Join us for our Open Evening at Leiths on Thursday 12th March 2026, 6:30–8:30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
Join us for our Open Evening at Leiths on Thursday 12th March 2026, 6:30–8:30pm, and discover how the Culinary Diploma can launch your career in food.
You’ve got to be a ‘list person’ to thrive in the world of large-scale events and wedding catering. All the details that go into setting up a venue kitchen, designing and delivering a menu chosen by the client and working with an events planner on their vision mean there is also another thing to think about or another problem to solve.
The nature of events means you’re often at different locations while still needing to maintain all the hygiene, organisation and quality as though you were running a restaurant.
You will handle client requests, recruitment of staff, relations with suppliers and venues and be on site before, during and after the event to ensure everything goes to plan. But because this role comes with a considerable mental load, the financial rewards can be some of the best in the business.
The work-life balance of a wedding catering head chef is known to be irregular and demanding, with long working hours and the likelihood of working on weekends and holidays. There is no current standard in terms of the hours worked for these professionals; typically, the hours are long, and as such, the balance leans more towards work.
Pursuing a career as a large-scale event chef requires a real range of hard and soft skills. Between managing food production on a grand scale to having a keen eye for detail.
The potential salary of a head chef for large-scale catering can vary drastically depending on the company, the size of the events they cover, the experience of the chef and the location. The range for this is so varied that there is no set industry standard.
Employment type:
Employed
Working hours:
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Potential Salary:
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Work/Life Balance
It’s fairly common in kitchens that the more senior chefs get to work on the grill section, meaning they finish their work earlier than those on larder and pastry. You can expect some late nights in this role, helping with cleaning down and some early starts doing basic prep tasks before the more senior chefs arrive.
Tasked with preparing delicious, nutritious lunches for corporate employees, responding to specific dietary requirements and creating exciting menu changes based on the calendar.
An experienced member of an events team with an impressive ‘little black book’ who has the know-how on bringing the imaginings of their private party and wedding clients to life.
A position where a chef, often referred to as a “private chef,” prepares and serves meals directly to a client in their own home.