Eastlands Venue Services Limited
Café Chef
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Medlock Square: A New Era in Etihad Campus
Medlock Square marks a bold new chapter in the evolution of the Etihad Campus — a vibrant, year-round destination for culture, leisure, and entertainment, set alongside two global icons: the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City Football Club, and the landmark Co-op Live arena.
Named after the River Medlock that runs beneath the site, the development celebrates Manchester’s industrial heritage while shaping its next era of city-defining experiences. Manchester is known worldwide for its sport, music, and entertainment — and Medlock Square will build on that legacy, creating a landmark home for exceptional shared moments and elevating the city’s position as one of Europe’s most dynamic, fast-growing destinations.
At the heart of this new district will be an extraordinary food and beverage offer: from relaxed coffee houses and all-day dining to flagship restaurants and premium culinary experiences. Designed to serve both everyday visitors and major event audiences, Medlock Square will deliver high-quality hospitality all week long and across the events calendar.
About The Role
We're looking for a passionate and experienced Café Chef to help shape and deliver an outstanding café food offering, bringing creativity, consistency, and exceptional quality to every aspect of the customer experience. You'll play a key role in maintaining high culinary standards, supporting team development, and contributing to a fresh, innovative food proposition within one of Manchester's most exciting hospitality destinations.
As a Café Chef, you will support the day-to-day leadership of a busy, customer-focused kitchen, working alongside the Head Chef to deliver fresh, seasonal, and high-quality food throughout the day. From breakfast through to lunch service and event catering, you'll ensure exceptional standards of food quality, presentation, and consistency across all areas of the operation.
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This is a hands-on role within a fast-paced environment where quality, efficiency, and guest satisfaction are at the heart of everything we do. You will lead by example during service, support kitchen operations, and help develop a positive and high-performing team culture.
Working across both event and non-event days, you will contribute to operational excellence, maintain food safety standards, and help create a welcoming café experience that keeps guests returning. In the absence of the Head Chef, you will help oversee kitchen operations, ensuring smooth service delivery and consistently high standards.
In This Role You Will
- Support the delivery of a high-performing café kitchen operation, ensuring exceptional food quality and service standards across daily trading and event catering requirements
- Prepare and deliver menus in line with the café concept, maintaining high standards of consistency, freshness, and presentation
- Support, guide, and develop members of the kitchen team, fostering a positive and collaborative culture
- Ensure full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and allergen management standards at all times
- Contribute to strong commercial performance through effective stock control, waste reduction, and efficient kitchen operations
- Support the delivery of seasonal menu changes, daily specials, and new product development
- Assist with kitchen planning, preparation, and service across both café operations and event activity
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
Essential
- Proven experience as a Chef, Senior Chef de Partie, Sous Chef, or similar role within a busy café, casual dining, hospitality, hotel, or food-service environment
- Strong experience delivering breakfast, brunch, lunch, grab-and-go, and all-day dining offers
- Ability to perform effectively within a fast-paced kitchen operation while maintaining high standards and attention to detail
- Experience supporting and coaching kitchen team members
- Good understanding of food safety, hygiene, and allergen legislation
- Experience supporting stock control, food cost management, and waste reduction
- Strong organisational and time-management skills
- Calm and confident under pressure during busy trading periods
- Passion for fresh food, quality ingredients, and delivering an exceptional customer experience
- Flexibility to work weekends, event days, and occasional evenings as required
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Desirable
- Experience within a premium café, artisan café, coffee-led hospitality venue, or contemporary casual dining environment
- Experience supporting new openings, refurbishments, or concept launches
- Exposure to menu development, seasonal menu planning, and café food trends
- Knowledge of local suppliers, fresh produce, and sustainable sourcing practices
- Experience working collaboratively with front-of-house and coffee teams to deliver an outstanding guest experience
Why Join Us?
- Be part of a flagship destination set to redefine hospitality in Manchester
- Work within a world-class entertainment and cultural district
- Build and lead new teams from the ground up
- Influence concepts, menus, and guest experiences
- Grow your career within a pioneering and high-profile development
Benefits
- Meals on Shifts – Enjoy lunch & dinner while you work.
- Competitive Holiday Allowance - plus bank holidays
- Birthday Day Off - Enjoy an extra day off to celebrate your birthday
- Inclusive & Diverse Workplace – Be part of a team that values diversity and inclusion
- Wellbeing - Support and resources to help you stay well, both in and outside of work
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