# Working as a Contract Catering Chef for The Chef Tree

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Contract catering is a term that those working in the sector will be familiar with, but for many outside it – even those in hospitality – there is a lack of clarity about what ‘contract catering’ actually means and the kind of services it provides.

The truth is, contract catering is a multi-faceted sector, providing catering services to a whole host of organisations and businesses – from schools and hospitals to workplaces, museums and sports arenas (including some fantastic venues!) – so the challenges it faces are varied and wide.

A contract catering company provides catering services to a business or organisation (its client) for a specific length of time.

In some cases, services are paid for by the client, such as an education authority or a company, for the benefit of their students or employees.

Other types of contracts mean the contract catering company is hired to provide specific services to the public at a certain business. They might be hired to run the café and restaurant at a museum or the snack kiosk at a football ground.

Examples of places where catering companies work include schools; college and university canteens or snack bars; hospitals; workplace canteens; event venues; sports grounds; railway stations and airports.

For the organisation or business using catering companies, the advantage is that they can hand this area over to specialists and focus on their own area of expertise, while caterers who sign contracts with clients have guaranteed business.

## Chef Jobs

- Head Chef
- Chef De Partie
- Cook

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## What skills do you need to work in a contract catering company?

As you can see from above, there is a wide range of kitchens and businesses in which a contract catering chef may work. With this said, all kitchens need their chefs to have a good skill base in order to run an effective business kitchen.

Successful chefs need business and communication skills, as well as the ability to develop recipes, plan menus, and ensure the meals they serve are of the best quality.

These skills include the following:

- Budgeting for expenses and managing employees.

- Communicating instructions clearly and effectively to staff.

- Motivating kitchen staff and developing constructive and cooperative working relationships.

- Developing and preparing creative, interesting, and innovative recipes.

- Having a keen sense of taste and smell to create meals that customers will enjoy.

- Agility to handle knives and other cooking implements properly for cutting, chopping, and dicing.

- The ability to work long shifts overseeing the preparation and serving of meals.

- Time management skills to ensure efficiency in meal preparation and service.

### Attention to Detail

Cooking is a science. Every ingredient and measurement must be exact, including ordering food products or figuring out how long to cook certain items so that they’re all plated at the same time. A chef needs to have an eye for details such as:

- Heat Control

- Measuring

- Portion Sizing

- Precision

- Presentation

- Quality of Food

- Supervising

### Business Sense

A good contract catering chef should also be good at running a business. He or she should always be thinking about how to make delicious food while also being cost-effective. Chefs often deal with the following tasks:

- Administrative

- Budgeting

- Business Acumen

- Business Sense

- Computer Skills

- Conceptual Thinking

- Control Labor Costs

- Cost Control

- Cost Reduction

- Customer Service

- Food Pricing

- Food Safety

- Food Regulations

- Food Science

- Food Service Management

- Recruiting

- Inventory Management

- Inventory Rotation

- Kitchen Management

- Local Foods

- Ordering

- Operations

- Product Selection

### Cleanliness

A contract catering chef needs to know how to keep their kitchens sanitary. This is very important in a restaurant, where unsanitary conditions can affect the quality of the food, and can even force a restaurant to shut down. Chefs are responsible for following the local health code and dealing with:

- Health and Safety

- Hygiene

- Sanitary Practices

### Creativity

Working in the contract catering industry requires creativity. Chefs must be open to incorporating new food items into menus as well as improving older recipes. Creativity and imagination will keep customers coming back for more. Chefs experiment in the following ways:

- Collaboration

- Experimenting

- Menu Design

- Presentation

- Recipe Design

- Trial and Error

### Culinary Expertise

The most important hard skill a contract catering chef needs is the ability to cook, as well as knowledge of the kitchen. This broad skill includes a variety of smaller skills, including knife and tasting skills. Chefs need to be able to cook precisely and efficiently. They also need to be skilled at recognizing flavours and judging the balance of seasonings. Chefs often have experience with:

- Baking

- Baking Techniques

- Consistency

- Cooking

- Culinary Expertise

- Food Preparation

- Grilling

- Ingredient Selection

- Knife Control

- Knife Cuts

- Knife Skills

- Pastry

- Presentation

### Fast-Paced Decision Making

Chefs working for catering companies should be able to make decisions quickly and efficiently. The kitchen is a fast-paced environment, and a chef has to make numerous decisions at once. They should be able to:

- Handle Pressure

- Problem Solving

- Take Initiative

### Motivational Management Style

A good chef will motivate those working in the kitchen. He or she should be able to keep everyone working at a fast, efficient pace by demonstrating the following traits:

- Communication

- Cooking Techniques

- Leadership

- Passion

### Organisation

Chefs must be very organized in the kitchen. Often, they have to work on a variety of tasks at once and must do so while keeping the kitchen clean and safe. They must create order and structure in the kitchen. They do this in the following ways:

- Commitment to Quality

- Being Efficient

- Kitchen Safety

- Kitchen Tools

- Multitasking

- Planning

- Safe Food Handling

- Sanitary Practices

### Team Player

A chef is part of a team and must be able to work well with others. Not only must he or she work with the other cooks in the kitchen, but he or she must also be able to work effectively with staff and management. Chefs should be able to:

- Accept Feedback

- Collaborate

- Show Compassion

- Emotional Intelligence

- Give Feedback

- Be Interpersonal

- Have a Sense of Humor

- Team Building

- Training

## What experience do you need to work in a contract catering kitchen?

As long as you have worked in a busy and demanding kitchen environment with a proven track record of delivering quality food under pressure then you should have the experience to work in contract catering. However, it would be advantageous if you have experience working in larger kitchens such as schools, universities or hospitals where you will be familiar with the specific demands and types of cooking required.

You get to go to different venues, you’re not stuck in the same job endlessly, not boring. You don’t have to go back when you don’t like somewhere and there is a variety of jobs.

James Avery

Working for The Chef Tree is completely different from being a full-time chef. You choose the hours you want to do, fill in your portal, and everything is arranged around that.

Neil Roach

## What does The Chef Tree Pay for a Contract Catering Chef?

Our rates are dependent on your experience but a CDP can expect to earn £14 p.h, a sous chef, £16 p.h, a Head chef, £18 p.h and an Executive chef or weekend care home chef, £20 p.h.

## What are the benefits of working for TCT?

When you join The Chef Tree you will be entitled to the following amazing benefits;

Competitive rates of pay. Our current rate for a cook is £16ph.

Our Monthly Bonus Scheme - Complete 166 hours per month (just under 38.5 hours per week) and you will receive £100 bonus. This will be paid monthly.

Our Refer a Chef scheme – If you refer a chef to us you will receive £150 when the chef completes 5 shifts. The chef you refer will receive £75 on completion of 5 shifts.

Access to our online benefit partners, Pirkx - a benefit scheme for courses, health, wellbeing, shopping and more! For more information visit www.pirkx.com

Where can you work as a Contract Catering Chef?

Bristol
Bath
Swindon
Cheltenham

What our Chefs say!

I like working for The Chef Tree because of the freedom and the flexibility

Eva Kam

You get to go to different venues, you’re not stuck in the same job endlessly, not boring. You don’t have to go back when you don’t like somewhere and there is a variety of jobs.

James Avery

Working for The Chef Tree is completely different from being a full-time chef
You choose the hours you want to do, fill in your portal, and everything is
arranged around that

Neil Roach

Dont just take our word for it

Dont just take our word for it, This is what our chefs say about working for the chef tree

Apply Now!
Get a Quote!

Call us: 071 8604 611