Chef de Partie

Lady Margaret Hall is a constituent College of the University of Oxford and is located in peaceful, spacious gardens beside the University Parks.

LMH, as it is fondly known, was founded in 1878 with a dual passion for learning and for equality, making it possible, for the first time, for women to study at Oxford. Today, the College continues to draw inspiration from this great founding vision. It is now a coeducational academic community of c.400 undergraduate and c.220 postgraduate students, committed to research and scholarship and to effective, highly personalised teaching and learning for students from all backgrounds.

The College prepares its students to live and work in a fast-moving, complex and global society that is hungry for knowledge, communication and integrity. LMH is an ‘Investors in People’ employer and is the only Oxbridge college to have achieved a gold award.

Job Description

The Chef de Partie is a key member of the kitchen team, responsible for the preparing and serving of breakfast, lunch, dinner meals for student and staff and meals for our conferencing department.

It is vital for the jobholder to have high standards in Food Hygiene and to follow Health and Safety procedures to avoid accidents, food spoilage and waste.

Main relationships

Responsible to: Head Chef / 2nd and 3rd Chef / Head of Catering

Liaison with: Other Chefs, Catering Manager and Catering Assistants, Conference Team and Customers.

Main Tasks:

1. Menu and Meal Provision

• Create, healthy, well balanced and tasty meals following the daily menu schedule
• Ensure compliance with dietary and religious requirements required for a diverse audience.
• Follow correct portion control criteria as outlined by Kitchen Management and Head of Catering
• Making sure overproduction and food wastage is kept to a minimum

2. Kitchen Responsibilities

• Use a high level of cooking skills in the production of food using modern technology and methods.
• Ensure the provision of meals as required on a day to day basis.
• Provide guidance to catering staff on service and portion control, ensuring that all food is safe and served at an appropriate temperature.
• Be “hands on” in being involved in food production Follow correct food hygiene standards as per legal requirements
• Participate in reviews of menus and service.
• Ensure the correct labelling of all foods, including correct date labelling and allergen labelling
• Monitor food deliveries, ensuring food quality and invoice check and maintaining the relevant HACCP control sheets.
• Monitor all kitchen equipment ensuring appropriate usage and maintenance and the reporting of any defects.
• Minimise the unnecessary breakages of all kitchen equipment.
• Operate fire, safety and emergency procedures.

3. Delivery of College Standards

• Work in harmony with other staff within the Catering Department and other departments within the College, to ensure optimum conditions are provided for the delivery of catering services.
• Comply with all Health & Safety and Food Safety requirements, COSHH, HACCP and RIDDOR procedures.
• Ensure temperature record sheet are maintained and up to date.
• Ensure the kitchen is clean and hygienic at all times.
• Ensure kitchen uniform and personal hygiene requirements are adhered to.
• Ensure the service runs smoothly on a daily basis and is adequately stocked with all necessary goods.

4. People Management

• Be able to work as part of a team, leading an allocated section.
• Show flexibility in personally covering additional shifts when necessary.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as needed in order to meet the overall and sometimes changing objectives of Lady Margaret Hall’s Catering Team.

Skills, Abilities and Requirements:

• Demonstrate professional skills & knowledge on a daily basis.
• Be able to work quickly and drive a shift in a concentrated, fast-paced environment.
• Great communicator at all levels.
• LMH values to be at the heart of all work practices.
• Scrupulous in upholding Food Hygiene and Health & Safety practices.
• Good knowledge of all current compliance and regulations for COSHH, Food Hygiene, allergy legislation, Health & Safety, PPE, lone working & fire regulations

Additional skills – physical abilities central to the role:

• Excellent eye to hand coordination and knife skills
• Ability to stand for long periods of time and to lift heavy boxes
• Be able to react quickly to kitchen emergencies

Terms and Conditions

The salary will be £27,000 per annum for 39 hours per week, depending on experience, or alternatively the role could be offered at a salary of £31,000 per annum for 45 hours per week, depending on experience. Benefits of working for the College include 36 days holiday (including bank holidays), the option to join a University pension scheme and one free meal whilst on duty and the kitchens are open. The post is to be filled as soon as possible.

This is a full-time permanent position. There will be an initial probationary period of six months. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK. To apply for this position, please send your CV to recruitment@lmh.ox.ac.uk. For an informal discussion please contact our Head Chef, Markus Gerber on 01865 274328 or in his absence, please send an email to headchef@lmh.ox.ac.uk with your phone number to call back.

A principal aim of this College’s Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that in the recruitment, selection, training, appraisal, development and promotion of employees, the only consideration must be that the individual best meets, or is likely to meet, the requirements of the programme or course or post.

Lady Margaret Hall is committed to provide a learning, working and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members are respected, and which is free from prejudice, intimidation and all forms of harassment, including bullying. We seek to ensure that no-one suffers, either directly or indirectly, as a result of discrimination.

Lady Margaret Hall has a range of family friendly policies.

The closing date for receipt of applications is noon on 16th August 2021.

HR Office

July 2021