Community Chef Educator – Community Kitchen

Passionate about making a difference through food?

About Us

Company Shop Group is the largest commercial redistributor of surplus food and household products in the UK. Our mission is to unlock the value of unused stock, preventing waste while empowering communities.

Through our Community Shop stores, we reinvest in local people, building confidence and strengthening communities. Our Community Kitchen programmes are designed to create change through culinary engagement—training, education, and nutritious food access.

About the Role

We’re seeking a dedicated Chef Educator to lead culinary initiatives at our Knottingley Community Kitchen, blending cooking expertise with community outreach.

This is a dynamic role that goes beyond preparing meals: you’ll be a driving force in fostering community growth through food education. Your ability to adapt, lead, and inspire will help deliver impactful social programmes aligned with local needs.

Working closely with internal and external partners (not-for-profit, sector organisations, public & private), you’ll help scale our initiatives, secure shared benefits, and champion innovative solutions tackling food waste and social inequality.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• _transform quality nutritional meals nurtured with surplus food Effectively manage and creatively utilise ever-changing, surplus food inventories to develop wholesome, appealing meals.
• Lead kitchen-based training and community engagement Deliver culinary development programmes, strengthening ties with local communities through hands-on education, cooking workshops, and inclusive activities.
• Fame and drive community membership Support awareness-raising and member retention to increase outreach for the Community Kitchen’s social impact activities.
• Organise and develop training and support frameworks Host in-house culinary training programmes, mentoring staff and volunteers to deliver consistent kitchen practises.
• Strategic partnerships development Collaborate with external partners in NPOs, social enterprises, public, and wider commercial sectors to co-design and expand programmes that maximise synergistic impact.
• Advocacy and upskilling within the sector Represent Community Shop interests to stakeholders, promoting our unique value proposition and enabling future social outreach projects.
• Compliance & operational excellence Enforce Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) protocols, ensuring all kitchen operations meet national and regulatory standards.
• Cross-departmental collaboration Build shared success through supportive and collaborative relationships within and beyond the kitchen team, aligning with company values.
• Inspire through leadership Cultivate a positive, high-performing culture through strong leadership and skill enhancement, driving positive cross-functional work.
• Knowledge sharing Stay informed about sector trends and company updates, shaping team education and strategy accordingly.