understanding of sports nutrition and performance-focused food provision
Level 3 Food Hygiene qualification
Proven leadership experience within a professional kitchen environment
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
Ability to perform under pressure in a fast-paced environment
Passion for culinary innovation and athlete wellbeing
Highly motivated with a commitment to driving high standards and continuous improvement
Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities effectively
Desirable

Experience working with professional sports teams
Knowledge of current sports nutrition principles and recovery strategies
Experience delivering educational sessions around nutrition, healthy eating, or cooking skills
Experience tailoring menus to meet individual dietary, allergy, cultural, and performance requirements
Multi-cultural and international cuisine experience
Experience managing food budgets, stock control, and ordering processes
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