7414 - Head Butcher - Cruise Ships

Our Client is an award-winning cruise line operating cruise holidays throughout the UK, Europe, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Canada and North and South America.

They have been perfecting the art of cruising for 175 years and are delighted that more British passengers choose to travel with them than any other cruise line.

Their vision is to be the most spectacularly successful cruise company. Their employees are engaged and passionate people with their passengers at the heart of everything they do. They pride themselves on an exemplary and unrivalled customer service.

Their fleet of luxury vessels range in size from intimately carrying 700 passengers, exclusively adult ships to 3100 passengers, catering for all ages, tailoring their service to all of their customers’ needs.

An exciting opportunity has now arisen for Head Butchers to travel the world, whilst getting paid and having the opportunity to work with their celebrity chefs. The positions are offered on a 6 month renewable contract.

As a Head Butcher, you will manage a dedicated meat and fish food preparation team ensuring the provision of high quality, professionally prepared meat and fish products. This includes ancillary preparations to a ready to cook stage, including margination, skewering of kebabs and crumbing, working to deliver a consistent passenger dining experience.

You will manage, monitor, develop and train members of the team to ensure high quality, professionally prepared products in line with the corporate menu cycles.

You will ensure all staff are competent to undertake their roles by identifying training needs and coaching and mentoring junior team members.

You will oversee the service standard and quality of all products served including specifications, freshness and consistency, ensuring they meet the required high standards.

You will work closely and collaboratively with the Chef de Cuisine to control cost and wastage within the meat and fish preparation area and keep them informed of any shortages or discrepancies in products or ingredients, highlighting any non-compliance and gaining authorisation for suggested menu changes.

You will attend the daily callover to confirm production figures and menu cycle and ensure the correct scaling up is achieved.

You will proactively plan activities ensuring products are thawed in time for need, ensure all storage times and requirements are followed.

You will maintain an organised and efficient flow of production taking into account any authorised changes in forecasts or menu.

You will ensure all staff comply with current safety and company regulations, including the Public Health Policy.

You will complete regular checks of own areas and update Food Safety Policy logs accordingly.

You will ensure the section and equipment is operated and maintained in a sanitised and clean state at all times, undertaking regular inspections.

In addition to your professional duties you will also have to deliver staff training and have ship safety duties and responsibilities.

Knowledge and Skills:

To be considered for the role it is essential that you are professionally trained Head Butcher
with your practical experience supported by a relevant industry recognised qualification such as an NVQ III Food Manufacture or equivalent.

Experience of working in a hotel butchery would be ideal but our client will also consider large butchers shop, supermarket butchery or abattoir experience.

You should have experience of using a bandsaw.

You should also have an awareness of budgets and food wastage gained within a corporate environment.

A Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering is desirable,

To succeed in this role, you need to be professional, diligent, disciplined and committed to consistent quality assurance on a large scale.

Experience of food preparation for feeding large numbers of military personnel would be useful.

You should have a good command of written and spoken English. If English is not your first language you will have to take the Marlins test.

You should ideally have a valid ENG1 medical certificate.

You should be PC literate competent in the use of MS Office.

Superb inter-personal skills and instant credibility are essential as you will be inter-facing with a number of people from different backgrounds, nationalities and religions.

In return, our client offers good rates of pay, which are tax free, all accommodation costs covered, all meals and uniform provided, except shoes. In addition, there is a crew bar, crew gym, access to free dental and medical care, death in service benefit, free mobilisation flights and free flight back to your home base at the end of your contract, laundry service and with your Managers permission you can go passenger side and use the passenger’s gym and see the theatre and entertainment shows.

Finally, your family can holiday and accompany you and travel free whilst you are on board ship.

You will also get the opportunities to meet new people and see the world, interspersed with 2 month leave periods.

Please do not apply for this position unless you are a qualified Butcher.