Catering Manager Buckhatch
Working 10 days a fortnight to include every other weekend.
Perrywood is an independent, family-owned garden centre group run by the Bourne Family. Our vision is to inspire people to get more plants in their lives. Perrywood Tiptree has been run by the Bourne family since 1955. In 2018 we bought our second garden centre, Perrywood Sudbury and added our third garden centre, Perrywood Buckhatch in 2024.
As Catering Manager, you will oversee the catering function for our Buckhatch Garden Centre currently running at a turnover of 1 million.
- Coffee Shop & Restaurant (230 covers) – offering high quality home-cooked breakfasts, lunches, cakes and scones.
Rewards and Benefits
In addition to your salary, you will receive the following benefits:
- Discount – From the start of your employment you will receive 10% discount on specific items. Following a successful probation period, the discount increases up to 20% discount on specific items and after one year’s service up to 40% discount on specific items. (some exceptions apply)
- Paid holiday – holiday entitlement is 22 days per year, plus bank holidays. Restrictions apply
- Annual Christmas bonus
- Part-uniform provided
- Employee Assistant Programme - a confidential personal and professional support service available to all employees and their immediate families 24/7, 365 days a year.
- Training & development, as required. We have an e-learning scheme called GROW, and also take part in other training with product suppliers and external trainers.
- Company sick pay – following a successful probation period employees are entitled to 10 days paid sickness (part-time pro rata and subject to restrictions)
- Access to our Retail Discount Scheme – savings on retailers including Tesco, Pizza Express, M&S, Waitrose, Argos, Apple, Currys PC World, Thomas Cook and 100’s more.
- Workplace pension
- Free parking
- No evenings
- Every other weekend off
- Great work life balance
Key duties
- Manage the front of house managers & wider front of house team, creating a positive culture which is focused on delivering exceptional standards and customer service.
- Work with the Executive Chef, ensuring food is produced and presented to the highest standards, whilst minimizing waste and ensuring correct stock rotation.
- Inspire, motivate, and develop your team ensuring our high standards are consistently met.
- Staff rota management, recruitment, coaching. Your duties will include business planning, EPOS management and marketing campaigns. You will be required to interrogate labour reports and transactional data to evaluate opportunities.
- Maximise sales opportunities, taking responsibility to ensure the counters are adequately & attractively stocked understanding commercial implications of your decisions.
- Empowering and challenging the front of house managers to deliver excellent customer service, confidently and correctly answer customer queries.
- Comply with all requirements of law in relation to the restaurant with particular focus on Environmental Health, Health & Safety, Allergens, Think 21.
- Take responsibility to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness.
- Manage weekly/daily ordering with our suppliers.
- Take a focussed attitude toward business sustainability to ensure margins, profitability and operational efficiencies are meeting expected performance.
- Work with the Catering Operations Manager to develop the service styles and plan for future growth.
Your capabilities
- You can lead with authority and confidence to inspire and motivate your team.
- You are confident in dealing with members of the public & suppliers.
- Reporting to the Catering Operations Manager, you can follow instructions from your manager, and must be able to work on your own initiative and prioritise tasks effectively.
- You react well in a crisis and can think on your feet to problem solve.
- You ensure that company standards are maintained ensuring exceptional customer service while growing and developing the business.
Requirements
- Relevant experience in a food and beverage establishment, with recent experience as a manager of a large team of people; be able to clearly demonstrate proven leadership skills.
- In-depth knowledge of restaurant requirements such as Environmental Health, allergens and alcohol licensing laws, customer service, cleanliness and health and safety is essential.
- Ability to lift and carry e.g., stocking up, lifting objects, putting away deliveries.
- Excellent communication and customer service skills essential.
Working with
- Report to the Catering Operations Manager.
- Executive Head Chef.
- Garden Centre Senior Managers.
- Suppliers.
- Support functions.
If this Catering Manager position sounds like the ideal opportunity for you, please apply directly to us. We’d love to hear from you!
Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 25th August 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview on Tuesday, 1st September 2026.
Perrywood is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you require any reasonable adjustments, please inform us as soon as you are able so that we can make the appropriate adjustments.
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
Application question(s):
- Can you give example of when you've led, coached and inspired a large Front of House team?
- Please tell us about a time when you've delivered excellent customer service and demonstrated a passion for guest experience.
- Please tell us about your previous experience managing a Restaurant with a turnover of 1 million.
- Please give examples of where you've used effective communication and organisational skills.
Work Location: In person
