Kitchen Manager Head Chef

Job Title: Central Production Unit (CPU) Manager (Wandsworth/Clapham, London)

Location: London, UK

Reports to: CEO

Salary: Competitive, Based on Experience + Performance Bonus + Equity Options

Scale: up to 3 million meals/year from this CPU location

ABOUTFUELBETTER

Fuelbetteris on a mission to tackle the epidemic of diet-related chronic disease by making eating-your-healthiest-everyday truly effortless & truly affordable.

Fuelbetter does this by giving every family their own chef and dietitian team for as low as £5 per person per day, plus the cost of groceries used to make their meals.

We take away all the work of meal planning, shopping, cooking, and clean-up. Every meal is tailored to each family members needs, restrictions, and health goals. Just delicious, nutritionally complete, nutritionally tailored food done for you.

Learn more about our mission on our website.

THE ROLE

We are seeking an exceptional, hands-on, and experienced CPU Manager to lead the launch and ongoing management of our first London-based production facility. You will be the cornerstone of our production, responsible for transforming individually customised, medically-tailored meals concept into a flawlessly executed, high-volume reality. This role requires a unique blend of operational expertise, stringent quality control, and inspirational leadership. You will be instrumental in setting up systems from scratch, building a world-class team, and ensuring every single meal that leaves our facility is perfect.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facility Launch & Setup:
• Lead the final stages of kitchen setup, including equipment commissioning and workflow design to maximise efficiency and safety.
• Develop, implement, and document all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for production, packing, and dispatch.
• Play a key role in hiring, training, and building the founding kitchen team.
• Production & Operations Management:
• Oversee all daily kitchen operations, growing from 0 to potentially ~12,000 high-quality, nutritionally-tailored chilled meals per day.
• Develop and manage production schedules, ensuring targets are met consistently and efficiently.
• Implement and manage a robust inventory management system, overseeing procurement, stock rotation (FIFO), and supplier relationships to control costs and minimise waste.
• Quality, Safety & Compliance (Non-Negotiable):
• Be the champion for all food safety and health & safety protocols.
• Implement and manage a rigorous HACCP system. You must have deep, practical experience here.
• Ensure absolute precision in recipe execution and portion control, with a critical focus on allergen management and control for medically tailored requirements.
• Prepare the facility to meet and exceed industry standards, with a goal of achieving SALSA or BRC certification.
• Manage all aspects of compliance with UK food hygiene legislation and local authority EHO visits.
• Team Leadership & Development:
• Recruit, train, mentor, and manage a team of kitchen chefs and production operatives.
• Foster a positive, safe, and high-performance culture rooted in quality and accountability.
• Manage staff rotas, payroll, and performance reviews.
• Financial & Performance Control:
• Manage the kitchen budget, with a sharp focus on food costs (COGS), labour costs, and operational expenses.
• Analyse production data to identify areas for continuous improvement in efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
• Provide regular performance reports to senior management.

REQUIRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Proven experience as a Kitchen Manager, Production Manager, or similar role within a high-volume food production facility, CPU, or large-scale catering environment. (Experience in a standard restaurant kitchen alone is not sufficient).
• Demonstrable experience with cook-chill systems and chilled food production.
• Essential: In-depth, practical knowledge and implementation experience of HACCP (minimum Level 3, Level 4 preferred).
• Strong experience in managing food safety and quality audits. Experience with BRC or SALSA standards is highly desirable.
• Proven track record of successfully leading, motivating, and developing a large kitchen team.
• Excellent financial acumen with experience managing budgets, P&L, and controlling costs.
• A meticulous, data-driven, and process-oriented mindset.
• Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced, startup environment.
• Must have the right to work in the UK.

WHAT WE OFFER

• A highly competitive salary and performance-based bonus.
• The unique opportunity to build a critical business function from the ground up.
• A chance to be part of a mission-driven company with a positive social impact.
• Significant autonomy and responsibility from day one.
• Career progression opportunities as the company grows.