Kitchen Manager
Also advertised as: Catering Manager, Food Service Manager, Head of Kitchen Operations, Kitchen Manager, Kitchen Operations Manager
Manages the business side of a kitchen, including staffing, budgets and compliance.
What the job involves
Kitchen managers oversee the operational running of a kitchen, including staff rotas, supplier ordering, budgets and food safety compliance, working alongside the head chef who leads the food itself. You are the one accountable to environmental health inspectors and head office on standards. This role suits chefs who prefer management over cooking every shift.
Typical responsibilities
- Manage kitchen staff rotas and recruitment
- Order stock and manage supplier relationships
- Control food and labour costs against budget
- Ensure compliance with food hygiene regulations
- Report kitchen performance to senior management
Common employers
- Restaurant chains
- Hotels
- Contract catering companies
- Care homes
- School catering providers
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£25,000 – £29,000 a year
With experience
£32,000 – £40,000 a year
Typical hours
45+ hours including some weekends
Working environment
Kitchen and office, standing for long periods
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Operational management
- Budgeting
- Food hygiene compliance
- Supplier negotiation
- Leadership
Transferable skills you may already have
- Kitchen or catering experience
- Team supervision
- Financial administration
Requirements employers ask for
- Operational management
- Budgeting
- Food hygiene compliance
- Supplier negotiation
- Leadership
- Level 2 Food Safety
- Kitchen experience
- Level 2 Food Safety
Useful but not essential
- Kitchen or catering experience
- Team supervision
- Financial administration
- Level 3 Food Safety supervisory qualification
- Hospitality management qualification
Helpful qualifications
- Level 3 Food Safety supervisory qualification
- Hospitality management qualification
Licences and checks
- Level 2 Food Safety
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Hospitality Manager (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Hospitality and catering
- Related subject: Business studies
Where this career can lead
next
Catering Operations Manager
next
Area Catering Manager
next
Head of Food Services
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Combines catering knowledge with management
- Good progression into multi-site roles
- Less time on the line than a chef
What people find hard
- Responsible for compliance failures
- Long hours around service times
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a kitchen manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a kitchen manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £25,000 to £29,000 a year, rising towards £40,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Kitchen or catering experience, Team supervision, Financial administration.
Related careers
Bar and Waiting Staff
Serves food and drink, looks after guests and keeps service running smoothly.
Chef
Prepares and cooks food to standard, and helps run the kitchen section.
Hotel Manager
Runs a hotel: guest experience, staff, revenue, standards and budgets.
Events Coordinator
Plans and delivers events, from logistics and suppliers to the day itself.
Restaurant Manager
Runs the daily operation of a restaurant, from staffing to customer experience and profit.
Sous Chef
Deputises for the head chef, running sections of the kitchen and supervising chefs.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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