Head Chef, Café and Bar Manager
Badminton is a sport for everyone. And at Badminton England we want to make our sport the most inclusive and accessible sport in the country.
We are at the heart of a thriving badminton community to nurture a lifelong passion for our sport, consistently performing and delivering inspirational moments, openly attracting everyone who wants to get involved in our sport - whatever age, ability or gender. Our people love playing, watching and supporting badminton and we want to grow our badminton community - players, coaches, schools, clubs, counties, leisure operators, volunteers and fans.
We do what matters; we are courageous and honest, always putting the best interests of badminton first.
We include intentionally; we create safe and connected environments that welcome open and diverse views.
We play for each other; we listen, respond to feedback and celebrate the successes of our sport and communities.
We always aim to do today brilliantly; we innovate and constantly challenge the status quo through collaboration, active listening and encouragement of others.
With more than a million players playing badminton every month in England, badminton is the nation’s most played racket sport and the sixth biggest sport overall in this country. Quite simply, we want to inspire everyone to play more, support the sport and love, live and breathe badminton.
Our home is the National Badminton Centre (NBC) in Milton Keynes and, through our staff team, we are making this a great place to work, rest and play. An accredited Elite Training Centre, the NBC is the home of badminton in England and is set for a modern new look…..where the best talent is nurtured and elite athletes are developed to compete and represent England and Great Britain on the world stage. And yet it is so much more. Of course we host world-class badminton courts open to clubs, coaches and the wider badminton community. However, we are also home to public and professional gym facilities, fitness suites and a spin studio, meeting rooms, a popular three-star 25-room hotel, a sports bar, a small restaurant and we even host the National Badminton Museum - all open to the public.’ We are also very proud to host our flourishing para-badminton programme in Sheffield at the English Institute of Sport. A dedicated team work tirelessly from our second home in South Yorkshire to ensure elite badminton remains a sport for everyone.
As part of the package, Badminton England offer 25 days’ holiday (rising with length of service), free gym membership for you and a partner, a cycle-to-work scheme, a pension scheme, a health cash back plan, private medical insurance, learning and development opportunities as well as legal, medical and wellbeing advice through our employee assistance programme.
Do you want to come and join us in making badminton the most inclusive and accessible sport in England? Come and join a thriving team of staff and help us grow every aspect of our sport and achieve our strategic vision.
Role Summary:
We currently have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and ambitious Hospitality Head Chef with a real passion for food where you can develop your career in food service and operational management. This is a great opportunity for you to take ownership of the kitchen, develop and motivate the team, provide exceptional nutrition-led menu for our elite athletes as well as our members, customers and staff.
The National Badminton Centre is the home of English Badminton and a base for both GB and England performance athletes. In this role you will contribute to athlete performance by providing a nutritious well balanced menu, you will also drive commercial success through the efficient management of the bar and café, delivering exceptional service to all visitors.
You will be a head chef with experience, excellent cooking skills, a creative flair
and kitchen management skills to lead and train the team in food production and service
You will be instrumental and responsible for the front of house operations including standard of restaurant presentation along with training of staff in food service
The role requires applicants who wish to be fully involved with the overall catering operations and development of a new concept working directly with the management team
To support your practical hands-on chef and catering skills, you will have experience in controlling catering budgets, procurement skills and being actively involved with sales and promotional activities
Maintaining the highest standard of kitchen hygiene and cleanliness in line with Environmental Health Officer food hygiene inspection standards.
Working in a high-level professional sports environment, an understanding of nutrition and allergies would be helpful in developing exciting dishes for athletes and public alike
The successful candidate will also support the management team with retail business strategy.
Key responsibilities and main tasks and activities
- Oversee all kitchen activities, including food preparation, cooking, and presentation
- Develop and create new menu items in collaboration with the management team
- Ensure compliance with food safety and sanitation standards
- Train and mentor kitchen staff on proper cooking techniques and procedures
- Manage inventory levels and control food costs
- Maintain a clean and organised kitchen environment
- Collaborate with management to plan and execute special events or promotions
- Train front of house team – putting customer service at the heart of all interactions
Skills & Knowladge
- Proven experience as a Cook/Chef or similar role in a restaurant or Cafe setting
- Efficient minimisation of waste
- Strong knowledge of culinary techniques, food production, and kitchen management
- Excellent leadership and communication skills
- Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment
- Understanding of food safety regulations and best practices
- Creative flair for developing innovative dishes while maintaining quality standards
- Experience of budget management and cost control
- Knowledge of sports nutrition would be desirable
General information:
This is a full-time role based on 40 hours per week.
Due to the nature of the role, weekend work will be required, along with early starts and evenings.
Salary: £34,000 - £38,000 per annum depending on experience
Recruitment process is already underway, please apply promptly
National Badminton Centre
Diversity & Inclusion
We positively celebrate Diversity & Inclusion at Badminton England. Our aim is to become the UK’s most inclusive National Governing Body - for our staff and members, reflecting and connecting with the diverse communities that we serve. We want people from all walks of life to feel valued for their individuality, thrive in our business and share a sense of belonging.
Head Chef, Café and Bar Manager
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