CoCo Group
Project Lead / Head Chef - Major Sporting Events, large scale events
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Project Lead / Head Chef — Major Sporting Events & Live Events
Salary: £52K-£58K | Oxfordshire based
Formula 1 paddocks. Major Sporting Events. World-class private and corporate events. This is culinary leadership on the biggest stage there is.
If you're a chef who's tired of standing still, who'd rather be building a kitchen from the ground up in a new country than running the same pass every night, this is the role that gets your pulse up.
We're working with a leading name in premium live events and hospitality to find a dynamic, experienced Project Lead / Head Chef to head up exceptional culinary experiences across a portfolio of high-profile events. From large-scale Formula One hospitality and prestigious golf championships to private and corporate events, you'll be at the forefront of creating dining experiences guests remember long after the final course.
What you'll be doing
- You'll be the full culinary lead and accountable owner for major events, plus smaller projects across the calendar:
- Own the menu and the budget — write and cost menus in line with food budgets, and control food and kitchen labour spend, forecasting and reforecasting as you go
- Build and lead your team — recruit chefs, provide direction and motivation across all culinary functions, and keep morale strong even when the pressure's on
- Be the client's culinary voice — act as key client contact from a culinary perspective, and represent your client as a true ambassador of the brand towards guests
- Run the whole operation, not just the kitchen — lead kitchen set-up and pack-down, manage suppliers and freight alongside the logistics team, and scale seamlessly between pre-event planning and full on-event delivery
- Shape the strategy — work with the project lead on F&B strategy, from local food trends and hospitality direction to developing your team's offer at every location
- Keep it sharp and compliant — oversee procurement, stock and waste reporting, and ensure food safety, allergen documentation and H&S standards are always audit-ready
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What you'll bring
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- Proven experience in a senior Head Chef role, ideally within events, large scale catering, festivals or live music events or premium hospitality
- Strong leadership skills with a track record inspiring large, diverse kitchen teams
- Exceptional menu writing and culinary creativity, with an eye on current food trends, dietary requirements and sustainability
- Confidence with budgeting, cost management and food ordering systems
- A calm, decisive head under pressure, someone who can troubleshoot logistical curveballs without missing a beat
- Genuine experience delivering greenfield events, ideally with international or Formula One exposure
Interested?
Are you excited by the opportunity of leading large scale projects for major sporting events from the ground up? If so, I would love to hear from you, so apply today to be considered.
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