Development Chef - Manchester Entertainment District

Closing Date of Applications - 31/01/26

Our Story

Manchester City is an English Premier League club whose roots began in East Manchester. From its first incarnation as St Mark’s West Gorton in 1880, the club became Manchester City FC in 1894. Behind each title lies emotion, moments and memories that resonate with millions of supporters around the world. Manchester City fans are known for their commitment and togetherness, as a Club that fights to the end.

Purpose

This is a rare opportunity to define the culinary identity of one of the most ambitious hospitality developments in UK sport and entertainment.

As Development Chef for Manchester City’s 365 Food & Beverage Operations within the new Entertainment District, you will shape the culinary direction of multiple restaurant and bar concepts, including the Medlock Hotel restaurant opening in 2026.

You will lead menu creation, recipe development, and culinary innovation across a diverse portfolio of venues operating on both matchdays and non-matchdays, ranging from casual all-day dining to premium, concept-driven experiences. Working closely with the Director of Restaurants, you will help define each brand’s vision from pre-opening through launch and ongoing evolution.

With food as a key competitive differentiator, you will bring fresh, seasonal, and trend-led ideas to a large-scale operation while balancing creativity with efficiency and cost control. Experience in a commercially successful, multi-brand hospitality group will be essential.

Collaborating with joint venture partners, operating vendors, and internal teams, you will play a pivotal role in establishing the Entertainment District as a standout hospitality destination in Manchester.

This is Your City

As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and a simply health cash plan, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts. 

Your Impact

Culinary Development & Menu Creation

• Lead menu development across the 365 portfolio, working with the Director of Restaurants from concept through launch.
• Create costed, scalable recipes that balance creativity, seasonality, and operational efficiency.
• Conduct regular tastings and R&D sessions with internal and external stakeholders to drive menu optimisation and consistency.

Concept Development & Brand Alignment

• Partner with the Director of Restaurants to translate brand and concept direction into clear, differentiated culinary identities.
• Develop and deliver tailored menu strategies across a diverse portfolio of concepts, ensuring alignment with the Entertainment District vision and Manchester market positioning.
• Support new venue openings through menu development, testing, and hands-on input into team training and readiness.

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Operational Support & Technical Delivery

• Deliver technically robust menus through accurate costings, clear specifications, and operational standards that support consistent execution.
• Work closely with finance, operators, suppliers, and procurement to meet GP targets, commercial KPIs, and product standards.
• Support kitchen teams through training, menu rollouts, and hands-on guidance to ensure quality and consistency.
• Drive ongoing innovation by translating food trends, seasonal produce, and sustainability principles into practical menu development, activations, and limited-time offers.

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Quality, Compliance & Consistency

• Ensure menus consistently meet brand standards, food safety, allergen, and quality requirements across all venues.
• Partner with compliance teams to maintain accurate allergen documentation and support best practice.
• Monitor kitchen execution through regular site visits, using guest feedback and performance data to drive continuous improvement and targeted training.
  
  

What we are looking for

Essential

• Proven experience as a Development Chef, Group Development Chef, or R&D Chef within multi‑site, high‑street hospitality, hotels, or premium casual dining.
• Strong creative ability with a track record of producing commercially successful, trend‑aligned menus.
• Deep understanding of recipe development, costing, menu engineering, and kitchen operations.
• Experience developing menus for new venue openings, brand launches, or large‑scale F&B projects.
• Strong communication skills with ability to collaborate across culinary, operations, marketing, and vendor partners.
• Passion for seasonality, freshness, innovation, and creating memorable guest experiences.
• Ability to balance creativity with commercial discipline and operational realities.
• Competency with digital recipe‑management, costing, and compliance platforms.

 Desirable

• Experience working within mixed‑use hospitality districts, multi‑brand environments, or market‑hall style operations.
• Strong understanding of Manchester’s restaurant landscape and evolving consumer patterns.
• Supplier networks across the UK for premium, seasonal, and specialist products.
• Interest in guest‑chef collaborations, residencies, and F&B activations.
• Exposure to international cuisines and ability to adapt global trends to local markets.