The Sport Chef in Professional Football. Written by Albert Gonzalo Arrieta Aspilcueta.

Introduction

The title ‘performance chef’ has gained popularity over the last 15 years. It is now common to see these professionals featured in football club media, podcasts, and press releases. There is an increasing interest from professional sports organisations in employing chefs who can deliver high-quality nutrition to their athletes, as evidenced by the rise in job advertisements for ‘performance chefs’ and greater investment in specialist kitchens at training grounds. Elite football clubs have shifted from relying entirely on external meal prep services for post-training food to offering in-house, club-made food services that are nutritionally aligned and designed to support players’ daily requirements. Yet, despite this surge in demand, chefs have remained largely overlooked in applied sport nutrition research, with many operating without the training, structure, or support they need. 

Setting the research foundation

So, how could research help improve the professional practice of chefs—and ultimately, the quality of nutrition services delivered to football players? That is how my PhD came to life. The research began by exploring the role of sports chefs and the catering services they provide. We then conducted individual qualitative interviews to understand the challenges and opportunities they perceive within their club environments. And we are now working to establish expert consensus on the competencies required to be an effective ‘sport chef’—a title I actively advocate for.

Contextualising the Sport Chef’s role

Sport chefs in football are challenged with translating theoretical menus, nutrient targets or, as some chefs refer to them, ‘Excel sheets’ into real food and drinks that athletes will eat and enjoy. For this purpose, they must balance nutrition with taste, presentation, and variety—all while operating in the fast-paced, unpredictable, and intense environment of professional football, where training and match schedules can change rapidly.

Further complexity arises from the increasing diversity of football teams, extended seasons, constant travel, and multiple squads to support. For instance, 62 nationalities were represented in the Premier League during the 2024/25 season, with each senior squad typically comprising 15–20 different nationalities. Therefore, club catering practices must enable the delivery of inclusive, culturally sensitive, periodised, and individually tailored nutrition strategies that underpin player health and performance.

Sport chef employment and key responsibilities

As part of our first study, we surveyed 62 head and executive chefs across the top four tiers of English men’s football during the 2022/23 season, and found:

• Chefs were employed by ∼ 80% of clubs, predominantly in full-time roles on permanent contracts, working an average of 45 hours per week, in some cases, increasing to 51 in the Premier League.

• In the Premier League, 100% of clubs had a chef who ‘always’ travelled with the team to away games, with most also involved in food provision at away hotels and stadiums.

• Across leagues, 94% used nutritional supplements and 85% produced bespoke nutrition items such as ‘protein pancakes’ or customised shakes.

• Chefs frequently worked to bespoke specifications from food suppliers, manufactured culinary components, developed recipes, and planned performance-focused menus.

• Overall, 47% reported providing nutritional advice to players.

Together, these findings show that sport chefs are not just cooks—they are integral to the delivery of nutrition strategies, working from ingredient sourcing all the way through to food service and coaching, both at and away from the training ground.

Challenges to effective nutrition strategy implementation

Despite the impact of the sport chef on nutrition service provision, our findings revealed several barriers that may hinder their professional practice. For example:

• 77% felt that their club’s nutrition strategy was not consistently respected, being overruled, for instance, by head coaches.

• 71% had never undertaken any formal training related to sports nutrition.

• 50% reported that they lacked clear nutrition targets (e.g., energy or macronutrient goals per meal)—or, if such targets existed, these were not shared with them.

• 45% felt that their kitchen layout and equipment did not support an efficient service.

• 27% acknowledged a lack of autonomy to choose their food suppliers, often being required to use club-nominated lists.

Interviews also highlighted challenges in collaborating with nutritionists, including limited communication with part-time or consultant staff and inconsistencies arising from working with multiple nutritionists holding differing philosophies. Most felt that nutritionists lacked an understanding of how high-performance kitchens operate—and at times attempted to implement catering guidelines without prior consultation with the chef, as one Premier League chef shared:

“Nutritionists might not understand the flow, or the timing needed in a busy kitchen environment (...) They push for changes without considering the practical implications for the chefs, like introducing new dishes that require more preparation time.”

We also found instances where sports chefs did not feel appropriately integrated within the performance department, often relying on unclear line management structures and working under conditions that did not meet income expectations:

“Sometimes, you can find yourself working six days in a row, and depending on your coach, even up to 20 days back-to-back. Where is the conversation about that? (...) I would probably say that the time outside of my contract is not accounted for…”

In short, the elite sport environment demands world-class food, but often fails to provide adequate support for the chefs expected to deliver it.

Key takeaways

Sports chefs are key contributors within the staffing structures of football clubs, yet there remains a need to better recognise and value their role. To move the profession forward, different stakeholders must play their part. The following suggestions outline possible directions for action:

• Academia: Define sport chef competencies and create an accreditation pathway that supports more effective recruitment, training, and performance evaluation.

• Performance directors: Embed sports chefs within performance departments, ensuring clear communication channels and shared planning. Closer integration fosters trust and engagement.

• Sport nutritionists: Respect the operational expertise of chefs. Effective collaboration depends on mutual understanding. Ensure sports chefs are active participants in both strategic discussions and practical implementation.

As the role of the sport chef continues to evolve, research has a vital role to play in shaping evidence-informed practices—grounded in the realities of elite football—to support those delivering nutrition on the frontline.

References:

Arrieta-Aspilcueta, A.G., Bentley, M.R.N., Backhouse, S.H. et al. The role of the chef in professional football: a survey of current practice in the English Premier and Football Leagues. Perform. Nutr. 1, 3 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44410-025-00004-8