Head Chef - CTCRM Lympstone Officers' Mess

ESS Defence, Compass Group UK&I

Location: CTCRM Lympstone, Exmouth Road, Lympstone, EX8 5AR
Salary: £39,880 per annum
Hours: 40 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday with occasional weekend working for functions

Lead a Prestigious Military Mess Kitchen

We're looking for a passionate and experienced Head Chef to lead the culinary operation within the Officers' Mess at CTCRM Lympstone, home of the Royal Marines. This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a busy and varied food operation, delivering exceptional dining experiences for military personnel, guests, and prestigious functions.

From daily breakfast, lunch and dinner services through to formal dining events and high-profile functions for up to 250 guests, you'll have the opportunity to showcase your culinary expertise while leading and developing a dedicated kitchen team.

What's in it for you?

One of the unique benefits of this role is the work-life balance on offer. The site operates around military leave periods, meaning you'll be expected to take annual leave during:

• 2 weeks at Christmas
• 2 weeks at Easter
• 3 weeks during the summer

This provides excellent opportunities to plan quality downtime throughout the year.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of chefs and kitchen assistants.
• Deliver consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and service.
• Manage all aspects of kitchen operations, including food safety, compliance and stock control.
• Drive financial performance through effective budget management, purchasing and waste reduction.
• Plan and deliver a varied food offer across daily dining and hospitality services.
• Lead the delivery of functions ranging from intimate dinners to large-scale events for up to 250 guests.
• Ensure full compliance with Food Safety, HACCP, COSHH and Health & Safety standards.
• Build strong working relationships with the ESS Mess Manager, Military Mess Manager and function sponsors.
• Continuously seek opportunities to improve food quality, customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

About You

We're looking for someone who can combine strong culinary expertise with effective leadership and commercial awareness.

You'll ideally have:

• Previous experience as a Head Chef or Senior Sous Chef within contract catering, hospitality, hotels, armed forces, education, healthcare or event catering.
• A proven ability to lead, develop and inspire teams.
• Strong food production and menu planning experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A quality-driven approach with a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, including labour and food cost control.
• Sound knowledge of food hygiene and health & safety legislation.
• Experience managing multiple dining styles, from informal dining through to formal hospitality events.
• Good IT literacy and administrative skills.

The Operation

The Officers' Mess caters for varying daily customer numbers of approximately 50-180 diners, with services including:

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday to Friday
• Brunch and dinner at weekends
• A busy programme of hospitality and functions
• Events ranging from 12 to 250 guests
• Buffet, banqueting and formal dining occasions

You'll lead a kitchen team of:

• 3 Chefs
• 2 Kitchen Porters

Why Join ESS?

ESS is the Defence, Energy and Government Services sector of Compass Group UK & Ireland. We support those who serve our country by providing outstanding food and support services across military establishments throughout the UK.

This role offers the opportunity to work in a unique environment where quality, hospitality and professionalism are highly valued, while enjoying a genuine work-life balance rarely found within hospitality.

Apply Today

If you're an ambitious Head Chef looking for a rewarding leadership role within a prestigious military environment, we'd love to hear from you.