Executive Chef - Kia Oval

The Executive Chef provides overall culinary leadership for the Kia Oval, with responsibility for the quality, consistency, creativity and commercial performance of the food operation. Reporting to the General Manager, the role leads and develops the senior culinary team, including the Conference & Events Head Chef, Matchday Head Chef and Performance Chef, ensuring a consistent culinary vision across all areas of the business. The operation spans matchdays, premium hospitality, conference and events, retail and performance nutrition, delivering exceptional food experiences for guests, clients, players and colleagues.

• Lead the overall culinary vision and food strategy for the Kia Oval.
• Develop innovative, seasonal and commercially successful menus across matchdays, hospitality, events, retail and performance catering, ensuring they reflect dietary, cultural, nutritional and allergen requirements and remain relevant through innovation, trends and guest insight.
• Maintain consistently high standards of food quality, presentation and guest experience.
• Lead, inspire and develop the senior culinary team, including the Conference & Events Head Chef, Matchday Head Chef and Performance Chef, creating a positive, inclusive and accountable kitchen culture.
• Develop talent, succession plans and career pathways, coaching and mentoring senior chefs and supporting them in developing their own teams.
• Work with the General Manager, Deputy General Manager, People team and wider leadership team on recruitment, engagement, wellbeing and performance, championing diversity, inclusion and colleague development.
• Provide culinary leadership across the matchday and event calendar, ensuring the kitchen operation is appropriately staffed, planned and resourced, and being visible and hands-on during key matchdays and major events.
• Support the Performance Chef in delivering high-quality, nutritious food aligned to athlete requirements.
• Lead the sustainable food strategy, increasing the use of seasonal, local and responsibly sourced ingredients, developing plant-forward and lower-impact menu options, and driving food waste reduction through planning, menu engineering and ingredient utilisation.
• Engage and educate the culinary team on sustainable food practices and work with suppliers and sustainability teams to deliver agreed environmental targets.
• Take overall responsibility for culinary cost, labour and profitability, working with the General Manager and finance team to deliver agreed financial targets and managing purchasing, suppliers, food cost and waste.
• Ensure kitchen operations meet the highest standards of food safety, hygiene and compliance, working alongside the Venue Compliance Manager, and drive efficiency and continuous improvement across the culinary operation.
• Build strong relationships with clients, event teams, operational colleagues and key stakeholders, ensuring the culinary proposition supports the wider commercial and guest experience strategy and representing the organisation professionally at senior level.

• Minimum 8–10 years' progressive culinary experience, including significant senior leadership experience.
• Proven track record at Executive Chef, Executive Head Chef, Senior Head Chef or equivalent level.
• Extensive senior culinary leadership experience within a large-scale hospitality, sporting, events, hotel or contract catering environment.
• Proven experience leading large and diverse culinary teams, including managing multiple culinary teams or functions.
• Experience delivering high-volume sporting, hospitality or event operations.
• Proven experience in menu development, cost control and financial management, supported by strong commercial and financial understanding.
• Exceptional culinary and menu development skills.
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills, with an inspirational, visible and approachable leadership style.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, allergens and operational compliance, with a commitment to maintaining the highest standards.
• Proven ability to develop and retain culinary talent, with strong coaching and mentoring skills and the ability to create a high-performing, inclusive and accountable culture.
• Genuine passion for sustainable food and responsible sourcing.
• Passionate about food, people and hospitality, and about developing the next generation of chefs.
• Creative, innovative and commercially minded, with strong attention to detail and high personal standards.
• Resilient and calm under pressure, and positive, collaborative and approachable.
• Committed to sustainability, diversity, inclusion and colleague wellbeing.

• Experience of sustainable food initiatives is highly desirable.

• Private health cover (Medicash, Aviva).
• Discretionary bonus.
• Enhanced holiday allowance (27 days, bank holidays and birthday off annually).
• 23 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, with an additional day off for your birthday.
• Free staff meals and meals on duty.
• Job enhancement training and development courses.
• Company pension scheme and life assurance.
• Exclusive benefits and wellbeing site (Perks at Work).
• Medicash healthcare benefits, including dental, optical and therapy treatments (includes up to 4 dependent children).
• Aviva Digicare free annual healthcare check.
• Entertainment discounts – up to 55% off cinema tickets.
• Health and wellbeing discounts – Nuffield Health (20%) and Pure Gym (10%).

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers, building a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds and abilities of all team members. As part of Compass, colleagues help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. The business offers competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development at one of the UK's biggest companies.